The New Year's Eve countdown to 2018 is underway, and with it comes the annual race to catch a taxi home in Metro Vancouver.

Taxis can be hard to hail down even at the best of times, but on busy days like New Year's Eve and Halloween it's a notorious struggle.

"It's unpredictable. Usually it takes a long time," said Mickey Huo, who was downtown on New Year's Eve. "[Tonight] I know the cabs are going to be very busy. So I'll probably just walk."

Majeed Aljhimym usually tries to make the last SkyTrain when he goes out, but says he's familiar with the late-night rush for a taxi.

"I've seen people, like, waving and it's raining and some of them are so cold," he said.

Mohan Singh Kang, the president of the BC Taxi Association, said most of the 1,940 cabs servicing Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley are scheduled to be on the road on Dec. 31. There will be extra staff at call centres, too.

But even with all hands on deck, some party goers will likely spend some time waiting in the cold. Those in the service industry are also in for a busy night, and know the challenges of the early morning exodus from the downtown core all too well.

"Do we have enough taxis? Definitely not," said Camille Benico, an event coordinator with Studio Lounge and Nightclub.

She expects 4 a.m. will be the worst time to get a cab because that's when most of the venues on the Granville Strip close.

"It is what it is," she said. "Our part is getting everybody in. Getting out of here? It's a struggle for everybody."

Many British Columbians hoped this year wouldn't be such a struggle after former Liberal transport minister Todd Stone promised ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft would be in place before the 2017 holiday season.

The NDP also promised to introduce ride sharing in their election platform, but backtracked in October.

"We were committed to bringing in ride sharing on the assumption they'd done something over the past five years," B.C. Premier John Horgan said at the time. "As it turned out they hadn't."

In the meantime, 2017 is ending the way it started with Metro Vancouverites finding other ways to get home.

"I'm renting a car tonight from the airport. I don't drink, so I'll be fine," said Aljhimym.

TransLink is also offering free service on all of its platforms from 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve to 5 a.m. on New Year's Day.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Sarah MacDonald