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The question

How should city council regulate ride-sharing companies such as Uber?

The stances

Charlie Clark:

The city’s role is to make regulations that are fair, clear, and transparent. Uber is in the taxi business. So are existing taxi companies. We regulate for-hire transportation for a good reason. The vehicles have to be safe. The drivers have to be screened, trained, and competent. The city needs a sufficient number of cars on the road to meet needs. The industry has to be able to make a reasonable living. It’s a question of balance. I’m all for competition, but on a level playing field.

Kelley Moore:

As a city, we need to provide choices for people to move. Taxi services and Uber are a part of this, as are car-sharing services such as the community-developed Saskatoon CarShare Co-operative. We have the benefit of reviewing how other cities have adapted to the market demands of a share economy in transportation. We can review what is working in other cities in regards to regulation, and then adjust to suit our own needs. We must acknowledge the world is changing around us and we need to adapt to new service models — particularly those influenced by technological advances. We need to recognize that these services are here. Policies are required by the city to help regulate Uber to ensure safety while also working to level the playing field with the existing taxi service.

Don Atchison:

This is a 20th-century question for a 21st-century city. Right now in Pittsburgh, Pa. they are testing autonomous taxis. I envision that happening here as well with autonomous vehicles transporting passengers around the city. In the meantime I believe the rules for Uber should be the same as the rules for taxis.

Devon Hein: