Uber may be on its way to Winnipeg, but any drivers considering signing up could face some barriers under current regulations.
The ride-sharing service, which lets regular drivers make money by picking people up and dropping them off where they want to go, recently posted on Facebook, asking people in Winnipeg to sign up and apply to be an Uber driver saying drivers can earn up to $20 per hour.
Many Winnipeg taxicab drivers, though, aren’t pleased with the idea of Uber coming to the city, saying there are safety concerns. To qualify as an Uber driver, you have to have a licence, auto insurance and complete a background check.
The Manitoba government said it met with Uber on Wednesday and adds a decision on whether or not to allow Uber to operate can’t be made until it files an application.
“Under current rules, any driver who wants to work for Uber would need to obtain a taxicab license through the Taxicab Board and would have to conform to all applicable liability and safety provisions," said Drew Caldwell, minister of municipal government.
"Anyone found driving as a fee for service without a taxi driver’s license will be subject to penalties, as prescribed in the Taxicab Act."
Drivers could also lose their insurance if they get into an accident while operating as an Uber driver, said Manitoba Public Insurance spokesperson Brian Smiley.
He said taxis’s are registered as public vehicles and pay a considerably higher premium than a regular passenger vehicle.
Uber would not comment on any potential plans in Winnipeg.
Uber currently operates in 52 countries around the world, but many places, including Calgary, Los Angeles and the Netherlands, have banned its use.
Most recently, New Delhi in India banned the company on Monday after a woman brought forth allegations that her Uber driver sexually assaulted her.
