Uber makes pitch to council

‘Minor tweak’ to city’s bylaws would be required

Popular rideshare company Uber wants to change the way people get around Lethbridge. They’re putting the wheels in motion to launch a new chapter in the city as soon as possible. Estimated time of arrival? As soon as city council gives the nod.

Michael van Hemmen, of Uber, came before Lethbridge City Council on Monday to talk about the benefits ride sharing would bring the city. He also requested a “minor tweak” to the city’s bylaws to align with the provincial ridesharing standard, which would allow ridesharing to begin right away.

Uber has been adopted in more than 40 cities across Canada, with more than 1.6 million using the service, according to Uber statistics.

Setting up Uber would not cost anything to the city, said van Hemmen, but it would provide numerous benefits.

“Ridesharing will offer incredible benefits to the city of Lethbridge, providing affordable, reliable transportation and income opportunities for students and anyone else who wants to drive and make some additional money,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to working with council on an implementation plan that can bring it here quickly, in a way that’s safe, and that will be to the benefit of all Lethbridge residents.”

Ridesharing is the ability for someone to use their personal vehicle to offer a trip to someone else, matched through mobile technology, he explained.

If someone needs a ride, they could go to the Uber app on their smartphone, type in where they want to go, and request a trip. The offer would go out to the nearest Uber driver to either accept or decline.

“You see exactly who you’re matched with,” he said. “You see the driver’s picture, you see their name, you see the vehicle make and model, their licence plate ... and their customer service rating.”

After you follow the Uber driver’s arrival route on the GPS map, you get into the car, they drive you to your destination, you arrive and exit the vehicle. There’s no need to handle cash or credit cards, as the payment is processed electronically.

Van Hemmen said Uber looks out for the safety of both passengers and drivers. As a result, there is also the ability for Uber drivers to rate riders out of five stars at the end of every trip.

“Both people getting into that car are putting some trust in each other, and some trust in Uber as well,” he said. “We want to ensure it’s a safe and comfortable experience for the driver, who’s doing this to make some extra money. They’re inviting someone into their personal vehicle.”

There would be no limit to the number of Uber drivers in the city. Those interested would apply on partners.uber.com.

“It’s a progressive city with a great university and college,” said van Hemmen. “We see a lot of interest both from people who want to have more safe, affordable rides, but also from people looking to make additional money.”

According to van Hemmen, Uber has received letters of support from

the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union and the Lethbridge College Students’ Association.

While students were initially the first “adopters” of the Uber service, baby boomers are the fastest adopters in many cities now, he said.

“They see what their kids or their grandkids are doing ... it’s an option for everyone, not just for students.”

The Government of Alberta has developed a framework to allow Transportation Network Companies to operate in a fair manner, while maintaining safety. According to provincial regulations, a “‘transportation network automobile’ means a motor vehicle ... but does not include a taxi.”

Van Hemmen asked that council clarify its definition of taxi in the city’s bylaw to meet the provincial distinction.

“The City of Lethbridge’s current bylaw definition of taxi is quite broad,” he said. “So there’s ambiguity around whether or not the province says it’s not a taxi, but the city says under its current definition that it is.”

He suggested a change to the bylaw wording to “emphasize that transportation network vehicles are not taxis, and that they fall under the provincial safety framework.”

Uber drivers are required by the province to have a driver’s licence, insurance, a background check and commercial registration.

Peace officers are authorized to enforce the regulations and inspect for compliance. Fines for noncompliance can be up to $50,000.

Council requested city administration review the request and regulatory options for TNC’s and TNC drivers and to report back by June 19.

Regulatory Services manager Duane Ens said the city would consult the taxi industry as well as Transit operations to gather feedback.

“We would ask that council move quickly after receiving that report to make the necessary small, small change, it’s literally like a sentence and a half, in order to bring ridesharing into Lethbridge as soon as possible, and we’ll be ready,” said Van Hemmen.

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