Taxi cost data
June 19, 2024
The Passenger Transportation Board (Board) is requesting 2023 cost data from all taxi licensees. This can be submitted by taxi licensees in one of two ways:
- Submit your 2023 income statement, plus the completed 2023 taxi business attributes form, or
- Fill out and submit the 2023 taxi cost data form. Please find the forms below.
Following the Board’s recent decision to introduce new taxi rates structures across the province, the Board requires taxi cost data to help determine the new taxi rates in each region.
Taxi rates structure implementation
On January 17, 2024, the Board announced its decision to introduce new rates structures for the B.C. taxi sector. The new structures are intended to help the taxi sector respond to market adjustments since the introduction of TNS (ride-hailing) and emerging from the pandemic.
After more than a year consulting with the sector and collecting submissions from interested parties, the Board decided to introduce regional rates bands across the province. As an exception, Board standardized rates will also be introduced in areas where common rates rules applied.
The next step in implementing the new taxi rates structures is to determine minimum and maximum rates for rates bands in different regions, and the new Board standardized rates in areas where they apply. The aim of the new rates structures is to support flexibility, consistency, healthy competition, and industry sustainability.
Please note that existing rates structures will remain in place until the Board has calculated the new rates and implemented the new structures.
Use of taxi cost data
To determine new rates, the Board requires taxi cost data. Taxi cost data gives the Board concrete information about taxi business expenses and revenue in different parts of the province.
The Board must consider objective evidence in its decisions. Through quantitative analysis of industry data, the Board is provided with the objective evidence it needs to make informed decisions, such as setting rates.
Rates bands and Board standardized rates will be calculated based on a reasonable rate of return for an average taxi business in the region, to promote sustainability of the taxi sector. This must be balanced with affordability for customers.
Setting rates in different regions
The Board recognizes that taxi business costs vary in different areas of the province. This is why the Board is collecting taxi cost data from across the province. To ensure rates accurately support the taxi sector in each region, it is important for licensees to provide the Board with their cost data.
In addition to calculating rates, the Board will use taxi cost data for broader quantitative analysis of the taxi sector, including supply and sustainability modelling. Through this ongoing analysis, the Board will be able to monitor the health of the taxi sector as it continues to respond to market restructuring.
Submission date for cost data
To help the implementation of the new rate structures, the Board is asking taxi licensees to submit their 2023 annual taxi cost data by July 31, 2024.
There are two ways to submit this data:
- Submit your 2023 income statement, plus the completed 2023 taxi business attributes form, OR
- Fill out and submit the 2023 taxi cost data form.
Download 2023 Taxi Business Attributes form (for printing)
Download 2023 Taxi Business Attributes form (fillable PDF)
Download 2023 Taxi Cost Data form (for printing)
Download 2023 Taxi Cost Data form (fillable PDF)
More information
If you would like to learn more about the Board’s use of data to inform its decisions, you will find this web page helpful:
If you would like to learn more about the new taxi rates structures, you will find these web pages helpful:
For further inquiries, please contact Jim Grove, Communications Officer at jim.grove@gov.bc.ca.