Edmonton Uber drivers hit with 'hundreds' of non-compliance tickets

EdmontonSun.com
Nov. 26, 2016
Dave Lazzarino

Edmonton’s vehicle for hire bylaw has been in place since March 1, but some drivers are not complying with the rules.

To date in 2016, 159 tickets have been handed out to Uber ride-sharing drivers “for a variety of offences under the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw, Traffic Safety Act and other bylaw and provincial offences,” city spokeswoman Alison Burns said.

The drivers, not the companies they work for, are the ones getting the tickets. But the fault may not lie entirely with them.

Uber spokesman Jean-Christophe de Le Rue suggested the company is still unsatisfied with elements of the city bylaw.

“We believe that any regulations making it more difficult to offer safe and reliable rides … do not support the public interest and should be re-examined,” de Le Rue wrote in an email response to questions about what the company specifically does to assist drivers facing tickets for infractions.

For those drivers caught in the middle of the bylaw dispute, the city and provincial rules leave few grey areas.

Once a driver is given a vehicle-for-hire licence, they must obtain both commercial insurance - or the specific vehicle for hire insurance developed by the Alberta Government - and registration for their vehicle.

It also allows city peace officers to randomly pull drivers over and check their credentials.

“It is well known that Uber supports its driver-partners. Commercial plates have nothing to do with roadworthiness and ride-sharing involves personal, not commercial, vehicles so we are reviewing this matter further to determine the best path forward,” de La Rue said.