Uber ride-sharing company needs licence, City of Ottawa says

The ride-sharing service Uber needs to be licensed to run in the City of Ottawa, officials said on Monday after a meeting on how the popular transportation app might work in the capital region.

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Uber's business model has been to employ part-time drivers using their own vehicles to shuttle passengers around.

But it has modified that approach depending on the jurisdiction, and in Toronto and Montreal the service uses only licensed drivers and relies on traditional fare meters.

But they face stiff resistance from Ottawa's taxi companies.

"It's going to be a long battle of attrition with Uber and Uber is not going to win here," said taxi cab company Coventry Connections president Hanif Patni.

Susan Jones, who oversees the city's taxi licensing program, said she was glad to hear the company's pitch, but added it will need to be licensed.

Jones said Uber would have to comply with all the rules that apply to other cab companies and govern everything from driver training to vehicle inspections.

Since launching in 2010, San Francisco-based Uber has expanded to over 100 cities around the world, including Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Pushback from cab companies and regulators in Vancouver and Calgary forced Uber to abandon expansion plans there, and the service has been banned in New Orleans, Miami and Brussels, among other cities.

Frankfurt state court has also barred Uber from operating in Germany, though the company has vowed to appeal.