Edmonton to rein in ride-share services with tighter rules

Edmontoncouncillorswant to ensure drivers of app-based ride-share companies are not flagged down on the street like taxis.

When the city became the first in Canada to legalize the servicein early 2016, the idea was that ride-share cars had to be booked ahead of time.

"The spirit of the bylaw was that the taxis would have exclusive use or exclusive right to street hails," Coun. Scott McKeen said following Monday's community and public services committee meeting.

• TappCar operating outside 'the spirit' of the rules, say Edmonton city councillors
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The committee heard from numerous taxi drivers claiming that isn't what ishappening.

While there were anecdotes about ride-share drivers picking up passengers on the street, there was was also confusion about whether waiting in designated areas at busy places, such as malls, or at events, like football games, was akin to waiting at a taxi stand.

"To me, this violates the spirit if not the terms of that contract we made with PTPs (private transportation providers) and the taxi companies," McKeen said.

The committee voted for scaled-down logos on the sides of ride-share company cars to make them harder for people on the street to identify and for increased fines for drivers who pick up passengers who flag them down.

The fine, originally$250, will rise to$1,000 for a first offence. For subsequent offences, it's going to be $2,000. Council still needs to approve the changes.

There are two major ride-share companies operating in Edmonton,Uber and TappCar.

TappCar spokesperson Pascal Ryffel refuted any suggestion that drivers are being waved down.

Street hails 'not an issue'

"Our business does not rely on street hails, otherwise we would not have started in this industry," Ryffel said.

He said there have only been a handful, "in the single digits," of TappCar drivers fined to date for stopping forpeople who have flagged them from the curb.

"It's not an issue," he said.

While Uber carsare, for the most part, unmarked, TappCarssportlarge decals on the sides.

Ryffel said TappCar wasn't against reducing the size of the decals, but hoped to be able to continue to brand its cars.

"We've heard from many of our customers that they don't feel safe getting in unmarked cars," he said.

The committee wants the markings to be discreet. Citystaff recommendeda small identifying sticker in the front windowand a small decal on the back window.

TappCar invested in decals

"The original bylaw didn't state anything about decals, so therefore, of course, as a company, we have invested significant money in installing decals on our cars," said Ryffel, who hopes to see the change grandfathered.

Coun. Dave Loken, who was initially against passing the ride-share bylaw at all, voiced frustration that only two of many issues with the rules were addressed.

"There's a whole lot here that's been left out," he said.

"I said before when this bylaw first came about that it was a terrible bylaw and it didn't even the playing field. I don't want want to be throwing the taxi industry to the curb."

City staff is takinga closer look at the ambiguities in the bylaw such as:what does it mean for a ride to be pre-arranged and what exactly is a taxi stand.

"If people see an opening for manipulation or theysee a loophole, they're going to take advantage of that loophole and it's up to us to close as many of those loopholes as possible," Loken said.

Staff isstill working out how to align the bylaw with the provincial ride-share regulations introduced after the bylaw passed.

It'salso expected to report back on issues surrounding fares.

roberta.bell@cbc.ca