In the eyes of Uber, our province may as well be its proverbial White Whale. For years now, the tech company has tried to make inroads into B.C. and every time, they’ve been swatted away.
But now they’re closer than ever.
This year, all three of B.C.’s major parties campaigned, with varying degrees of ferocity, to bring ride-hailing services such as Uber to the province.
We can’t blame people for craving Uber’s services, either. Simply getting from Point A to Point B is a growing frustration and we’re all looking for another option.
The North Shore’s roads at rush hour remain a sinkhole of traffic jams, and taxis still seem to leave much to be desired.
But if our new ride is coming, we must ensure the government knows we demand ride-sharing be done right.
Insist on rigorously regulating the businesses, which typically have a Wild West attitude toward the law. This means comprehensive background checks for drivers and rigorous standards when it comes to the safety of hailed rides.
More than just protecting ourselves, however, these rules should be put in place to ensure that all those who engage in the gig economy – the drivers and service providers included – are protected from over-zealous exploitation, which the company has been accused of.
We’d do well to remember that when we hail an Uber, the person behind the wheel isn’t some corporate cog. They’ll be our neighbours, our friends, and a person deserving stability like
everyone else.
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