Council gives first and second reading for Vehicle for Hire bylaw

Third reading for the vehicle for hire bylaw will now be read at the next council meeting in two weeks.

The city says the new bylaw is intended to level the playing field and allow taxi companies to modernize their technologies with digital meters and payment systems.

The bylaw could also allow for the use temporary taxi licences to operate as needed during busy seasons like Christmas, New Years and special events.

During deliberations Coun. Julie Friesen brought up concerns about ridesharing safety.

” I mean I just read a few days ago about someone who disappeared, I guess I won’t name the company but..who disappeared and has not been seen for three days after getting in a ride with one of these companies, so I’m sure that wouldn’t happen here but I don’t know that, so I want to know before I support something like this that we have done everything we can to minimize people’s risk.” Coun. Friesen said.

City staff said the bylaw wouldn’t deviate from provincial regulations that have measures put in place to protect both riders and drivers.

” Some of the ways te TNC’s the ride shares protect individuals in terms of financially is through technology, and that technology allows anybody to see what the fare would be, the time of pick up, the time of drop off is all incorporated in here, Kent Snyder General Manager of Planning and Development Services said.

In terms of safety, Snyder said, while ridesharing is relatively new, companies do have features in place.

“Some of the components are on the app, they use technology again to see what the driver’s picture looks like, the licence plate of the car. There is also a rating system, there’s immediate feedback if you leave the vehicle and are concerned,” Snyder said.

Coun. Robert Dumanowski said the introduction of the new bylaw is an exciting venture.

” We are by intention trying to be progressive and update our bylaw so that we can woo, I’ll use the word court at the community level other options to our community, not the least of which our taxi service have the option through an updated and revised bylaw to morph and develop and still maintain their presence and maybe move into a hybrid model, other communities I’ve heard have done,” Coun. Dumanowski said.

” The ride share is the way of the future whether it be a conventional taxi with a twist or the likes of Uber or others. There’s lots of safety mechanisms already built into those,” Coun. Dumanowski said.

At the end of the council meeting, Mayor Ted Clugston said he is interested to see if ridesharing companies will be able to successfully do business in the city.

” I just don’t know if the market is there, of course we all know there is a market for cabs or ride share but, the price of a cab in Medicine Hat is not that expensive. It’s $7.00 , $8.00 to go somewhere half way across town. Are you going to undercut the cab company and do it for $5.00 at 2a.m. I’m not sure there’s going to be many people willing to offer this service, unlike in Calgary where you know it is a $75.00 ride from the south to the north.”

So far, the mayor said ridesharing company Lyft has expressed interest in operating in Medicine Hat.

by Tiffany Goodwein

Council gives first and second reading for Vehicle for Hire bylaw

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