Illegal ride-hail drivers caught during RCMP crackdown at busy Victoria, B.C. port

The BC Highway Patrol carried out a Vancouver Island passenger transportation check last month, dishing out almost 20 violation tickets.

Over a dozen violation tickets were issued in a two-day enforcement blitz targeting drivers of taxis and other ride-hailing vehicles in Victoria, B.C. last month.

Carried out on June 19 and 20, the event saw the BC Highway Patrol’s Integrated Road Safety Unit join officers from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit to check drivers waiting for passengers at the busy Ogden Point Cruise Ship Terminal.

According to an RCMP statement, 18 violation tickets were handed out, amounting to $7,715 in fines.

Twelve “Notice and Orders,” which do not include fines or demerit points but serve as a warning that the driver or their vehicle doesn’t meet driving requirements, were also given. Notice and Orders are typically given when a driver doesn’t have the correct documents or certifications, or when repairs need to be made on their vehicle.

Among the “major violations” identified were drivers holding incorrect passenger transportation licences incompatible with the services they offered, and vehicles operating outside the conditions of their licence.

In the release, issued Tuesday, Sgt. Jereme Leslie said the RCMP values the expertise of the Ministry’s Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement officers who assisted with the checks.

“Together, our organizations can deliver highly effective education and enforcement for taxis, ride-hail, and other commercial vehicles on Vancouver Island highways,” he said.