Mayor says rejection of Uber ‘defies logic’

• Mayor says there is a demand for ride-hailing services
• Says the service would cut down on drunk driving

Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran says the B.C. Passenger Transportation Board’s (PTB) decision to deny Uber’s expansion into Kelowna is frustrating.

“It defies logic and I believe it’s merely a political decision. I don’t believe it’s based on anything other than that and so, incredibly frustrating,” Basran told Kelowna10.

“If you’ve ever tried to get a taxi on a Friday or Saturday night, it’s difficult. We need this service here and it’s just baffling as to why they refuse to allow it.”

The company was licensed to operate in the Lower Mainland and Whistler in January 2020, before the pandemic. Citing impacts of COVID-19 on the transportation industry during an investigation, the PTB found the current economic climate isn’t right for the expansion.

Mayor Basran doesn’t agree with the decision and mentions the Kelowna International Airport as a factor surrounding the need for ride-hailing services.

“We have a growing and thriving airport and it does not have ride-hailing services available for people that are travelling in and out of the airport,” Basran said.

“We also know there are people that make poor choices after they’ve had drinks because they can’t get home. They end up driving their vehicles instead of having a ride-hailing service like Uber to be able to get home safely.”

The company said it would review the full decision and decide on next steps in the coming weeks.

As part of the application and market investigation the board also heard from various taxi companies opposed to Uber’s expansion goals citing concerns about the impacts on their business.

“Here in the City of Kelowna we’ve always said that ride-hailing and taxi should be treated on an equal playing field. We think that’s exactly what would happen, and competition is a good thing,” Basran explained.

“But I have to give kudos to the taxi industry, they’ve upped their game, they’re providing good service, but there’s just not enough of them.”

A PTB report found taxi trips fell an estimated 66.3 per cent, or by two-thirds, in the months following the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also said it had seen evidence inferring operations like that offered by Uber had delayed the recovery of the taxi industry in the Lower Mainland.

“It’s frustrating because it’s out of our hands. If this was a city council decision, Uber would be here in Kelowna,” Basran said.