Passenger Transportation Industry Updates

To view and print this document, download: CVSE Bulletin: Reminder: Street Hailing Prohibited for Limousine, Party Bus, Ride-Hail Operators

To view and print this document, download: CVSE Bulletin: Day Decals

To view and print this Industry Notice, download: Industry Notice: Passenger Transportation Services in B.C. now provided through CVSE’s Commercial Passenger Vehicle Program

To view and print this Industry Notice, download: Industry Notice: Ride-hailing Per-Trip Fees Increasing January 1, 2023

Industry Notice

To print this Industry Notice, download Industry Notice - Transition of Municipal Chauffeur's Permits

The purpose of this industry notice is to remind licensees that Municipal Chauffeur’s Permits were required to have been replaced with Record Check Certificates (RCC) by September 16, 2021. 

On September 16, 2019, Bill 55 came into effect, replacing the existing BC Passenger Transportation Act and Regulation, and requiring licensees to issue RCCs to drivers with existing municipal chauffeur’s permits when their permits expired, or by September 16, 2021, whichever came first.

Licensees who fail to issue their drivers valid RCCs, and drivers of passenger directed vehicles who fail to carry and display them, may be subject to tickets/fines.

In addition, licensees must notify the Registrar if a driver acquires a record that includes a prescribed matter, or face fines.

Should you have questions, please review our Passenger Directed Vehicle Driver Requirements, or contact the branch duty officer at 604-527-2198/ passengertransportationbr@gov.bc.ca.

Thank you,

Passenger Transportation Branch

• To print this Industry Notice, download Vehicle Identifier Requirements for Metro Vancouver Taxi Licensees (PDF, 195.8KB)

INDUSTRY NOTICE

This notice communicates a change regarding vehicle identifiers for Metro Vancouver taxi licensees and next steps for these affected licensees.

Background

Taxi licensees have a Special Authorization (SA) licence. All SA taxi licensees display a plate and decal on each vehicle operating under their SA licence. These vehicle identifiers are issued by the Registrar and their staff at the Passenger Transportation Branch (Branch).

In addition to the plate and decal, Metro Vancouver taxi licensees have been required to display a taxi identification code, or a “TIC”, on their vehicles by the Passenger Transportation Board (Board).  

Change

The following changes to vehicle identifiers are effective August 1, 2020:

• the Registrar is no longer issuing plates, decals, or any vehicle identifiers to Metro Vancouver taxi licensees (hereafter “authorized SA licensees”);
• Authorized SA licensees are now responsible for issuing their own vehicle identifiers;
• Authorized SA licensees must issue identifiers that meet the Registrar’s requirements;
• Authorized SA licensees are no longer required to post a list of TICs to their website

The Registrar is maintaining the existing TIC system established by the Board, but with some revisions. Authorized SA licensees must be in compliance with the Registrar’s new vehicle identifier requirements by September 1, 2020.

Next Steps: Returning Plates & Decals, and submitting TIC information

Under the Passenger Transportation Act section 42, Registrar issued vehicle identifiers (i.e. plates and decals) must be returned when government seeks to retrieve its property.

Authorized SA licensees must complete this checklist, in this order. All required documents listed are available from the Passenger Transportation Branch.

• Read the new requirements, listed under the heading “Authorized SA Licensee Identifiers” located on our new web page Vehicle Identifiers for Commercial Passenger Vehicles in B.C.
• Complete the Excel workbook titled Plate List Workbook (instructions within)
• Complete the related Declaration form. Submit this Declaration along with the completed Plate List Workbook by email to the Branch at passengertransportationbr@gov.bc.ca by September 1, 2020
• Schedule a drop-off of plates/decals with the Passenger Transportation Branch. Plates/decals must be returned no later than October 31, 2020. Pack plates/decals in a box labelled with the licensee’s PT number and addressed “Attn: Passenger Transportation Branch”. Box(es) can be dropped off at the front desk security at 1500 Woolridge Street, Coquitlam

If you require more time to meet the deadlines listed above, please contact the Branch directly:

Telephone:    604 527-2198 or toll free through Service BC 1-800-663-7867
Email:             passengertransportationbr@gov.bc.ca

Thank you,

Steven Haywood

Registrar of Passenger Transportation

Industry Notice

This notice communicates a change to the Passenger Transportation Regulation (PTR) that affects licensees who operate under a passenger directed vehicle authorization (PDVA).

