B.C’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure is set on ride-hailing drivers in B.C. holding a class 4 license, instead of a standard class 5.
A number of mayors in the Okanagan believe class 4 licenses are restrictive and are urging the minister to reconsider.
Kelowna's Mayor, Colin Basran is concerned there won’t be enough drivers to make services, like Uber and Lyft, work if the ministry sticks with the Class 4 requirement.
“Talking to a lot of residents in this area, they want to see this service provided and if we don’t have it it’ll just mean longer waits and more difficulty getting around.”
He added that, from a safety stand point, when people can't find a taxi after a few drinks they are more likely to make the decision to drive home.
“I know that this is frustrating for a lot of people because we know ride-sharing exists and works well in other parts of the world. There are a lot of people who just don’t understand why we don’t have it here and I would be one of those,” said Basran.
Ride-sharing company Lyft has publicly said requiring a class 4 licence for drivers is a deal-breaker for them.
The Transportation Safety Board begins accepting applications September 3rd.