Edmonton-based transportation app TappCar has expanded its services to St. Albert and other surrounding communities.
After being met with unprecedented enthusiasm, the ride-sharing company decided to speed up their expansion plans and is now operating in St. Albert, Spruce Grove, Fort Saskatchewan and Edmonton.
"We are thrilled to be able to expand beyond our Edmonton base this quickly," said Pascal Ryffel, spokesman for TappCar. "This is really a response to popular demand from customers who live outside the Edmonton boundaries."
Ryffel described TappCar as a “hybrid” between a traditional taxi service and a ride-sharing app like Uber.
Similar to other ride-sharing services, the company makes use of app-based technologies – where at the click of a few buttons clients can book a ride via their smartphone, track the arrival of their ride and rate their experience or driver.
Unlike ride-sharing behemoth Uber, most TappCar drivers are full-time employees. This is to make purchasing the required insurance viable, as well as ensure high-quality service.
“We find that if you want to have the professional drivers – the people who are experienced and know how to drive in all types of weather, have defensive driving skills and all that – it’s important to have full-time drivers,” said Ryffel.
All drivers possess a Class 4 driver’s license (the same needed to operate a taxi and a bus), have cleared a police check, and have full comprehensive commercial insurance. Uber has challenged some of the provincial requirements when trying to establish itself in Edmonton.
The company is not sure what the service in the greater Edmonton region will look like exactly. A press release indicated that TappCar would monitor demand and could have dedicated vehicles serving the residents of the surrounding communities, both for local transportation and for travel to and from Edmonton.
There are currently 200 Tapp Car vehicles on the road.
Since Tapp Car has been approved as a private transportation provider in Edmonton, it is not subject to the same limitations as taxis, which forbid Edmonton cabbies from picking up in St. Albert and vice-versa – news that was met with enthusiasm by Mayor Nolan Crouse.
“(Edmonton) cabs don’t come into St. Albert because they can’t backhaul,” said Crouse.
This creates potentially harmful and dangerous situations for St. Albertans who go out in Edmonton. “The risk is that the person says the taxi cab won’t take me to St. Albert so I’ll take my own vehicle,” said Crouse, who has heard many parents voice this concern over the years.
St. Albert was the first community outside Edmonton to approve the ride-sharing service earlier this week. Fort Saskatchewan and Spruce Grove quickly followed suit.
Joan Barber, manager of business retention and expansion, said it was “easy to welcome” the company to the community, given how forthcoming they were with information. TappCar voluntarily provided the city a list of drivers, driver’s license numbers, plate numbers and vehicle descriptions.
While some taxi companies do the same, there is currently no bylaw in St. Albert that requires them to do so.
TappCar is fully aware that St. Albert’s taxi/vehicle for hire rules are currently under review. In the fall, Mayor Nolan Crouse asked staff to come back to council with a bylaw by March 31, 2017.
The company is “more than happy” to participate in the consultation process and will abide by any rules put forward by the city, said Ryffel.
“Safety is going to be the main focus of that bylaw and that’s also very important for us as a company. We’re certainly on board with that,” he said.
Uber, which is still operating in St. Albert, sent a response to the city’s request that it acquire the necessary business license. The letter from Uber argues that the ride-sharing service is not technically a business, therefore doesn’t need a license. The city’s legal team is reviewing the letter.
