Victoria – (with files from Global) The idea of ride sharing to augment taxis in BC, took another hit, and the BC Government ruled out drivers having the basic Class 5 licence despite a committee recommendation.
Passenger Transportation Board (PTB), Transportation Minister Claire Trevena outlined her concerns about Class 5 licences for ride hailing companies.
In a letter sent to PTB chair Catharine Read “I am a firm believer in safety and believe that a commercial Class 4 driver licence provides a safer atmosphere for passenger directed vehicle movements, with extra testing and a medical examination completed at the time of application and in routine intervals thereafter.”
That is a big “NO” to what ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft have been asking for.
Using the Alberta model, the BC committee put forth 10 other recommendations including no geographical boundaries for pick-up and drop-off, no caps on ridesharing fleet sizes and ensuring the cost of a trip is not less than the cost of public transit.
BC Taxi drivers must have a Class 4 licence. The average driver in BC has a basic Class 5.
