RCMP in Richmond, B.C., say they’ve handed out $66,000 in fines over three months in a crackdown on illegal ride-hailing operators — including one who was a registered sex offender.
Mounties said the initiative, a partnership with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) branch, targeted unlicensed drivers for six days, starting in June.
Officers used unauthorized ride-hail apps to book rides with the illegal operators.
Charges, including operating without a licence, wrong class of driver’s licence and failure to display a valid certificate were laid against 29 drivers.
“There are a number of steps legal ride-hailing operators must take to be certified to operate in BC. These protections have been put in place to ensure the overall safety of paying passengers and other road users,” Richmond RCMP Insp. Mark Baxter said in a media release.
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“Some of the drivers that were stopped during these operations have poor driving records, prior convictions for impaired driving and in one case the driver was a registered sex offender; all of these are things which would preclude the person from working for a properly licensed operator.”
Police said one-third of the drivers were repeat offenders, including one driver who was allegedly caught for the third time.
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