A local advocate for Uber hopes Chatham-Kent's Vehicle for Hire Bylaw will be an "easy vote" at council.
A report is coming to Monday night's council meeting, recommending that the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw is approved and the current Taxi Bylaw is repealed.
It is also recommended that the proposed set fines in the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw be approved by council with final approval given by the Ministry of the Attorney General’s office. The User Fee Bylaw will be amended to include fees as well.
At the meeting on October 23, 2017, council approved a motion to form a committee to discuss issues relating to the taxi industry and private transportation companies in Chatham-Kent and to make recommendations to council with respect to updating the Taxi Bylaw.
The Review Committee that was formed recommends repealing the current Taxi Bylaw and replacing it with the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw, which covers three categories:
1. Vehicle for Hire (such as taxicab, limousine etc.) 2. Private Vehicle for Hire 3. Private Transportation Company (such as Uber, Lyft etc.)
Some highlights of the proposed Vehicle for Hire Bylaw include:
- Fares will not be regulated
- No zones
- No plate limit
- Accessible vehicles for hire and private accessible vehicles for hire have been added
- A dispatch office, along with 24-hour dispatch service, would no longer be required
Local Uber advocate Florin Marksteiner is hopeful the bylaw will be passed.
"It would mean that finally, Chatham-Kent gets in line with all the other cities and that they have a good service to help people with transportation and help the businesses around by creating traffic," he explains.
Technically, Uber drivers can already drive in Chatham-Kent under the app's Windsor jurisdiction, according to Marksteiner. However, many drivers are too afraid to get caught because the ride-sharing service still isn't legal in the municipality.
The Uber advocate says about 70 drivers are currently enrolled for Uber Chatham-Kent. He says all the drivers have had basic training so far through online resources and/or hands-on training.
Marksteiner says these drivers are growing impatient because it was initially thought the bylaw would be tabled in January.
"If I take you for a job interview and I say 'Yes, you come Monday to work,' and then I say 'No, you come five months from now,' I don't think you're going to be pleased," he says.
Marksteiner hopes that if the bylaw is approved on Monday, the municipality will put out an official statement soon saying that Uber is approved in Chatham-Kent and drivers are free to start picking people up.
"Chatham-Kent, you're going to have Uber soon," says Marksteiner. "You're going to be able to go out. You're going to be able to go out for a date. You're going to be able to have a glass of wine and enjoy going out without being afraid you're going to have to drink and drive."