Taxi driver's licence application

All drivers

Rules for all vehicles for hire drivers

1. An individual must not operate a vehicle for hire unless he or she
   1. Is registered with a licenced dispatcher;
   2. Maintains a valid Provincial driver’s licence applicable to the use of the vehicle being driven;
   3. Has not been convicted within the previous 10 years of a relevant criminal offence unless a record suspension (pardon) has been issued in respect of that offence;
   4. Has not been convicted within the previous 10 years of a major driving offence; and
   5. Is not registered on the Child Abuse Registry.
2. The driver of a vehicle for hire must immediately report to the dispatcher with which he or she is registered any of the following:
   1. His or her conviction for any relevant criminal offence or a major driving offence;
   2. Charges laid against him or her of any relevant criminal offence or for a major driving offence;
   3. His or her registration on the Child Abuse Registry;
   4. The suspension of his or her Provincial driver’s licence.

Taxi drivers

Prohibition on unlicensed taxi drivers

3. An individual must not drive a taxi unless he or she holds a valid taxi driver’s licence under this By-law
4. Unless an individual is a licenced taxi driver registered with a licenced taxi dispatcher and is driving a licenced taxi registered with that dispatcher, he or she must not provide or offer to provide transportation services
   1. through a street hail;
   2. through a dispatch by a non-digital platform; or
   3. in exchange for payment by any method other than digital (electronic) payment.
   4. Has not been convicted within the previous 10 years of a major driving offence; and
   5. Is not registered on the Child Abuse Registry.
5. To be eligible to be issued a taxi driver’s licence, an individual must
   1. pay the applicable licence and application fee or fees;
   2. be at least 18 years of age;
   3. meet the requirements set out in section (1) (Rules for all vehicle for hire drivers);
   4. not be charged with a relevant criminal offence or a major driving offence if the City determines that the nature of the charges are such that issuing a taxi driver’s licence would result in a significant risk of harm to the public;
   5. demonstrate a level of verbal English language proficiency determined by the City to be adequate for the purposes of providing transportation services in a taxi;
   6. provide a document satisfactory to the City indicating that the individual has provided consent
   7. for his or her personal information being submitted to the City; and
   8. for the City to have access to his or her personal information maintained by Manitoba Public Insurance, the Winnipeg Police Service and the body responsible for maintaining the Child Abuse Registry for the purposes of administering and enforcing this By-law;
   9. complete training required by the City;
   10. demonstrate to a level required by the City the skills and knowledge reasonably considered by the City to be necessary in order to provide the services exclusive to taxi drivers; and
   11. provide all documentation reasonably required by the City to determine the individual’s eligibility for a taxi driver’s licence.
6. To be eligible to be issued an accessible taxi driver’s licence, an individual must meet the requirements set out in Section (1) and must, in addition, as determined by the City either
   1. complete within a period of time prior to the application, as determined by the City, any training required by the City with respect to transportation service for individuals who use a wheelchair, or similar device which can accommodate a seated individual, and who cannot self-transfer; or
   2. demonstrate to a level required by the City the skills and knowledge reasonably considered by the City to be necessary in order to provide transportation services to individuals who use a wheelchair, or similar device which can accommodate a seated individual, and who cannot self-transfer
7. In order to be eligible to have his or her licence renewed, a taxi driver
   1. must meet the requirements for an applicant for a taxi driver’s licence
   2. must provide information to the City concerning any factual changes to information provided at the time of its application or most recent renewal;
   3. must provide to the City a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) and a Child Abuse Registry Check issued no more than 90 days before the application for registration was made; and
   4. must not owe any outstanding fines or fees with respect to this By-law or any City parking by-law.

      At all times while providing transportation services, a taxi driver must ensure that a valid licence card or other object that has been issued by the City as proof that he or she is a taxi driver is prominently displayed and clearly visible to passengers within the tax

