The app-based ride sharing service Uride announced this week that it’s coming to Timmins… and City Hall doesn’t know how to react.
“It’s certainly not illegal,” city clerk Steph Palmateer tells My Timmins Now Dot Com.
He says neither the taxi or licencing bylaw covers ride sharing, so the city is playing catch-up.
“We’re working on implementing some new bylaws that would in fact cover this type of service in the City of Timmins, but they will be in operation before those bylaws will be in place.”
Uride is aiming to be in business in town by the end of this month.
“Thankfully this company, Uride seems to want to work with the municipality, which is good,” Palmateer states. “They’ve agreed to make sure that their drivers are all insured and that they have good driving records and criminal background checks and things like that.”
New bylaws don’t happen overnight. Palmateer says he’s now researching how other communities have incorporated ride sharing into their bylaws.