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To establish standard rules and rates for limousines operating in British Columbia.

Section 7(1) of the Passenger Transportation Act (Act) states the Passenger Transportation Board (Board) has authority to:
(f)  approve, or set, for the purpose of establishing just and uniform charges, rates to be charged by a licensee in respect of passenger directed vehicles operated under a licence that includes a passenger directed vehicle authorization or transportation network services authorization, or under a temporary operating permit that includes a passenger directed vehicle authorization, and approve any rule, practice or tariff of the licensee relating to those rates;
(g) make rules respecting
(i) rates that are or may be charged by a licensee,
(ii) any rules or practices of a licensee relating to those rates, and
(iii) any tariff of those rates.

Section 1 of the Act includes the following relevant definitions:

“passenger directed vehicle authorization” means an authorization that, if included in a licence, authorizes one or more motor vehicles to be operated as passenger directed vehicles, but only if those motor vehicles are hailed other than through the use of transportation network services.

“rates”, in relation to compensation that may be charged or collected for the transportation of passengers in commercial passenger vehicles, includes the following:
(a)    discount fares;
(b)    round-trip fares;
(c)    point-to-point fares;
(d)    deadhead charges;
(e)    minimum and maximum charges;
(f)    any other fares, fees or charges.

“transportation network services” means either of the following:
(a)    services, other than services excluded by regulation, respecting the connection of drivers of passenger directed vehicles with passengers who hail and pay for the services through the use of an online platform; 
(b)    prescribed services.
 

This Rule applies to licensees that provide a limousine service.

For the purpose of this Rule, subject to section III.3 below, licensees provide a limousine service if their passenger transportation licence has:

• Special Authorization: Passenger Directed Vehicles

• Terms and conditions of licence that
  • Permit the operation of sedan limousine vehicles, classic vehicles or vehicles that can accommodate 6 or more passengers (excluding driver) and does not include:
    • express authorization to use a taxi meter or top light or hail or flag passengers from the street, and

    • a service limitation respecting which passengers may use the service (e.g., work crews, tourists who reside outside British Columbia, seniors, English-as-Second Language students).

I. Hourly Rates

1.     Unless otherwise specified by the Board, and subject to V.2 and section VI, licensees providing a limousine service may only charge rates that are within the minimum and maximum hourly rates set out in Table I.   

2.     Goods and Services Tax (GST) is not included in the rates.

3.     Subject to Section V below, other point-to-point rates approved by the Board prior to the date of this Rule remain in effect and the licensee must charge the approved point-to-point rates unless a calculation of fares based on an hourly rate would be less. 

Table I: Minimum and maximum hourly limousine rates in BC (before allowable discounts)

*Mid-size limousines include SUVs and other body styles (6-7 pax), vans (6-11 pax) and antique sedans (3-5 pax.)

II. Minimum fares on the Sea-to-Sky Corridor

1.     Section V only applies to licensees with authority to transport passengers on trips on the Sea-to-Sky Highway including trips on this highway that originate or terminate at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

2.     Table II sets out minimum fares that must be charged for specified one-way trips on the Sea-to-Sky Corridor.

3.     Goods and Services Tax (GST) is not included in the fares.

4.     Trips identified in Table II are based on municipal boundaries except for the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) where the Main and South terminals are located.

5.     Minimum and maximum hourly rates apply to all trips on the Sea-to-Sky corridor that are not identified in Table II.

6.     Before the start of the trip, licensees must inform customers of applicable rates and minimum fares for the Sea-to-Sky corridor. 

7.     If a licensee is charging point-to-point rates and a passenger requests a stop or alternate route that extends the trip by more than 15 minutes, licensees may apply an additional charge as long as they notify customers of the additional charges in advance and in writing.

8.     For trips identified in Table II, the applicable minimum fares replace any company-specific point-to-point or ‘flat’ rates the Board may have approved previously.

Table II: Minimum rates for specified one-way trips on the Sea-to-Sky Corridor (before allowable discount)

* Mid-size limousines include SUVs and other body styles (6-7 pax.), vans (6-11 pax.) and antique sedans (3-5 pax.)

** Sea-to-Sky Gondola is located in the District of Squamish.

III. Standard rules for governing rates

1. Definitions

“Agreement” means an arrangement between a customer and a licensee for the provision a limousine service to a passenger or group of passengers at set rates.

“Customer” means the person who, on behalf of a passenger or group of passengers, enters an agreement with the licensee for the provision of limousine service to a passenger or group of passengers.

“Flat Rates” means a charter rate charged on a per-trip or point-to-point basis. 

“Licensee” means a holder of a valid passenger transportation licence or a person formally designated by the holder of a valid passenger transportation licence to enter agreements on the licensee’s behalf.

“Point-to-Point Rate” means a charter rate fixed in advance and charged for transportation between two points and may include deadhead travel.

“Package Rate” means a charter rate fixed in advance and charged on an hourly basis.

“Sea-to-Sky Highway” means the section of Highway 99 from Horseshoe Bay to Pemberton. 

“Standby Rates” apply to non-driving time when a limousine and driver are waiting to provide transportation when needed by the passenger. 

