TORONTO — City council is split on the future of UberX operations in Toronto, but for both UberX drivers and users, even a ban wouldn’t stop them from using the ridesharing app.
Esther has been an UberX driver since the service came to Toronto over a year ago.
“There is nothing absolutely nothing that would stop me from driving in Toronto,” she said.
“You hear in the media talk about all these tickets being given to drivers and it’s simply not true. We had 13 drivers in a month being ticketed and that’s out of 15,000 Uber drivers doing over $1 million fares in a month. So it’s non-existent.”
She says she has been given warnings by officers for not having a limousine license.
“I was pulled over and the policeman saw the UberX app and gave me a warning for driving without a limousine license and the warning was an $180 ticket but I’m not worried about it because Uber would pay that ticket for me … I have huge faith in Uber.”
UberX user Spencer Burger says he would continue to use the service even if the app was banned.
“Yes I would continue to use UberX as a service,” Burger said. “It’s really just a more affordable way to get around town in times of particular need.”
Stephen D’Agostino, lawyer with Thomson Rogers, said the risk lies with UberX drivers and the brokerages.
“We are talking about a breach of a bylaw … Uber users are not at risk. The offence is set up on the driver, the owner and the brokerage.”
Esther said despite council’s decision, she has no plans to stop driving for UberX.
“Uber doesn’t just move people from A to B it moves hearts,” she said.
Council met Wednesday morning to discuss a ground transportation report put forward by the Municipal Licensing and Standards Committee, but still have yet to make a final decision on the future of UberX in Toronto.
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