Victoria owner of designated driver service concerned about B.C. ridesharing legislation

The owner of a Victoria designated driver service says the NDP government’s new ridesharing legislation is going to put him out of business.

“They’re making it so hard, that why would we even bother?” Scott Carey, CEO of Dad’s Dial-A-Driver Services, said.

The service, which picks people up and drives their cars home safely, has been operating in Victoria for nearly two decades and Carey has been running it for the past four years.

“There’s times of the year where I can be running five and 10 cars in a single night,” he said.

Globalnews.ca coverage of B.C.’s ridesharing legislation

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That kind of demand has been putting pressure on the B.C. government, which passed ride-hailing into law on Monday night.

Still, the most controversial rules have yet to be figured out. Primarily, the Passenger Transportation Board will restrict the number of drivers in each region, and participating drivers must obtain a Class 4 commercial licence, the same as taxi drivers and operators with up to 25 passengers.

“It’s basically going to take my drivers off the street,” Carey said. “Now you have to invest so much money into your own personal vehicle, it’s not worth it for any of these drivers.”

Those who support the legislation don’t see it what way.

“We’re not anticipating that any services will be shut down ,” Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said. “We think that this is opening the doors to services that people have long been asking for – it’s giving people choice.”

Green Party Transportation Critic Adam Olsen agreed.

“I have the confidence that the Passenger Transportation Board and the ministry will do everything they can to minimize those unintended consequences,” he said.

With the holidays quickly approaching, the demand for a designated driver service is only expected to escalate.

Carey plans to do whatever he can to meet that demand, at least for now.

“I highly suspect that I will end up — and most other companies will end up — with a cease and desist until we meet their criteria,” he said. “That criteria is just not worth it.”

Ride-hailing isn’t expected to come into effect until late 2019.