Poparide operates under carpooling regulations under the BC Passenger Transportation Act and is legally not considered a commercial service. Drivers can offer rides on Poparide using their regular driver's license and do not require a class 4 license.
What the BC Passenger Transportation Act says
Poparide drivers fall under an exemption of the Passenger Transportation Act, which states that carpooling is allowed with regular licensing under the following conditions:
The driver and passenger share a trip with a common origin and destination.
The driver does no more than one return trip a day.
The driver receives contributions towards their costs and does not turn a profit.
The seating capacity of the vehicle is not more than 11 passengers.
To ensure we meet these conditions, Poparide caps prices at 18 cents per kilometre and closely monitors driver activity.
What about ride-hailing?
Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft are not considered carpooling because they are commercial activities and fall under ride-hailing regulations as set out by the BC Government, which have stringent requirements, including requiring a class 4 licence.
For more information, please see our article Uber and Lyft are not ridesharing.