By Staff
July 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Uber has launched its UberX ride-sharing service in Waterloo Region, Hamilton, Guelph and London Thursday, according to a release from the company.
Can Burlington be far behind?
Uber had announced it was planning on launching in Waterloo Region by the end of the year. That plan changed when, according to Uber Canada’s general manager Ian Black, interest from social media came pouring in over the last week because of media coverage.
“Interest has been building to a place where residents and drivers in the Waterloo Region wanted Uber to come and wanted more transportation options,” said Black.
There are tens of thousands of people who use the Uber service – is Burlington a fit for this kind of taxi? We may well find out very soon – they are operating in Guelph.
“We’ve been hearing from our riders that they’re in need of more reliable, more affordable transportation. We’ve been hearing from drivers that they’re looking for a way to earn more money in a flexible way. And also, just generally, I think [the] Kitchener-Waterloo region being such an innovation and tech community, it’s a group of people who are naturally plugged into the next big thing.”
Black said even before today’s launch, tens of thousands of Waterloo Region residents had downloaded the app; some in anticipation of its local expansion and some who had used it other cities.
He added that several hundred drivers in the area have gone through a vehicle inspection, a background check, as well as a motor vehicle record check.
OK – that’s the Uber side of the story.
What would happen if they began operations in Burlington? A city with basically just the one major taxi service – there is a second taxi company but it doesn’t have all that much in the way of market share – Uber would see Burlington as prime pickings.
Uber offers three types of services:
Uber Taxi, which allows existing taxi drivers ways to find fares.
Uber Black and Uber SUV, for limo and large vehicle drivers.
UberX, for private vehicles and drivers.
UberX is the cheapest option for users of the app, because UberX drivers use their own cars to drive passengers and aren’t affiliated with taxi companies.
The app, available on iOS and Android, and accessible on BlackBerry through the mobile site, allows users to order rides and see the driver coming by following on a real-time map in the app that uses the smartphone’s GPS to determine the rider’s location and find the nearest available driver. It then lets the user pay through their smartphone, meaning no physical money or credit card information changes hands in the vehicle.
The company claims it will create over 2,400 jobs for drivers in southwestern Ontario over the next year.
Uber has come under fire in other communities for everything from concerns over how drivers and their vehicles are vetted to failing to collect HST.
Uber was exiled from Vancouver in 2012 because of requirements by the BC Passenger Transportation Branch. Recently, 36 UberX drivers in Toronto were charged with operating unlicensed transportation services and Toronto city councillor Jim Karygiannis warned passengers could face fines of up to $20,000.
Waterloo Regional councillor Sean Strickland, who has been a proponent of the service, said staff will now review bylaws to determine whether the company is in contravention of the laws.
Black said Uber is prepared to work with the Region, repeatedly emphasizing a recent decision by an Ontario judge that came out in Uber’s favour.
The city of Toronto sought a permanent injunction against the company’s operations, arguing that Uber is a taxi company and must abide by the city’s regulations. But Judge Sean Dunphy dismissed the application, saying there is “no evidence” the company is operating as a taxi broker.
“The Ontario courtroom…clearly points that ride-sharing is a new model that is outside the regulations, but certainly completely legal,” said Black.
“For those regions that do want to update their regulations, I think there’s a lot of lessons to be learned from the hundreds of cities around the world where ride-sharing already exists. And many of those jurisdictions, including 50 in the U.S., have created new regulations for ride-sharing.”
Burlington Taxi has strong ties in the community – is that enough to overcome a cheaper service?
Burlington Taxi has a strong local profile and in the past has piloted several new services. Their rates are determined by city council where Scott Wallace, owner of the company, has very strong relationships. The company has been pro-active in the community.
Scott Wallace said: ” The UberX taxi service is already operating illegally in Burlington and most every other city if Ontario.”
The Gazette has not been able to get any comment from city hall.
If Uber announces the service is going to be available in Burlington – it will be interesting to see how it works out. City council might have to return from their holidays.
Uber is apparently available from the Pearson Airport.
I look forward to seeing that Uber is already in full blown operation in the city of Burlington to strike a healthy competition in the public transportation necessities, specifically bus services are very poor in this city, which is being blamed by folks due to corruption for not fielding enough buses,to give undue advantage to Burlington Taxi, though I agree that Uber is not a taxi according to legal definition of the municipalities.With Uber services, it would certainly ease up the burden The customers should be given a freedom of choice which services they should pay for, specifically Burlington Taxi services are as unpleasant and below standards due to old and unsafe cars, as in other cities”
It’s already in Burlington and I’ll be using them. Burlington Cabs are too much money and they can’t drive properly.