Uber drivers in Windsor are the target of a sting operation by police and bylaw enforcement officers a few months after beginning service in the city.
Services like the ride-sharing app Uber don't comply with Windsor's bylaws, making it illegal.
But Mayor Drew Dilkens doesn't want to make it "our life's effort trying to crack down on Uber."
"Bylaw enforcement officers actually have to sign-up for Uber, get an Uber app, put their credit card number in and call a car. They actually have to witness the infraction happening," he says. "Once they arrive, there will be a combination of bylaw enforcement and Windsor police on scene."
The unsuspecting drivers can expect to be slapped with fines around $200.
Once a driver is ticketed, Dilkens says Uber flags that account and the bylaw officer must create a new one to repeat the process.
"Depending on how many drivers there are at any given time, you may need dozens and dozens of different credit cards in order to be effective in a single day of enforcement," he says.
These types of sting operations aren't going to be conducted on a daily basis, Dilkens says.
"Frankly it's resource-intensive and completely impractical to do it on a daily basis," he says. "We're going to do it this time. We'll see it happen this time."
The city has hired a consultant to help legalize companies like Uber. Dilkens hopes to have a bylaw in place by the summer.
Despite the enforcement action, Dilkens says he wants Uber in Windsor.
"It's certainly not my intention to see Uber leave. I appreciate the type of service that they offer and I've used it many times in different cities that I've been in," he says. "But as mayor of the city we have established laws that are on the books and it's impossible for us to turn a blind eye or ignore complaints that we receive."
Windsor police say the enforcement hasn't started yet. They won't comment on when that might happen or how long it will last.