Dear Editor:
I am a full-time taxi driver with Sunshine Cabs in North Vancouver and have been a driver for six years and have a point-free licence.
I write because I am concerned about the advent of ride-hailing companies in B.C.
The taxi industry is regulated by the provincial government to ensure that all passengers are carried in the safest way by competent drivers.
To become a licensed taxi driver, government regulations require the following: a basic Class 5 licence, which all regular car drivers have; a Class 4 licence, which is necessary to be a taxi driver and where the examination is set at a higher level than a Class 5; a one-week full-time training course at the Justice Institute of British Columbia in New Westminster, followed by a two-hour examination; a criminal record check by the North Vancouver RCMP and West Vancouver Police Department before each approves a driver, this is reviewed annually and costs $45; and an annual medical, where the doctor charges a fee varying from doctor to doctor.
Which of the above is required of a driver with a ride-hailing company? A basic Class 5 licence.
In addition, and again this is required by government regulations, the taxi cab is mechanically examined by an independent government-certified testing station twice a year. This is not so with a private car from a ride-hailing company.
A government licensed taxi company will meet the insurance requirements of the provincial government. The insurance the ride-hailing companies will have is unclear at this time.
Finally, all licensed cabs in the province determine the charges for each trip from a meter regulated by the provincial government at a particular and uniform rate, and this rate does not fluctuate depending on the demand for cabs at peak times, unlike the ride-hailing companies.
The idea of being carried in a taxi where the driver has met only the basic requirements for a basic driver’s licence, has limited driving experience, has not been medically checked, has not been trained how to deal with clients, has not had a criminal record check, drives a private car that may be in poor mechanical condition, with inadequate insurance, and where I am unsure of the final charge, is alarming, particularly as many of our passengers are vulnerable.
These are factors that I ask you to consider as the question of the implementation of ride-hailing services in the province is considered over the next few months.
Christopher Kay
North Vancouver
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
