Brantford Council supports regulating vehicles for hire

City of Brantford Council supported a by-law to amend Chapter 327- Taxicab Licensing to include, and better regulate vehicles for hire during their Committee of the Whole, Planning and Administration meeting on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

The City of Brantford took over the administration and enforcement of taxicab licensing from the Brantford Police Service in 2018, and City Staff have recently completed a comprehensive review to modernize regulations, maintain safety standards and to help level the playing fields with other vehicle for hire services like Uber or Lyft.

The review included topics such as accessibility, synergies with the County of Brant, regulations for other vehicles for hire, trip fees and the limit of taxicab licensing plates.

Currently, there are three licensed taxicab brokers in Brantford including Brant Taxi, Bell City Cabs, and EasyRide Taxi Inc., and the three hold all of the 94 city-issued taxi license plates, employing over 200 drivers annually. To hold a taxi license, drivers must adhere to a set of standards including providing a criminal record check, an abstract driver record search, a valid driver’s license and must be linked to a maximum of one broker.

“As well, the vehicles require a safety certificate to be submitted annually at renewal time, and Staff inspect the vehicles twice per year including a one-kilometer lap at the Wayne Gretzky Centre,” said Jill Binkley, Supervisor of Licensing and Administration Services. “These are specific to taxis only and typical Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) do not meet the definition of a taxi.”

Staff are now recommending that Chapter 327, which deals with taxicab licensing, be amended to include TNCs like Uber or Lyft so that the companies also have to maintain the minimum standards that taxis do.

The full story can be found on our content partner, The Brant Beacon.