Illegal Richmond ride-hailing operators fined $11.5K

The crackdown on unlicensed ride-hailing operators continues in Richmond, B.C.

On July 24,  Richmond RCMP road safety unit (RSU) and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s commercial vehicle safety enforcement (CVSE) officers used authorized ride-hailing apps to book rides with unlicensed operators.

Five drivers were apprehended during the operation and were found to be operating illegally.

They were charged with operating without a business licence, operating without a licence or the wrong licence and failure to display a valid certificate.

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The total fines issued were over $11,500, Richmond RCMP said, and that does not include the cost of vehicle towing and storage, which applied to three repeat offenders.

0:32 Crackdown on unlicensed ride-hailing operators in Richmond

These unlicensed operators pose a risk to the public as they are not complying with mandatory legislative requirements, such as criminal record checks and vehicle licensing, Staff Sgt. Paula Maan said in a statement.

Anyone using these illegal ride-hailing services needs to understand they are putting themselves at risk which is why we will continue to conduct these joint operations with our partners at CVSE.