January 7,2025
RED FM News Desk
Mounties in British Columbia say a recent crackdown on illegal ride-hailing services resulted in thousands of dollars in fines and several drivers being pulled off the road — including a prolific violent offender and a man whose licence had been cancelled two months earlier after an impaired-driving investigation.
The Richmond RCMP, working with the provincial Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement branch, said the one-day blitz on Jan. 2 led to $10,615 in fines and penalty points, and some repeat offenders had their vehicles towed. The force said the results underscore the public-safety risks posed by unlicensed ride-hailing, noting that drivers for legal companies must pass criminal record checks, driving history reviews and carry proper commercial insurance.
Police allege unlicensed drivers often turn to illegal platforms because they are ineligible to work for licensed operators. One driver caught in the operation had five violent convictions since 2024 — offences that would bar him from working in the passenger-transport industry — while another had already lost his licence over impaired driving, investigators said.
“Illegal ride-hailing is both unlawful and dangerous,” Const. Frank Tarape said, warning that riders using unlicensed platforms may have little recourse if something goes wrong because there is no central office to help police identify a driver or vehicle.
Officers urged the public to use only licensed taxi and ride-hailing companies, whose drivers undergo mandatory and routine background checks. Richmond RCMP said a similar blitz last February resulted in $13,343 in tickets in a single day, and eight joint operations last year produced more than $79,000 in fines against 35 suspected illegal operators.
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