2 more ride-hailing companies approved to run in B.C.
MDD approved for Lower Mainland and Whistler, while Safe Ride Sharing approved for eastern region
Two more ride-hailing companies have been approved to launch in southern B.C.
The independent Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) announced Thursday it has green-lit MDD Transport Network Inc., doing business as MDD, to run in the Lower Mainland and Whistler.
A statement said the board also approved Safe Ride Sharing for the Okanagan-Kootenay and Boundary-Cariboo.
The companies are the latest to be approved since B.C. moved to finally allow ride-hailing in the province, after years of government process. Transportation Minister Clare Trevena has said the lengthy process involved amending transportation service laws to accommodate ride-hailing and the existing taxi service and to ensure safety for passengers and drivers.
The PTB approved major ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft on Jan. 23.
The next steps for companies approved by the PTB before they can get vehicles on the road involves securing proper insurance and working with the municipalities in the approved operating areas to ensure bylaw compliance.
The transportation board on Thursday said it declined to approve ride-hailing applications for the companies Getride and Yallah. The former had applied for permission to run in the Lower Mainland and Whistler, while the latter had asked to operate in five regions of B.C., from Vancouver Island to the Kootenays and up to the North Coast.
The board said it has received 35 ride-hailing licence applications and has issued 23 decisions so far.
With files from The Canadian Press