Vehicle for Hire Update

At the January 28, 2019 City Council meeting, a motion was made to direct Administration to return a report one year from the implementation date of The Vehicle for Hire Bylaw that includes the impacts of transportation network companies (TNC) on the taxi industry.

This report will discuss the transportation network companies that are operating in the City of Regina and the impacts to the taxi industry.

None with respect to this report.

None with respect to this report.

None with respect to this report.

In February 2019, The Vehicle for Hire Bylaw was passed which allowed TNC to operate and on May 15, 2019 Uber Canada Inc. (Uber) provided its first trip in Regina. Other TNC have inquired about regulations and the process to obtain a city licence, however none have completed the application process. Uber has remained the only TNC in operation in the city.

Administration has worked closely with Uber representatives throughout the year to share information, resolve concerns and review data submissions. Overall, there have been no significant concerns with the operations or service that Uber has provided with the exception of vehicle decals. Initially the supply of company decals to drivers was not occurring as required. Through discussions, Uber made available an online link where drivers could print temporary decals to place on their vehicles until the company was able to provide permanent company decals. Periodic checks have identified that some drivers are still operating without valid decals and Uber continues to review and enhance their processes to ensure compliance. Drivers not displaying a decal have been charged with an offence under The Vehicle for Hire Bylaw and removed from the platform until they have obtained a company decal.

The City receives detailed driver, vehicle and trip data on a monthly basis from Uber. The data shows that the number of drivers and vehicles associated with the company fluctuates each month as well as the number of drivers that are actively providing transportation services. Driver information received shows that on average, 65 per cent of drivers that have affiliated with Uber provide at least one trip per month and between September 2019 and March 2020 there were an average of 420 drivers providing service in Regina. Data suggests that the majority of Uber drivers are only providing services on a part time basis. Approximately 15 per cent of drivers have only taken trips on the weekend and 42 per cent of drivers take an average of one trip per day. Only 18 per cent of drivers take more than six daily trips.

With the emergence of Uber, in 2019 the total for-hire transportation trips (taxi and TNC) provided in Regina increased by 13 per cent. Taxi trip volumes decreased by five per cent and amounted to 85 per cent of the total for-hire trips provided. Uber provided the remaining 15 per cent of the market share. This information suggests that with the additional for-hire transportation options available, people that would normally not take a taxi began using for-hire transportation services. Indeed, more people used for-hire transportation services than in the past.

During the first two months of 2020 total trip volumes (taxi and TNC) have increased by 15 per cent over the same period in 2019. Trips provided by taxis were lower than the same period in 2019 by 17 per cent. Market share at the end of February was 72 per cent for the taxi industry and 28 per cent for Uber. Taxis are providing on average three times as many trips as Uber. March 2020 data showed a 40 per cent overall reduction in trip volumes, likely impacted by Covid-19.

The fees paid to the City for a TNC to operate includes an annual fee based on the number of vehicles registered with the company, a per trip fee and an accessibility per trip fee. The annual licence fee and per trip fees collected are recorded as general revenue, whereas the accessibility fee is held in a separate account to be used for supporting accessible options within the industry. The accessibility fee that has been collected is approximately $20,000.00. The Covid-19 pandemic has upset the for-hire transportation industry for the short term and will impact how passengers use the services into the future. Administration intends to engage with the industry once transportation levels maintain some consistency to determine where this funding can be utilized to best support accessible transportation needs for the future.

The City has not received complaints from passengers about services that have been provided by Uber, nor have any TNC drivers reported any concerns.

There have been no previous decisions related to the information contained in this report.