Surrey mayor still saying ‘no’ to Lyft and Uber

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – Ride-hailing may finally be on the horizon in British Columbia, but there are still some politicians resisting the change.

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum has written to Premier John Horgan, lamenting the “unlevel playing field” he says there will be between ride-hailing companies and the taxi industry.

“My position has remained consistent for years: I do not support ride-hailing,” he says, adding he’s particularly concerned about the unlimited fleet size and larger regional boundaries for Lyft and Uber.

Mayor Statement | “In the wake of the Passenger Transportation Board announcement of further ride-hailing regulations in B.C. last week, my position has remained consistent for years: I do not support ride-hailing.” Read the full statement: https://t.co/bTsX8oBDRE pic.twitter.com/lG6vpuXsK6

— City of Surrey (@CityofSurrey) August 27, 2019

In his letter, McCallum says these new regulations would allow ride-hailing companies the ability to pick up across boundaries, while the taxi industry must abide by limits.

The Passenger Transportation Board announced both regulations last week.

McCallum says this “lack of regulation” will negatively impact the environment and increase congestion. He also says he worries about the impacts it will have on the existing taxi industry, which he says has been loyally serving residents of Metro Vancouver for decades.

Companies like Uber and Lyft can start applying to operate in B.C. on Sept. 3. Lyft has said it plans to launch in Vancouver before the end of the year, and Uber announced Wednesday that it will be applying to the Passenger Transportation Board come September. The company did not give any more details on its plan.

#Vancouver, we’re one step closer to a ridesharing reality. Thank you to the hundreds of thousands who’ve called out for safe and reliable rides in #BritishColumbia. See you soon! pic.twitter.com/HS2xk15NDO

— Uber Canada (@Uber_Canada) August 28, 2019