Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
As the Minister of Transportation, I would like to highlight the guidelines needed to operate any passenger transportation vehicle in British Columbia.
Any vehicle operated by a person who charges or collects compensation for transporting passengers must be licenced under the Passenger Transportation Act.
Limousine, taxi and other passenger directed services, including those dispatched through a “rideshare” app such as Uber or Lyft, must be approved by the Passenger Transportation Board. Currently, Uber and Lyft are not licenced in B.C.
The rates charged by taxis, limousines and other small passenger directed vehicles are set or approved by the Passenger Transportation Board.
Smart phone apps operated by any company, including commercial “rideshare” providers, must reflect Passenger Transportation Board approved rates.
Vehicle operators will also need:
• A National Safety Code Safety Certificate
• Semi-annual commercial vehicle inspections
• To check with the municipality where you plan to operate for any additional requirements
• A driver’s licence and vehicle insurance that meets the requirements for commercial vehicles.
Fines:
• Any company or driver advertising or providing a service they’re not licensed to provide is subject to being ticketed.
• A ticket for $1,150 can be issued by the police, Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement officers or Passenger Transportation Inspectors at the roadside.
• Repeat offenders can be fined up to $5,000.
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