Expert says threat to taxi industry isn't a good reason to shut out a service like Uber

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Portland has approved a four-month pilot program, making Vancouver the only major city in the Pacific Northwest where you can’t use the ride-sharing service.

A transportation expert in Victoria thinks something similar here would be a good idea.

“I think that it is overall that society will benefit if we improve the range of travel options that are available to consumers so that you have the maximum number of service providers available,” says Todd Litman with the Victoria Transport Policy Institute.

He has some concerns about Uber.

“I certainly understand why taxi operators are concerned, are feeling vulnerable, but I don’t think it’s good public policy to say that the public policy goal is to protect a particular type of industry.”

Litman suspects in other cities where Uber or other ride-sharing services are operating, those services will be considered the cheap economy option, but many people will still prefer taxis.

“It’s not about Uber; it’s about whether public policies such as regulations and tax systems should encourage or discourage new types of travel services, and this is an example,” he says.

He thinks it’s good public policy to support the development of new transportation options unless there’s a clear threat to the public, but the threat to the taxi industry is not a legitimate reason to shut out a new type of service.

A Vancouver city councillor says he imagines staff will be watching what happens in other cities, but says there hasn’t been an application from Uber with the provincial Transporation Board, so the service is basically a non-issue here until that happens.

“The provincial transportation minister has been very emphatic that they would have to apply through the Transportation Board just as any other passenger delivery system would, and as far as I know, they haven’t done so,” says Geoff Meggs.

A period of time set by the city in October to review Uber back in the fall has been extended by six months. That review was launched after concerns were voiced by the taxi industry.

Meggs says a facilitator is calling together stakeholders to work out what will be done in Vancouver to protect quality of service while expanding access to taxis.