Over $ 66,000.000 in fines issued during three-month targeted crackdown on illegal ride-hailing operators

Richmond

2024-08-15 08:17 PDT

Richmond RCMP Road Safety Unit (RSU) in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) officers conducted a joint three-month long operation targeting unlicensed ride-hailing operators. This crackdown focused on identifying and apprehending unlicensed ride-hailing operators in the City of Richmond and resulted in over $ 66,000.00 in fines.

View larger image: Collage of vehicles stopped during the illegal ride-hailing operation

Operation Review

The operation took place on six days over a three-month period. It involved RSU and CVSE officers using unauthorized ride-hailing apps to book rides with unlicensed operators. These operators bypass the required background checks and safety protocols mandated by the Province of British Columbia. These illegal operations pose a significant risk to public safety for a number of reasons including not subjecting their vehicles to the necessary safety inspections.

Key Results:

29 drivers were apprehended; Over the three-month period, 29 illegal ride-hailing operators were caught and subsequently charged.

Charges include:

• Operate Without a License under s.57(1) of the Passenger Transportation Act, $1,150.00
• Wrong Class Drivers License under s.24(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act, $276.00
• Fail to Display Valid Certificate under s.25.07(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations, $357.00

Approximately one-third of the drivers were repeat offenders and in one case it was the drivers third time being caught.

Statement from Inspector Mark Baxter, Proactive Enforcement and Administrative Services Officer

There are a number of steps legal ride-hailing operators must take to be certified to operate in BC. These protections have been put in place to ensure the overall safety of paying passengers and other road users, says Inspector Mark Baxter, Some of the drivers that were stopped during these operations have poor driving records, prior convictions for impaired driving and in one case the driver was a registered sex offender; All of these are things which would preclude the person from working for a properly licensed operator.

Richmond RCMP remains dedicated to proactive enforcement and collaboration with regulatory partners. Richmond RCMP appreciates working collaboratively with the officers from CVSE as their knowledge, skillset and foundational work are a critical element to ensuring the overall success of these operations and directly contribute to enhancing public safety in Richmond.

For more information about approved ride-hailing services and operators, visit the Passenger Transportation Registry: Approved Ride-Hail Companies.

Released by:

Email: richmond_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: richmond.rcmp.ca

Follow Us: