RCMPurgecautionwhenusingridesharing

Province, police cracking down on unlicensed services

KYLE BALZER kbalzer@tricitynews.com

There are 17 fully licensed ride-sharing companies currently operating around the Tri-Cities and Metro Vancouver

And Coquitlam RCMP are encouraging local commuters to use them for the benefit of their own safety

The detachment issued a warning on March 1, citing concerns of utilizing illegal ride-hailing companies as they’ve become the subject of a provincial government investigation

“The dangers of using an illegal ride-hailing company means that they don’t have the provincial permits to operate and there is no guarantee the drivers are licensed,” Coquitlam Mounties spokesperson Cpl Alexa Hodgins said in a statement

“With an unlicensed driver, the passengers could be uninsured, the car could be unsafe or the driver may not have completed a criminal record checks”

With the increasing use of such services in the last few years, Passenger Transportation Enforcement (PTE) officers with the B C Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is cracking down on unlicensed operations

On March 3 last year, Coquitlam RCMP issued more than $1,600 in fines to three drivers and police Burnaby did a similar check with 17 drivers that resulted in $28,000 in fines

Among those penalized were drivers who hadn’t completed their background check, and someone who was prohibited from driving

Only ride-hail operators with a Transportation Network Service licence are allowed to pick up passengers, Hodgins said, noting the services allow passengers to hire and pay for travel through a website or mobile app

She added a ride-hailing driver must have a Class 4 license, proper insurance, a criminal record check and a vehicle inspection within the past year to meet B C’s requirements

RCMP and PTE officers are also working to conduct Tri-Cities roadside enforce- ment targeting licensed and unlicensed ride-hailing companies

Commuters are encouraged to never hail a ride-share vehicle from the street as it should always be booked through the company’s website or app

Other safety tips are:

• Ensure the driver’s picture on the app matches the driver who arrives

• Ensure the vehicle matches your booked vehicle

• Ensure licence plate and record check certificate are clearly displayed

• Ensure the company decal is prominently displayed in the front and rear windows before entering the vehicle