Lyft, Uber get go-ahead to pick up, drop off anywhere in Lower Mainland

Ride-hailing giants Lyft and Uberare nowallowed to pick up and drop off passengers across theLower Mainland from Squamish to Harrison Hot Springs using one business licence.

In what was the final step of months-long licensing process, the City of Vancouver announced Tuesdayit has approved inter-municipal business licencesfor Lyft and Uber.

At the end of January, the Metro Vancouver mayors' council on regional transportationvoted in favour of an interim inter-municipal licence bylaw,calling for businesses to pay an annual $155 licensing fee plus $150 per vehicle in operation.

The per-vehicle fee drops to $30 for zero-emission vehicles and is waived for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Companies must already have been approved for a provincial transportation network servicelicencefromthe Passenger Transportation Board.

The Passenger Transportation Boardis an independent licensing tribunalmandated to make decisions on applications relating to passenger-directed vehicles in British Columbia.

Lyft and Uber were granted the provincial licence on Jan. 23. The inter-municipal business licence for Lyftwas approved on May 27. Uber received approval on June 2.

In May, Vancouver announced the Richmond-based ride-hailing app,Kabu-Ride Inc., would begranted the city's first inter-municipal licence.