The B.C. government鈥檚 restrictive ride hailing legislation has passed into law, with the most controversial rules to be determined in the next year.

A key issue is Transportation Minister Claire Trevena鈥檚 insistence that drivers for Uber and Lyft-style services obtain a class four commercial driver鈥檚 licence, the same as taxi drivers and operators of buses with up to 25 passengers. That requires a medical exam and more rigorous written and road tests, as well as a test of pre-trip vehicle inspection and a criminal record check.

The B.C. Liberals tried to pass amendments that would allow class five drivers to pick up passengers, with additional training and criminal record checks to increase safety. But B.C. Green MLAs, who had argued that the licence requirement was too restrictive, joined with the NDP to vote them down.

Horgan鈥檚 highlight of fall session is getting law through

鈥� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)

Before one vote, which ended in a tie that had to be broken by deputy speaker Raj Chouhan, Olsen argued in favour of the class five licence with additional training.

鈥淎 taxi is inspected every six months, and we honestly don鈥檛 know how often or how regularly app-based ride-hailing vehicles will be used,鈥� Trevena said in debate on the legislation.

Olsen and Green leader Andrew Weaver voted against the B.C. Liberal changes. Olsen said later that he prefers to work with the ministry and the Passenger Transportation Board, which will licence ride-hailing services.

Transportation Min and Green MLA say they can work together to bring

鈥� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)

First promised by the B.C. Green, NDP and B.C. Liberal election platforms by the end of 2017, ride hailing is not now expected until late 2019 at the earliest. Another issue has been how the Passenger Transportation Board will restrict the number of drivers in each region, and set payment rates, instead of letting the market determine service.

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Those restrictions are a concern for Uber, the San Francisco-based service that was among the pioneers of smartphone-based ride-hailing that is now in use around the world.

鈥淯nfortunately, Bill 55 maintains key barriers to entry that have prevented ride sharing from operating in B.C.,鈥� said Micheal van Hemmen, Uber鈥檚 general manager for city services in Western Canada. 鈥淲e believe there is still time to act and we鈥檙e committed to collaborate with government.鈥�

The government has empowered a committee of MLAs to work on the regulations in the new year.

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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