In the past, licensees with a PDVA have paid an annual renewal fee of $100 per vehicle operating under the authority of a PDVA as per section 24.1(2) of the PTR.

Effective June 22, 2020, licensees with a PDVA now pay the lesser of either $50 per vehicle, or $5,000.

Refunds

Licensees are required to apply for their passenger transportation licence renewal in advance of their licence expiry date (Passenger Transportation Act s. 34(3)). Licensees with a licence expiry date of June 22, 2020 or later who have paid for the renewal of their vehicles under the old fee of $100 per vehicle will receive a refund of $50 per vehicle.

Staff from the Passenger Transportation Branch will contact licensees to address overpayments. Staff will confirm the amount of your refund and a cheque will be issued to the business address on file.  

Deferred Renewals due to COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Registrar authorized a temporary policy allowing eligible licensees to defer their licence renewal and vehicle fees. This policy can be found under Industry Updates on our web page COVID-19 Information for the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry in B.C. Once that policy is rescinded, licensees with a PDVA who chose to defer their licence renewal will pay the reduced licence fee.

Visit our Fees & Payment web page for more information on payments related to commercial passenger vehicles in British Columbia.

Thank you,

Passenger Transportation Branch
 

• To print this Industry Notice, download Industry Notice: Licence Fee Reduction for Operators with a PDV Authorization (PDF, 159.2KB)

Industry Notice

The purpose of this industry notice is to remind taxi, limousine, and ride-hail licensees about the Passenger Transportation Regulation (PTR) relating to police information checks.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia (B.C.), many police detachments suspended criminal record check services (including the Police Information Check – Vulnerable Sector or PIC-VS) as a safety measure for staff. We understand the challenge the suspension of these services caused for the commercial passenger vehicle industry. Now that B.C. is in phase two of BC’s Restart Plan, many of these services are available again. We encourage companies to contact their local police detachment to learn the status of PIC-VS services in their community.

Police Information Check – Vulnerable Sector

In B.C., taxi, limousine, and ride-hail drivers must get a PIC-VS. Drivers must get a PIC-VS from the police in the municipality in which they live (PTR 12.62(2)).

Registrar Approval Needed for Use of Third Parties

PTR 12.62(2) does not apply when a PIC-VS is obtained by a third-party approved by the Registrar of Passenger Transportation (Registrar). Companies interested in using a third party for their criminal record checks must seek Registrar approval before directing drivers to use these services.

Thank you,

Passenger Transportation Branch
 

• To print this Industry Notice, download Industry Notice: Reminder to Taxi, Limousine, and Ride-hail Licensees about Police Information Checks (PDF, 159.5KB)

Letter to Taxi Industry: Yellow plates in the Downtown Vancouver Entertainment District (PDF, 167KB)

Industry Notice: The Accommodation of Guide and Service Dogs in Passenger Directed Vehicles (PDF, 177.2KB)

News Release: Changes support passenger safety for party bus industry Punjabi Translation (PDF, 73.1)

Vehicle Identifiers for Transportation Network Services (TNS), or Ride Hail, Vehicles (PDF, 262.1KB)

Industry Advisory: Reminder to PSB operators of Regulatory Changes (PDF, 189.4KB)

News Release: Province announces regulation and insurance policy for ride-hailing service

Industry Notice: Important Reminder for PSB Operators (PDF, 72.5KB)

New Parental Consent form for Perimeter Seating Buses (PDF, 79KB) effective December 1, 2018 

Public Advisory: The Illegal Operation of Passenger Directed Vehicles in B.C. (PDF, 66.4KB)

Public Advisory: Government Adopts Key Recommendations on Modernizing Taxi Industry (PDF, 1.9MB)

Industry Notice: Terms of Reference for Upcoming Consultation (PDF, 275.3KB)

Industry Notice: Licence Information for PSB Operators (PDF, 55.3KB)

Industry Notice: Responsibilities of Inter-City Bus Operators (PDF, 318.5KB)

Industry Notice: Care & Control of Your Passenger Transportation Licence (PDF, 47.7KB)

Industry Notice: "Party Buses” and the Consumption of Alcohol (PDF, 44.1KB)

Industry Notice: Taxi Cameras (PDF, 45.5KB)

Industry Notice: Introduction of Commercial Vehicle Safety Compliance Declaration requirement (PDF, 127.5KB)