Did you know?

Passenger transportation affects more than the people who provide it. Passengers, taxi drivers, ride-
hailing drivers, seniors, people with disabilities and communities all have an interest in a system that is
safe, professional, accessible, fair and sustainable.

Supply

• Taxi fleets operate with limits on the number of vehicles they can have in service, while ride-hailing operates under a different vehicle-supply model.
• When too many vehicles are competing for the same passenger demand, both taxi and ride-hailing drivers can experience longer waiting periods, fewer trips and reduced earning opportunities.
• Vehicle oversupply can also contribute to additional traffic and congestion for everyone using the road.
• A sustainable passenger transportation system should maintain consumer choice while reasonably balancing the number of vehicles with passenger demand.

Ride-Hailing Driver Earnings

• Ride-hailing drivers have limited control over what passengers are charged and how much of each fare they ultimately receive.
• B.C.'s minimum-wage protections for ride-hailing workers apply to engaged time, beginning when a driver accepts an assignment and ending when the trip is completed or cancelled. Time spent logged onto the platform waiting for a trip is not included in the minimum-wage calculation.
• This means vehicle supply, passenger demand and waiting time can have a significant impact on a driver's ability to earn a sustainable income.
• These are not only taxi-industry concerns. Ride-hailing drivers also have an interest in a passenger transportation system that provides a fair opportunity to earn a living.

Fair and Sustainable Rates

• Taxi fares are regulated, while ride-hailing services operate under a different pricing framework.
• Passengers benefit from competition, convenience and choice, but the long-term sustainability of passenger transportation also depends on recognizing the real cost of providing service.
• Drivers must cover costs such as their vehicle, insurance, fuel or charging, maintenance and other operating expenses.
• A sustainable pricing framework should protect passengers while also giving taxi and ride-hailing drivers a reasonable opportunity to cover their costs and earn a living.

Professional Driver Training

• Taxi drivers in the Lower Mainland were previously required to complete TaxiHost training.
• TaxiHost Pro included training in customer service, driver safety and other skills relevant to professional passenger transportation. It also addressed driver safety and how drivers could respond to the risk of passenger assaults.
• Today, there is no equivalent universal customer-service training standard across passenger transportation.
• Passengers should be able to expect appropriate standards of professionalism, safety and customer service regardless of whether they choose a taxi or ride-hailing service.
• Consistent training standards can also better prepare drivers to serve seniors, people with disabilities, visitors and other passengers who may require additional assistance.

Passenger and Driver Safety

• Taxi and ride-hailing drivers regularly work alone, including late at night, and transport passengers they have never met. Driver safety is therefore an issue across the passenger transportation industry.
• For many years, safety cameras were mandatory in many taxis operating in British Columbia's urban areas. The program was intended to deter attacks against drivers and passengers, assist law enforcement when serious incidents occurred, and establish standards around camera equipment and footage.
• In September 2025, the mandatory taxi-camera program was discontinued and cameras became voluntary.
• Technology has changed significantly since the original taxi-camera program was introduced. B.C. has an opportunity to consider modern safety-camera standards that appropriately address driver and passenger safety, privacy and the practical realities of today's passenger transportation industry.
• A passenger's reasonable expectation of safety should not depend on whether a trip was booked through a taxi company or a ride-hailing platform.

Why It Matters

British Columbians should not have to choose between innovation and safety, consumer choice and accessibility, or affordable transportation and sustainable livelihoods for the people providing the service.

Taxi drivers and ride-hailing drivers may operate under different systems, but they share many of the same challenges: operating costs, waiting time, personal safety and the need for enough passenger demand to make a living.

Passengers also have a direct interest in maintaining safe, professional, reliable and accessible transportation choices.

The issue is not taxis versus ride-hailing. It is about building a passenger transportation system that works for everyone.

Safe. Professional. Accessible. Fair. Sustainable.

Learn more. Read the petition. Add your voice.