Uber Not Here… Yet
Prince George, B.C. – Uber, a service where anyone can basically become a taxi service using their own car, has not yet arrived in Prince George, but Councillor Jillian Merrrick wants to make sure the City is prepared for the day it does.
“It looks like more of a problem than a solution” said Merrick during a Council discussion on updating the Vehicle for Hire bylaw.
“From a bylaw enforcement side of it, we certainly are aware of it” says City Bylaw Services Manager Fred Crittenden “We’re also aware that the Province is looking at different licensing and insurance regulations related to that, As well, I was recently at a conference where we talked about some of those issues, and some of the major communities in the Province are struggling with it as well and through their leadership, we will be to get the right tools in place once we get to that (when Uber arrives).”
Crittenden says the first step would be getting a City business license “They would still be required to have a chauffer’s permit under our bylaw which would trigger all the checks the RCMP does on the person, things like criminal record, whether or not they’re suitable for driving and having our community riding in their vehicle.”
RCMP Traffic Sergeant Matt LaBelle says there has been no indication so far that Uber is coming to Prince George “I think we are prepared currently for any immediate Uber applications. It is my understanding they still have to have insurance to do so, they still have to come to us (RCMP) to get a chauffer’s permit to do that.”
Comments
I have not personally used Uber but I know people that have and they think it is great.
What is Merrick going on about? Another person who obviously has never tried a better way, and is inflicting her personal views on it. Uber is 10x better than a cab, certainly cleaner…and safer … because you don’t have to fiddle for your wallet or your purse etc when you leave. More of a problem? Giving the public more choices for travel, and more people a chance to work, isn’t a problem.
Bring it on, taxis around here have had their way with us price wise! Can’t be any higher than what taxis charge, which I find is astronomical! Competition is good!
It can actually get very expensive to use the service. Peak hours can almost double or triple depending where you live and the demand to use the service. There was that guy in Edmonton a year ago use uber to get him home on newyears. when he ordered the service, it cost him 1000.00 so you do have to be paying attention. some times the cab may be cheaper
What;s Jillian going to do when Uber starts their two seater bike… hop on board ??/ to make use of all her wasted bike lanes??
Probability introduce Council to a ‘Jillian tax’ usage feee!
Ride share apps are great. Background checks on drivers are also great. You need some process and controls in place when accepting these services into an area. It will change the landscape of this industry functions. Its not all roses and sunshine for either side of this argument.
Bang on. The whole world as we know it is in for a shift. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.
Never used one and Never will.
Paying for a Ride is for a City Bus or a Taxi.
They need a Carriers Licence.
Can City Hall VOTE to NOT have them come to PG ?
Out of the way, progress coming through.
Used Lyft in Vegas and Phoenix. Its an awesome service. Go on your phone and order your ride and you can track it on the map to know when it will show up. Shows how much your ride will be and all billed to your credit card. After your ride, you can choose to tip. You can rate your driver if they are rude or take the long way and get a refund. They can also rate you and if you get too many bad reviews, you dont get to use the service any more. Great service for a night for dinner and drinks.
Man we have lost so many parking spots to her bike lanes,absolute gong show now at Phoenix medical building because of this. Now she’s against uber?
Taxi fees are regulated here by the Utilites Commission. We already had a go around with Punch Buggy, Jelly Bean and Classic cabs. Turns out they were illegal.
I believe it was 1978 when the city brought in a by law that stated that any taxi company operating here had to fall under all Provincial regulations and yet the city gave these guys business licenses to run.
I wonder who paid who for that? It was illegal to do so because those cabs did not meet provincial standards or regulations.
A week ago today I was walking down the street in Victoria about 50′ from the intersection of government street, three blocks up from the legislature, at about 8pm when a cab with tourists blew a stop sign and T-boned a rental car, also full of tourists. I was looking the other direction and it happened right behind me… Sounded like a wrecking ball smashed right through the car right beside me.
The lady driving the rental car was injured bad, as well as the passengers in the cab. The cab driver looked south Asian and just sat in his cab until police arrived over ten minutes later (ambulance and fire trucks took 15 minutes to respond).
I was struck by two things waiting for first responders to arrive. It’s the capital and they are this slow responding in probably the biggest tourist spot in the province… What if it had been a terrorist event like they had just had in London? And what I wonder are the insurance implications for the riders in the cab as well as the people in the rental car?
It’s the insurance implications that I think get overlooked when one uses Uber and I think this is an area overlooked considering it’s about taking rides in a strangers car that no one really knows their policy coverage and past driving infractions…..
Once we get to self driving cars Uber and Taxi’s will be dead in the water.
Wrong
Uber already has autonomous cars. Functioning and currently manned by an engineer doing R&D.
Once self drivers become the norm, why tie up money to have a car sit and take up valuable real estate? I love driving and the freedom a car brings. But I’m afraid the writing is on the wall. Self driving vehicles and ride sharing have arrived. Interesting times.
so basically the extra licensing the taxi’s have to go through is now a farce and unneeded?????
call yourself UBER instead of taxi and it is okay?
I hope cool cabs or classic cabs come back.the punch buggy was ok,Just goes to show you that big corporate money talks.Now what is the value of a cab licence in P.G. now.
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