Taxi companies lose court bid to quash Uber, Lyft licences in British Columbia

Several taxi companies have lost a court bid to runUber and Lyft off the road in British Columbia.

Nine Metro Vancouver cab companies filed a petition asking theB.C. Supreme Court to quash the decisions of the provincial Passenger Transportation Board allowing the ride-hailing companiesto operate.

The cab companies argued that the board's decisions were"patently unreasonable," in part because they allowed Uber andLyft an unlimited fleet size while the number of taxis is capped.

However, Justice Sandra Wilkinson says in a written ruling thisweek that the board carefully considered fleet size and decided notto limit ride-hailing cars, but left the issue open for futurereview.

Wilkinson says there is nothing in the board's decisions that is"obviously untenable" or "clearly irrational," and she dismissedthe petition and granted costs to Uber and Lyft.

The ride-hailing companies and the B.C. Taxi Association did notimmediately respond to requests for comment on the ruling.