8. A taxi driver must immediately report to the City
   1. his or her conviction of a relevant criminal offence or a major driving offence;
   2. charges laid against him or her of a relevant criminal offence or a major driving offence;
   3. his or her registration on the Child Abuse Registry;
   4. the suspension of his or her Provincial driver’s licence; and
   5. any change in his or her medical condition that could affect his or her ability to drive and to maintain a Provincial driver’s licence
   6. A taxi driver may accept a request for service by any means, including a street hail, or through a non-digital platform.
9. If a taxi driver accepts a street hail, the driver must immediately record the transportation service and, within 24 hours, inform the licenced dispatcher with whom he or she is registered of
   1. the street hail;
   2. the times and locations of the pick-up and drop off
10. A taxi driver may accept compensation for providing a transportation service in any form, including through non-digital (electronic) payment
11. Taxi drivers must
    1. take the most economical route to the passenger’s destination unless otherwise directed by the passenger; and
    2. provide reasonable assistance to any passenger as requested or required in the circumstances.
12. A taxi driver must not charge fares other than in accordance with the fare schedule
13. A taxi driver may, before the transportation service is initiated, agree with a passenger on a fare for the transportation service. However, an agreed fare must not be higher than would be charged under the fare schedule
14. In order to ensure that an agreed fare is not higher than the fare schedule, the driver must ensure that the taxi meter is operating while the transportation service is being provided. If the agreed fare is higher than the fare shown on the meter at the termination of the trip, driver must charge the fare shown on the meter
15. A taxi driver must not refuse a request for service or refuse to drop a passenger at the passenger’s preferred destination unless, based on the circumstances, the taxi driver reasonably believes that there is a danger to his or her personal safety or of serious damage to property in accepting the request for service or dropping off the passenger at the passenger’s preferred destination.
16. The fact that a prospective passenger is accompanied by a service animal is not sufficient to support a reasonable belief that there is a danger to the driver’s personal safety or of serious damage to property. A service animal means an animal that has been trained to provide assistance to a person with a disability that relates to that person’s disability.
17. If a taxi driver refuses a request for service or refuses to drop off a passenger at the passenger’s preferred destination, he or she must immediately provide verbal notice of the refusal or failure to the dispatcher with whom the driver is registered.
18. In accordance with the Vehicle for Hire by-law s.59(1) a taxi driver may refuse to provide a transportation service unless a passenger pre-pays the fare if
    1. the transportation service is being provided during hours of the day and days of the week designated by the designated employee as being those during which pre-payment may be required by taxi drivers; or
    2. the driver believes on reasonable grounds on the basis of past behavior that the passenger is unable or unwilling to pay the fare and the pre-payment required by the driver is no more than that authorized in a zone structure established by the designated employee.

    Additionally, as per s.59(2) If the fare as determined in accordance with the taxi meter is less than the amount of the pre-payment, the taxi driver must refund the difference to the passenger. If the fare as determined in accordance with the taxi meter is more than the amount of the pre-payment, the passenger must pay the difference.

    If the passenger refuses to pay a deposit, the driver may refuse service. Any time a driver refuses service to a passenger, the driver must immediately report the circumstances to the dispatcher.

19. A taxi driver must comply with the approved passenger property retrieval policy for the dispatcher with whom he or she is registered and which has dispatched the passenger whose property has been left behind.
20. An accessible taxi driver must not refuse service to individuals who use a wheelchair or similar device which can accommodate a seated individual, and who cannot self-transfer.
21. Unless actively engaged in providing a transportation service to another passenger, an accessible taxi driver must respond to a request for service from a passenger who uses a wheelchair or similar device which can accommodate a seated individual, and who cannot self-transfer.

Consent for Collection and Use of Personal Information

1. I understand that by signing below, I am providing the City of Winnipeg with my explicit consent to collect, use and disclose the personal information provided within this application, and the information provided by third parties as described below, for the purposes of determining and verifying eligibility for a taxi drivers licence and to monitor my ongoing eligibility to operate under this by-law.
2. I hereby authorize The Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation (MPI) to disclose to the designated employee (as that term is defined in section 3(1) of City of Winnipeg By-law No. I 29/2017) the following information:
   1. Whether I have a valid Provincial driver's licence;
   2. If the vehicle I have registered to drive is insured as a vehicle for hire and the periods for operation;
   3. Any convictions or suspensions of my driver's license which would impact my ability to operate under City of Winnipeg By-law No.129/2017;
   4. My address as maintained by MPI;
   5. Other information necessary for the administration of my application in compliance with City of Winnipeg Vehicles for Hire By-law 129/2017, The Drivers and Vehicles Act and The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

      My consent to collect, use and disclose my personal information as outlined for the above purposes remains in effect for 1 year from the date of signing, or until such earlier date as I notify Manitoba Public Insurance in writing to revoke this authorization.

3. I hereby authorize the City of Winnipeg to disclose to The Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation the following information for the purposes of determining and verifying eligibility for services or benefits:
   1. Trip log data, as required to administer an insurance claim; and
   2. Any other information necessary for the administration of my application in compliance with City of Winnipeg Vehicles for Hire By-law 129/2017, The Drivers and Vehicles Act and The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

      My consent to use and disclose my personal information as outlined for the above purposes remains in effect for 1 year from the date of signing, or until such earlier date as I notify the City of Winnipeg in writing to revoke this authorization.

4. I hereby authorize the Province of Manitoba to disclose to the City of Winnipeg my Child Abuse Registry Check results as necessary for the above purposes for 1 year from the date of signing, or until such time as I notify the Province of Manitoba, in writing, to revoke this authorization.
5. I hereby authorize all law enforcement agencies (including Winnipeg Police Service, and RCMP) to disclose to the City of Winnipeg my Criminal Records Check, and other information, as required for the above purposes until such time as I notify, in writing, applicable law enforcement agencies.

Notice: Your personal information is being collected under the authority of s.36(1)(b) of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and is protected by the Act. This information will be used to verify permit eligibility; for notification of permit cancellation; for notification of alteration of terms and conditions of agreement (where applicable), verification of any outstanding fines and or charges, and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. If you have any questions about the collection of this information, contact the Corporate FIPPA Coordinator by mail at 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, or by telephone at 311.