RED DEER -- Red Deer council had the first reading for a vehicle-for-hire bylaw with input from the public and industry officials the past two years.

“The proposed bylaw works to balance the regulations across the industry with the needs of the Red Deer market to allow for both new and traditional business models in the vehicle-for hire industry,” said Amy Fengstad, parking and licensing supervisor with the City of Red Deer.

“Under the bylaw, there is greater flexibility and autonomy for traditional taxi and limousine companies to make their own business decisions, and there is greater opportunity for new business models to operate under the bylaw, all while preserving safety and fairness across the industry.”

The new regulations would apply to all vehicles-for-hire including taxis, accessible taxis, designated driver services, limousines, and transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft.

Under the updated bylaw, limousines and transportation network company vehicles are required to undergo mechanical inspections only once per year.

“Taxis and accessible taxis get more hours and mileage, so they’re required to do a mechanical inspection every six months,” said Fengstad.

“Where the more, typical, part-time drivers like transportation network companies and limousines get way less hours and mileage.”

Additionally, the bylaw will consolidate the brokerage license and the vehicle-for-hire license, introduce a six-month short-term vehicle-for-hire driver’s licence, change the fee structure to reflect the number of vehicles in a brokerage, and remove the compliance inspection for all vehicles-for-hire.

City council will also look at the impacts of reducing the driver’s licence fee from $100 to $50.

The proposed bylaw is expected to be in effect Sep. 1, 2021, pending council approval. Council will give second and third readings on Nov. 23, 2020.