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Curbing impaired operation of a vehicle seems admirable, but is there any evidence to suggest that will actually happen in a city like Saskatoon?

The possibility hinges, at least in part, on whether enough ride-sharing drivers are ready with their vehicles plugged in at 1 a.m. to help transport the inebriated folks home from the bar during the cold winters.

That seems unlikely, but who knows?

Are people driving drunk because of the cost and dearth of taxis or just the inconvenience of leaving their vehicles overnight and perhaps needing a boost when they collect them the next day?

The driving force behind the introduction of ride sharing in Saskatoon seems to be people who have tried it in larger cities while on vacation and find it works well.

An Uber Canada representative from Vancouver — where they are still working on legislation to allow for ride sharing — told reporters in Saskatoon last month that ride sharing works well in cities Saskatoon’s size.

How well it works, however, will hinge on the rules concocted by Saskatoon city hall. And here’s where the ride-sharing revolution could stall.

City council will make a final decision on July 23, but indications suggest it could opt for a route that would make app-based ride sharing here more expensive than elsewhere.

Council’s transportation committee voted last month to set the minimum charge for a ride-sharing trip at $3.75, the same as for taxis.

That minimum charge is higher than any of the six Canadian cities studied by Saskatoon city hall. Edmonton’s base charge is $3.25, as is Toronto’s, while London, Ont., has set a minimum of $3.50.