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Council deciding if Uber is a good fit for Lethbridge

Apr 11, 2017 | 11:09 AM

LETHBRIDGE – Uber could be a reality as soon as this summer for Lethbridge.
 
Michael van Hemmen, the ridesharing company’s public policy manager for western Canada, explained to City Council on Monday (Apr. 10) the numerous benefits Uber can offer.
 
“We’re really excited about coming to Lethbridge. It’s a progressive city with a great university and college, and we see a lot of interest both from people who want to have more safe, affordable rides, but also from people who are looking to make additional money.”
 
While it may seem that are a lot of similarities between taxis and ridesharing services, van Hemmen says there are a few key distinctions that make it an entirely unique experience.
 
First, Uber drivers use their personal vehicles, which are licenced through Uber itself. They then have the ability to set their own hours and fare, monitored by the ridesharing company.
 
In accordance with provincial regulations, all drivers are required to hold a valid driver’s licence, insurance and commercial registration, and must undergo a background check. In late November 2016, Lethbridge City Council also amended Bylaw 5658 to include the following regulatory requirements for Transportation Network Companies (TNC) like Uber:
 
– display a top light, company name and unit number;
– seatbelt provisions that put the onus on individual drivers to ensure seatbelt use;
– hold a valid taxi licence;
– proof of valid liveryman or taxi insurance annually;
– 24 hour dispatch service;
– establish rates as both a maximum and minimum.
 
Second, the service is run entirely through a smartphone app, for both drivers and riders. Just type in where you would like to go, and the Uber app then estimates how much the ride will cost and how long it will take for a vehicle to pick you up. Once a trip is selected, the driver’s name, picture, star rating, vehicle make, model and licence plate is displayed as an additional safety feature.
 
Once you’ve reached your final destination, the app also processes payment electronically, either through PayPal or by entering your debit or credit card information.
 
“Both people getting in to that car are putting some trust in each other, and some trust in Uber as well. So, we want to ensure that it’s a safe and comfortable experience for the driver — who’s doing this to make some extra money [and] inviting someone in to their personal vehicle. On that account, at the end of every trip, riders are rated out of five stars as well,” van Hemmen said.
 
Uber Canada currently operates in more than 40 cities with over 38,000 active drivers. Van Hemmen noted in his presentation that the company’s typical rush hour is late at night when bars have closed down, and transit and taxis can’t keep up with demand.
 
He added that the app has produced a noticeable drop in impaired driving incidents, offering California as an example. In that state specifically, the number of DUI fatalities has decreased by roughly five-per cent.
 
Uber has also established formal relationships with transit authorities in multiple cities, in order to solve parking and other transportation issues.
 
“I think people are interested in the technology, and also really interested in the reliability of it as well as the affordability. When we look at cities, we start to see that students are the initial group that adopt it quickly.
 
“But now in many cities, it’s actually baby boomers who are the fastest adopters,” van Hemmen continued. “They see what their kids are doing, maybe people see what their grandkids are doing, and say, ‘That’s a really affordable way to get around town. I should give it a try, too.’”
 
Van Hemmen explained that one minor change needs to be made to the municipal definition of “taxi” to come in line with the provincial standard — which states that a “TNC automobile means a motor vehicle… but does not include a taxi” — before ridesharing can begin in Lethbridge.
 
City administration has now been tasked to meet with local taxi companies, and report back on the regulatory options for TNCs and their drivers by June 19. Van Hemmen hopes Council will consider implementation shortly after that time.