Article content continued

Halat said drivers found operating unlicensed vehicles could face fines of up to $1,500 for each offence — Uber drivers could be found in violation of three sections of the city’s livery bylaw, for a total penalty of $4,500.

Halat said Uber customers would not face fines for using the service.

“If these vehicles are operating and they are in contravention of our bylaw … we will enforce the bylaw,” said Halat, who would not disclose details of his enforcement plan.

Five-hundred freelance drivers signed up to provide the service, and Van Chau said he was not aware of any Uber drivers who had received tickets or been fined on Thursday.

He noted the company supports its drivers in any way necessary, and in other city’s with enforcement issues, Uber has paid drivers’ tickets, but often tickets are disputed and fines are dismissed.

In Edmonton, licence suspensions handed out to six Uber drivers caught in a sting operation were overturned on Thursday by a city appeal committee.

In Calgary, some users who logged onto the app found a “no cars available” message, an issue Van Chau attributed to strong demand.

“Everyone is turning on the app and trying to get a ride. That reliability really works itself out very quickly. More drivers come on the road,” he said.

Photo by Ted Rhodes / Calgary Herald

Ramit Kar, Uber Alberta general manager, told the Herald on Wednesday that Uber’s launch came after a year of planning, during which tens of thousands of Calgarians downloaded the app.