Kijiji cab offers could put drivers in 'financial hot water'

Halifax officials are warning people to put the brakes on illegal cabs, while admitting some perpetrators might not know what they're doing is against the law.

Recently a few ads have cropped up on Kijiji offering rides around Halifax, at a discounted price.

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"I am a student living in Halifax and own a car which I would like to use to make some extra cash," reads one of the ads. "I am not a taxi driver but will charge much cheaper rates than what a taxi or long distance bus would charge."

Another is more succinct: "Anywhere in HRM for 10."

There's no mention of a licence.

Halifax spokesman Brendan Elliott said these types of ads are "absolutely" a concern for the city.

"They maythink, 'Hey, this is innocent enough' But in fact what we're trying to explain is no, you have to go through various steps," he said. "Anytime we are made aware of someone who is operating a quasi cab business without a licence, it's dangerous not only for the patron but also for the driver."

Elliott says unlicenced drivers are unlikely to have the right insurance.

"On the surface, it might seem like a great idea for a student in the summer to go out and drive a few people around at a cheaper rate than a cab and make a few bucks, maybe cover their car payment, but if they were to get into an accident with someone in the back who has been paying for a ride, they could be in some serious financial hot water," he said.

No recourse

Not only are there insurance issues, but anyone caught operating an illegal cab faces a $233 fine.

Elliott says passengers should also be wary, no matter how cheap the ride is.

"Part of being licensed is that we are ensuring that cab driver doesn't have a criminal record and is safe to drive," said Elliott.

He adds that when passengers have a problem with a licensed driver, they can report it to the city and they'll investigate.

"All of that is up in the air if you take a drive with somebody who is not licensed."

While the ads are prominent online, Elliott says the city doesn't have the resources to monitor Kijii daily. Instead, they rely on complaints from users and licensed cab drivers. They also send out "mystery drivers."

WatchingUber

"Suffice it to say we do it often enough that we feel we a good have a finger on the pulse of the industry to ensure that people are doing what they are supposed to be doing," he said.

It's not just Kijijiposters offering alternative cab ride. Ride-hailingapps like Uber are popular with passengersbut have landed drivers in trouble.

On Tuesday, the city of Toronto charged36 UberX drivers with operating unlicensed transportation services.UberXis a network of drivers who use their own vehicles to pick up passengers who hail a ride using theUberapp. It is part of theUberservice, which also includes black car services.

"We've been in discussions with Uber about what is allowed and what isn't," Elliottsaid

So far the city hasn't received any complaints about unlicensed Uber drivers.