Authorities are cracking down on illegal ride-hailing operators in Richmond, B.C., issuing more than $13,000 in fines on a single day this month.
The Richmond RCMP says its officers have been working alongside the provincial transportation ministry’s Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch to shut down unlicensed ride-hailing operations that compete with companies like Uber and Lyft.
During a one-day enforcement blitz on Feb. 8, officers handed out violation tickets worth $13,343 to six drivers suspected of operating illegally, Mounties said in a statement Thursday.
The fines ranged from $1,656 for driving under the wrong licence classification to $2,137 for failing to display a valid certificate and $6,900 for operating without a business licence.
The total fines did not include the cost of towing and storing vehicles for three suspects who police described as “repeat offenders.”
Last year, the Richmond RCMP’s road safety unit conducted eight joint enforcement operations with the CVSE, issuing more than $79,000 in fines to 35 suspected illegal ride-hailing operators.
“Anyone using these illegal services is placing themselves at significant risk,” Staff Sgt. Paula Maan said in the statement.
“Neither the drivers nor their vehicles have been subjected to the mandatory safety regulations put in place to protect the public. This includes criminal records checks.”
There are currently 17 companies approved to offer ride-hailing services in B.C., according to the most recent data from the province’s passenger transportation registry. Among those, only five companies – Apt Rides, Kabu, Lyft, Uber and Yellow Cab – are operating in Richmond.
