BC Transportation Minister concerned about rideshare congestion, lack of cap limits

After penning a letter to the Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) earlier this year outlining her concerns around rideshare driver licensing, BC Transportation Minister Claire Trevena has written another letter to the PTB, this time expressing her concerns regarding ridesharing fleets not being limited in size, as well as the potential for congestion.

See also:

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• Uber “optimistic” that they’ll be running before Vancouver’s holiday season
• Lyft formally announces plans to operate rideshare in Metro Vancouver

In her letter to PTB chair Catharine Read, Trevena thanks her for her ongoing work to “facilitate the modernization of the taxi industry, alongside the introduction of new ride hailing services for British Columbians.”

The efforts of the PTB, she adds, “have been essential in achieving the government’s commitment to open the door for Transportation Network Service (TNS) companies to enter the BC marketplace.”

The purpose of her letter is to “relay widespread concerns related to the introduction of ride hailing services, that I believe the Board should be mindful of,” Trevena continues. “You stated that while there are no limits on fleet size at this point, the board will monitor TNS performance daly and may review fleet sizes when data is available.”

This decision, she continues, “should be reviewed in a timely way to ensure that the viability of the taxi industry alongside TNS services and that the taxi industry does not experience serious economic dislocation before a supply cap or decision occurs.”

Claire Trevena / Facebook

Trevena also expresses concern over “the potential for an increase in congestion on already clogged roads,” noting that “several” Metro Vancouver mayors have written to her regarding the issue.

“The issue of congestion is a concern our government shares,” she writes. “I trust that the impact of increased congestion will be monitored closely by the Board and will factor heavily into future decisions around size limits.”