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“We have to be regulated for the sake of public safety,” he said. “T

hey have to get fined.”

Photo by Tyler Brownbridge / Windsro Star

Vets Cab has been sending out Uber Alerts to its drivers, asking them to record license plates and the car make of people they suspect are working for Uber. That information is being passed on to the city’s 311 centre.

“At first the city said there was not much they could do about them, unless they have complaints,” Toth said.

But Dilkens said that’s not how it works. City bylaw officers have to have enough evidence to lay a charge. A complaint won’t do it.

Dilkens added bylaw officers can’t lay charges alone, because they don’t have the right to ask a driver for identification. Only police can do that.

As well, Uber riders need to register with a credit card to request a ride.

“You need multiple credit cards in order to undertake enforcement because once you fine someone, that credit card gets flagged and probably can’t be used again,” Dilkens said.

Sgt. Matthew D’Asti of the Windsor Police Service said the traffic division has been working with Windsor bylaw officers to come up with a way to do the enforcement, but that they want to do it right.

“It’s difficult. It’s a complicated task,” D’Asti said. He added that information from taxi drivers of suspected Uber licence plates and car models could be helpful to police as they work to lay fines.

Uber Canada spokeswoman Susie Heath said in an email that the company does not fall under the definition of a taxi.