2. Minimum Time
   1. Subject to II.2, the minimum time charge for any limousine service trip is one hour. 

   2. A licensee may set a minimum time charge that exceeds one hour if the customer is informed at the time of the agreement. 

3. Start and End of Hourly Charges 
   1. If the licensee calculates the hourly rate from or to a location other than where passengers are picked up or dropped off, the licensee must inform the customer at the time of the agreement of:
      1. the location from or to which the hourly rate is calculated; and, 

      2. an estimated amount of time that will be added to the trip because of this policy.

4. Tolls, Public Fees, and Other Service Charges
   1. If a licensee informs a customer at the time of the agreement, a licensee may require the customer to pay the following:
      1. all ferry, bridge, and tunnel tolls and other public fees such as parking and park entrance fees that apply to the limousine or its occupants (including the driver) and tolls for return trips; 

      2. a meet and greet fee;

      3. vehicle decoration or preparation fee;

      4. meals or accommodation costs for drivers;

      5. vehicle clean up fees;

      6. standby rates; or,

      7. a per kilometer rate from the company’s home base to or from the passenger pickup or drop off location.

5. Fuel Surcharges

Fuel surcharges may only be charged when a Board-approved fuel surcharge is in effect.   

2. Substitute Vehicles
   1. Subject to (b) below, if a licensee is unable to provide a vehicle with the requested seating capacity, the rates charged must fall into the lower of one of the following rate categories:
      1. Rate category of the requested vehicle; or,

      2. The rate category for the limousine that was substituted. 

   2. If the number of passengers requiring transport exceeds the seating capacity of the vehicle, a licensee may charge the customer a higher rate to substitute a different limousine with a seating capacity to accommodate the number of passengers. 

3. Discounts

Licensees may offer a discount of no more than 15% on their rates.

2. Familiarization Trips

A free “familiarization trip” may only be given to:

1. travel agents;

2. destination management companies;

3. commercial tour operators; and,

4. event planners;

in the interest of building current and future business relationships with the licensee.

2. Donated Services

Board Policy OP V.5 “Certificates, Cards, Coupons and Vouchers” applies to limousines. 

2. Gratuities

Payment of a gratuity is at the discretion of a customer. 

2. Deposits, Cancellations and Refunds

Licensees may establish policies for deposits, cancellations, and refunds if the customer is informed of these policies before entering into an agreement. 

2. Credit Card surcharges

Licensees may not charge or collect compensation from passengers, in addition to their advertised rates, in order to recover/offset transaction fees or any other fees or charges imposed on licensees by credit or financial companies (i.e., credit card surcharges).

2. Fares in App
   1. For the purposes of this rule, apps are software applications that are used by passengers to book or hail a trip.

   2. If the app estimates the fare, the app: 
      1. must only calculate Board-approved rates in accordance with Board rules respecting rates and rules governing rates; 

      2. must not add a mandatory tip to the estimated fare;

      3. must not accept payment of fares.

The HTML version of the document displayed below for your convenience may contain typographical and formatting errors. The PDF version(468 KB) is considered the true copy.

To establish standardized rates rules for other passenger directed vehicles authorization licensees, not covered under other Rates Rules (such as taxis or limousines).

Section 7(1) of the Passenger Transportation Act (Act) states the Passenger Transportation Board (Board) has authority to:

(f)  approve, or set, for the purpose of establishing just and uniform charges, rates to be charged by a licensee in respect of passenger directed vehicles operated under a licence that includes a passenger directed vehicle authorization or transportation network services authorization, or under a temporary operating permit that includes a passenger directed vehicle authorization, and approve any rule, practice or tariff of the licensee relating to those rates;

(g) make rules respecting

(i) rates that are or may be charged by a licensee,

(ii) any rules or practices of a licensee relating to those rates, and

(iii) any tariff of those rates.

Section 1 of the Act includes the following relevant definitions:

“passenger directed vehicle authorization” means an authorization that, if included in a licence, authorizes one or more motor vehicles to be operated as passenger directed vehicles, but only if those motor vehicles are hailed other than through the use of transportation network services.

“rates”, in relation to compensation that may be charged or collected for the transportation of passengers in commercial passenger vehicles, includes the following:

1. discount fares;

2. round-trip fares;

3. point-to-point fares;

4. deadhead charges;

5. minimum and maximum charges;

6. any other fares, fees or charges. 

“transportation network services” means either of the following:

1. services, other than services excluded by regulation, respecting the connection of drivers of passenger directed vehicles with passengers who hail and pay for the services through the use of an online platform; 

2. prescribed services.

Credit Card Surcharges

1. Licensees may not charge or collect compensation from passengers, in addition to their advertised rates, in order to recover/offset transaction fees or any other fees or charges imposed on licensees by credit or financial companies (i.e., credit card surcharges).

Fares in App

1. For the purposes of this rule, apps are software applications that are used by passengers to book or hail a trip.

2. If the app estimates the fare, the app: 
   1. must only calculate Board-approved rates in accordance with Board rules respecting rates and rules governing rates; 

   2. must not add a mandatory tip to the estimated fare;

   3. must not accept payment of fares.