The Registrar of Passenger Transportation conducts compliance and enforcement to make sure licensees are meeting data requirements. The Board is committed to providing licensees with information and guidance to help their adoption of modern technology to support compliance with the data requirements. The Board encourages licensees who are finding it difficult to achieve compliance to explore taxi meters and other technological options that are capable of automating data collection and transmission. 

Taxi Meters

How can taxi meters help licensees achieve data compliance?

Modern meters with USB, Bluetooth, wireless, and other capabilities can collect, store, and transmit the trip data required by the Board. Dispatch systems and application software on a smartphone, tablet, or computer can work with taxi meters to provide all the data required by the Board. 

What kind of taxi meters support data compliance?

Taxi licensees across B.C. use different combinations of taxi meters and technology to provide data to the Vehicle Safety BC Portal (Trip Database). Most smart and soft taxi meters, which are defined in the Board’s Rates Rules Manual, can collect and store trip data. Taxi businesses may prefer one type of meter over another based on various factors. Different meter types are described on the Board’s Taxi meters web page. 

Meeting the requirements of Rates Rule 5 — Taxi meter standards: Do you need a new meter?

Analogue (mechanical) and some early digital-electronic meters do not support data compliance or meet data requirements because they cannot collect or transmit trip data. Switching to newer smart and soft meters will help you to achieve data compliance more easily and efficiently. 

If your current meters are not effectively supporting data compliance, you are advised to explore other meter options. The Board strongly encourages licensees to continuously modernize their vehicles and equipment, including taxi meters, to ensure that they are best positioned to meet regulatory requirements.

Dispatch Systems

What kinds of dispatch systems support data compliance?

Taxi businesses can automate their data submissions and produce other types of tracking and reporting (e.g., ICBC reports, National Safety Code reports, business analytics, etc.) by working with dispatch and software service companies. There are several companies operating in B.C. that provide data reporting services for taxi licensees. 

Large taxi businesses may have their own infrastructure to manage information technology needs, but their approach might not be practical for smaller licensees. Small taxi businesses might find working with companies that provide cloud-based meter, dispatch, and data reporting services more practical and affordable. While most of these companies are currently working with licensees that have larger fleets, there are options for small licensees with smaller fleets.

What if a small taxi business doesn’t use a dispatch system, or cannot afford one on their own?

Modern dispatch systems and software might present cost challenges for licensees with small fleets. As a solution, many dispatch companies offer centralized, cloud-based dispatch services for multiple taxi licensees. This allows a group of taxi businesses to reach a minimum number of vehicles for value and affordability. These taxi businesses still remain independent from each other in their daily operations, and their private business information is still private.  

It is not necessary to be in the same region of B.C. to share a centralized dispatch service. If one or more licensees can meet the minimum vehicle threshold, these services can cost as little as $1 per vehicle per month, (Note: this is a general estimate for illustration purposes; licensees must confirm pricing with dispatch system providers.) 

More information and assistance

Where can I find more information about taxi meter, dispatch, and other equipment options?

The Board does not formally authorize or offer accreditation to meter and dispatch service providers. However, there are taxi equipment and installation specialists in B.C. that can help licensees find the right type of meter, software, dispatch, and equipment combination based on licensee needs. For example, West Coast Meter in Vancouver is an established and experienced service provider that works with many B.C. taxi licensees. Taxi associations such as the Vancouver Taxi Association and the B.C. Taxi Association may also be able to direct licensees to helpful resources and service providers.

Many taxi licensees in B.C. have upgraded or replaced their taxi meters and technology in recent years. Various meter, equipment, dispatch, and software combinations have been tested by licensees in different regions of the province. Their choices of equipment and technology have been based on differences in geography, cellular network availability, and other conditions. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that other licensees can learn from.

Is there funding available to help purchase new equipment and technology?

The Board does not provide funding or financial assistance to purchase equipment and technology. Any requests for funding or financial assistance, including meters and technology modernization, should be directed to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure through the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Program Office and the Registrar.

The Board’s new taxi rate structures provide flexibility for licensees to manage cost pressures associated with adopting new technology and replacing obsolete equipment. The implementation of the new taxi rate structures began in January 2026.

Why do taxi licensees have to provide data?

Licensees are required under section 28(5) and their terms and conditions of licence to provide any data required by the Board. Why does the Board need data? The Board is expected to be a data-driven, evidence-based decision-maker—this has been reiterated by three government committees in 2018 and 2019, and most recently by the Special Committee to Review Passenger Directed Vehicles. 

The Board must rely on data-driven evidence to properly regulate the passenger transportation industry and balance the different sectors of the industry in the public interest. Based on these expectations, the Board established Data Requirements (effective September 2019) for taxi and transportation network services (TNS) licensees in B.C. Licensees across the province must submit the required data to the Trip Database.

Can a taxi business be exempt from Board data requirements?

Taxi and TNS services operating in small communities with populations of fewer than 10,000 (as defined by Statistics Canada) have an implementation schedule “to be determined” under the Data Requirements. These businesses are not yet required to comply with the Board’s data requirements. However, they must contact the Board to request to be formally added to the delayed implementation list.

If you believe that you are serving an operating area of less than 10,000 population, you should check the Board’s delayed implementation list. If your business is not on this list, you can email the Board to request to be evaluated and possibly added to this delayed implementation list. Please note the Board will still be required to implement the legislative data requirements for your business sometime in the future.