An Edmonton-based vehicle-for-hire company launched operations in the city Monday.

TappCar describes itself as a blend between traditional taxi, and app-based vehicle-for-hire services.

“I think we fill a niche because we fall right in the middle,” TappCar spokesperson Pascal Ryffel said.

TappCar claims all of the vehicles in their fleet will have “full comprehensive commercial insurance” and all TappCar drivers will have valid Class 4 licences.

“Our drivers will have uniforms, they’ll get out and open the door for customers, it’s a high premium for customers, we won’t take anything for granted,” Ryffel said.

The company buys their driver’s cars, for one dollar – the company then insures them all under fleet coverage. It’s a risky workaround to the new City vehicle-for-hire bylaw.

“What I said all along through this whole process is that if a company or companies are willing to follow the law, then I’m going to be in support of any company that is willing to do that,” Councillor Dave Loken said.

The local company launched after Uber Edmonton was forced to temporarily suspend operations March 1. The California-based company said it will wait to operate legally until special ride-sharing insurance is issued by the Government of Alberta.

On Monday, Councillor Loken took the ceremonial first ride with TappCar – but he said he’s still looking out for cabs on council.

“I’ll continue to take taxis, and I don’t take them that often anyway, but I certainly now have another choice,” Loken said.

TappCar and Uber are both considered Private Transportation Providers under the city’s new vehicle-for-hire bylaw.

Loken said he plans to bring forward a motion to make taxi plates non-transferable, in the hopes it would stop people from selling them for up to six figures.

“I think it takes political will, and I don’t know, until we had this conversation recently, that the political will was there, but I think during that conversation we’ve seen that it’s something we seriously have to look at,” Loken said.

Council is expected to revisit the bylaw in the summer.

With files from Nicole Weisberg and Breanna Karstens-Smith