Passenger Transportation Board approves taxi fleet increases in anticipation of ride-hailing

WHISTLER (NEWS 1130) – B.C.’s Passenger Transportation Board has paved the way for taxi companies to put more cabs on the road.

Changes approved Tuesday at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Conference in Whistler will eventually allow existing licencees a one-time opportunity to increase their number of taxis by up to 15 per cent.

Companies will also be allowed to offer lower fares during off-peak times, and allow separate day and night vehicles to share the same licence, thus preventing shift changes from causing taxi shortages.

These are some of the recommendations made in the Modernizing Taxi Regulation report released by Ottawa-based Hara Associates in June. The report is aimed at making the taxi industry more competitive for the day when ride-hailing services like Uber are finally allowed to operate legally in the province.

“I would say this is a first, good step,” says B.C. Taxi Association president Mohan Kang, adding more changes will likely be made during the fall sitting of the legislature.

“We have to have an even playing field, and by giving these incentives at this stage, it will enable us to be better prepared to face the [ride-hailing companies] if and when they are introduced.”

There is no firm timetable for when ride-hailing legislation will be passed, much to the chagrin of advocates and the B.C. Green Party.

But Yellow Cab Vancouver General Manager Carolyn Bower is happy the government is taking their time on this issue.

“We do welcome competition, but it has to be level with us — it has to be fair,” she says.

“We’ve watched New York now… trying to pull back because they realize that they just didn’t do it the proper way, they didn’t launch it the proper way. And our government is launching it the proper way.”

More details about the changes approved by the Passenger Transportation Board will be made available Wednesday.

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