Crackdowns on illegal ride-hailing operations continue in Richmond; Resulting in $13,343.00 in fines issued

Richmond

2025-02-27 07:43 PST

Richmond RCMP Road Safety Unit (RSU) and the Ministry of Transportation and Transit’s Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) officers continue to collaborate on illegal ride-hail enforcement.

Richmond RCMP RSU and CVSE officers conducted this operation on February 8th, 2025 resulting in six illegal ride-hailing operators being stopped.

During joint operations, driver’s who bypass necessary background checks and safety protocols mandated by the Province are stopped, charged and educated on requirements for commercial passenger vehicle drivers in B.C.

View larger image: Man standing in front of a white vehicle which is next to a white police car with its emergency lights flashing

Operation overview:

On February 8, 2025, Richmond RCMP RSU and CVSE officers used unauthorized ride-hailing apps to book rides with unlicensed operators.

Key Results:

Six drivers were found to be operating illegally and were subsequently charged, as follows:

• Operate Without a License under s.57(1) of the Passenger Transportation Act = $6,900
• Wrong Class Drivers License under s.24(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act = $1,656
• Fail to Display Valid Certificate under s.25.07(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations = $2,137
• Operate without Business Licence CoR Bylaw ($450) = $2,650

In total, violations tickets worth $13,343.00 were issued. This amount does not include the costs for vehicle towing and storage, which applied to three repeat offenders.

2024 Results:

In 2024, RSU and CVSE officers conducted a total of eight joint enforcement operations, resulting in over $ 79,000.00 in fines issued to 35 illegal ride-hail operators.

Charges included:

• 35 x Operate without a Valid Licence Sec. 57(1) PTA ($1150) = $41,400
• 34 x Wrong Class/No DL Sec. 24(1) MVA ($276) = $9,384
• 31 x Fail To Display Valid Certificate Sec. 5.07 MVAR ($357) = $11,067
• 35 x Operate without Business Licence CoR Bylaw ($450) = $15,75

View larger image: Grey vehicle being towed by a two truck

Statement from Staff Sergeant Paula Maan, NCO-in-charge of Richmond RCMP Operations Support

Anyone using these illegal services is placing themselves at significant risk. 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; The importance of which we see clearly demonstrated during every operation, including this most recent where three of the six drivers stopped would be ineligible to drive for a legitimate service based on criminality, says Staff Sergeant Paula Maan.

Illegal ride-hail operators pose a significant risk to public safety, and Richmond RCMP remains dedicated to proactive enforcement and collaboration with regulatory partners to address this issue.

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

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