City of Calgary has regulatory and safety concerns after UBER launch

UPDATE: The City of Calgary has issued a statement, warning of the “risks” associated with UBER:

The city’s compliance manager warns UBER drivers that if they hit the road in Calgary, they could face fines up to $4,500.

Mark Halat said the city welcomes innovation and new technology, but citizen safety must come first.

“By taking this service, you put yourself at risk folks. My advice would be continue to use the licensed and approved taxis and limousines that are available for your today,” Halat told media Thursday morning, “Be cautious getting into any vehicle that has not been licensed or regulated through this office.”

Halat warns that officers will be enforcing the Livery Transport Bylaw which doesn’t allow unlicenced, private-for-hire services, primarily due to safety and regulatory concerns.

“That’s what’s very important, is that citizens have a reliability and a confidence that the services being provided help them and give them that the confidence level that the services are safe. We don’t have that with this service provider at this point,” Halat added.

You can find the Livery Transport Bylaw, by clicking here.

Livery Transport has direction from council to come up with workable options to allow UBER to operate alongside taxi service.

Those include regulatory and safety issues and will be presented Nov. 16.

“Those options will include how we embrace and include these participants in our industry. There is room for them. This can be shared. We look at this as an opportunity to improve what is already there today.”

Alberta’s Superintendent of Insurance issued a release in July, warning of companies like UBER.

You can read it, here.

The mayor also issued his concerns, with a full statement:

Meanwhile, the first user of UBER was local entrepreneur, Brett Wilson.

Wilson pushed for UBER for a long time in the city, and said it is long overdue.

“UBER is a tool that saves time and I love the simplicity of it, I love the safety of it, I love the fact that all the billing is done, I know where I am at all times. It’s just the right tool,” Wilson told media in front of the Bow Building downtown Thursday afternoon.

“We’re hundreds of years behind if we don’t have UBER and in other cities, UBER is already moving forward to deliveries and bringing food to people. There are so many different tools, and I love it because it’s safe and simple.”

Wilson added that he had no deal or stake in UBER, he just really likes it.