Uber says ride-hailing rules mean limiting its service to Metro Vancouver

VANCOUVER – Uber says it has applied to operate its ride-hailing service in Metro Vancouver but not the rest of British Columbia.

Michael van Hemmen, Uber’s head of western Canada, says the company remains interested in providing service across the province but proposed regulations aren’t conducive to operations in smaller municipalities.

In a statement, the company says it has relayed its concerns to the provincial government about the need for a Class 4 drivers licence for its drivers, which is also required for services like limousines, ambulances and commercial truck drivers.

It says there’s no empirical data that shows any safety benefit to requiring drivers to hold a Class 4 licence compared with a Class 5 licence when there’s been strict screening for safe driving history.

The company says it has proposed a two-year pilot program to study the safety record of ride-hailing drivers and relevant Class 4 licence holders.