Richmond RCMP meted out more than $12,000 in fines to illegal ride-hailing drivers in a one-day sting.
On June 16, the RCMP’s Road Safety Unit worked in partnership with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) to stop five drivers suspected of operating illegal ride-hailing services.
The drivers were charged with a variety of offences including operating without a licence, operating with the wrong driver’s licence, failing to display a valid certificate and operating without a business licence, which is a City of Richmond bylaw infraction.
The fines came to $12,649 for this one-day operation.
RCMP say the illegal ride-hailing services pose “serious safety risks to the public,” and they are not licensed, regulated or insured as passenger vehicles.
June traffic tickets
In total, Richmond RCMP handed out 800 traffic tickets in June.
This included 30 for impaired driving, 161 for speeding, 63 for distracted driving, 155 for driver’s licence infractions and 213 for vehicle-related infractions.
During the month of June, RCMP focused on the No. 2 Road and Dinsmore bridges.
On June 14, road safety officers impounded two vehicles during a speed enforcement blitz.
Both drivers were caught travelling at least 40 km/h above the speed limit, one at 138 km/h and another at 140 km/h in an 80 km/h zone.
Five charges were laid against the driver caught at 140 km/h. These were for excessive speed, using an electronic device while driving, failure to change address, failure to produce a driver’s licence and for having tinted windows.
This driver had been impounded for excessive speed previously and was warned by the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles that a future impound would net his vehicle a 30-day impound.
In July, the RCMP Road Safety Unit is focusing its efforts on the Blundell Road corridor.
RCMP focus on water safety
On June 26, Richmond RCMP officers hosted a community education and enforcement campaign at McDonald Beach Boat Launch, focused on preventing and combatting impaired operation of vehicles on both land and water and life jacket awareness.
Public engagement was strong, RCMP said in a press release, with safety checks conducted and key safety messages shared.
There were 20 safety checks at the event, and one operator was sent back to procure proper safety equipment before returning to the water.
“Our message is simple: safety doesn’t take the summer off,” said Const. Frank Tarape with Richmond RCMP Road Safety Unit. “Whether you are behind the wheel on the road or out on the water, you need to be safe, sober and obey the laws.”
📣 Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected].
📲 To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter.
💬 Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
