Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

Kater Seeks Southern B.C. Ride-Hail Licenses By Winter, Rest Of B.C. By 2020

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Sep, 2019 08:56 PM

    VANCOUVER - Ride-hailing company Kater Technologies says it has officially applied for a licence that would allow it to operate in every region of British Columbia.

     

    A statement from the company says B.C. is one of the last areas of North America without ride-hailing and the province now has an opportunity to introduce the service in the "right way."

     

    Kater CEO Scott Larson says the company hopes to launch operations across Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo and the Okanagan by this winter, with operations in other B.C. regions rolling out over the next 12 months.

     

    Kater is also proposing a system of pricing that would slide from a minimum of 90 per cent of current taxi rates to a maximum of 200 per cent, a range it says addresses consumer concerns about prices rising when demand is higher.

     

    Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said last week that eight ride-hailing companies, including Uber, had filed licence applications with the Passenger Transportation Branch of her ministry.

     

    A coalition of nine Vancouver taxi companies has asked the B.C. Supreme Court to quash policies it says were illegally created for ride-hailing, arguing binding guidelines for ride-hailing services should not have been set before individual applications were heard.

     

    Kater's goal is to serve growing consumer demand while improving "inherent downsides" linked to other ride-hailing providers, Larson says in the statement.

     

    The company says it will include approximately 250 wheelchair accessible vehicles in its network and will also use location-based pricing and driver incentives to encourage Kater drivers not to abandon suburban service during peak hours.

     

    "Assuming that the Passenger Transportation Board approves our pricing model, our drivers are projected to earn at least $25 for every hour that they are active on the Kater platform," says the statement.

    Kater addresses congestion and pollution concerns by pledging that no more than 2,000 of its cars will be on the road at any given time.

     

    Its statement says it also intends to integrate taxis into its operating platform, a move the company says will support the taxi services already in operation.

     

    The coalition of Vancouver taxi companies has said new provincial ride-hailing rules amount to "destructive competition" because they allow so-called transportation network services to offer an unlimited number of vehicles in broader geographic areas compared with cabs.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    B.C. Becomes A Safer Place For Kickboxers To Compete, Turn Pro

    British Columbia’s mixed-martial arts (MMA) athletes will compete more safely and at a higher level,  following the B.C. athletic commissioner’s decision to authorize professional kickboxing.

    B.C. Becomes A Safer Place For Kickboxers To Compete, Turn Pro

    Burnaby RCMP Warns Of Catalytic Converter Thefts

    Over recent months the Burnaby RCMP have noticed an increase in catalytic converter thefts, similar to that being reported by other lower mainland jurisdictions. 

    Burnaby RCMP Warns Of Catalytic Converter Thefts

    One Man Charged Following Threat Which Caused Evacuation Of Surrey Mall

    One Man Charged Following Threat Which Caused Evacuation Of Surrey Mall
    Surrey RCMP is advising the public of an arrest which was made after police investigated a threat at Surrey Central Mall late Sunday afternoon.

    One Man Charged Following Threat Which Caused Evacuation Of Surrey Mall

    Surrey RCMP Arrest Two Male Suspects In Midst Of Theft In Vancouver For Stealing Catalytic Converters

    Surrey RCMP is advising the public of the arrests of two men related to multiple catalytic converter thefts in Surrey and Vancouver.  

    Surrey RCMP Arrest Two Male Suspects In Midst Of Theft In Vancouver For Stealing Catalytic Converters

    Have You Heard About The 15 Apps Parents Should Be Aware Of?

    As we prepare for the new school year, the Abbotsford Police Department would like to make sure parents are "in the know" about apps children may be using...and how those social media platforms may put youth at risk.

    Have You Heard About The 15 Apps Parents Should Be Aware Of?

    Downtown Eastside Assault Leaves 49-year-old Man With Life-Threatening Injuries, Vancouver Police Seek Witnesses

    Downtown Eastside Assault Leaves 49-year-old Man With Life-Threatening Injuries, Vancouver Police Seek Witnesses
    Vancouver Police are looking for witnesses to a Downtown Eastside assault that left a 49-year-old Vancouver man with life-threatening injuries last Wednesday.    

    Downtown Eastside Assault Leaves 49-year-old Man With Life-Threatening Injuries, Vancouver Police Seek Witnesses