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Vehicle for Hire for Passengers

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The City of Edmonton wants to make sure everyone travelling around the Edmonton region in a vehicle for hire is travelling safely.

Requesting a Trip

Travelling around the Edmonton region in a vehicle for hire starts with a trip request.

There are two ways to request a trip: by hailing a vehicle from the street or requesting a vehicle in advance. 

Hailing From the Street

In the City of Edmonton, only taxis and accessible taxis can be hailed or flagged from the street. Trips for these services may also be requested in advance, using a variety of different methods including a web reservation, a phone reservation, or mobile app.

Requesting a Vehicle in Advance

Requesting trips using limousines, private transportation providers, shuttles, or transportation network vehicles must be made in advance via phone, website, mobile app, or other methods, before the vehicle arrives to pick you up. These vehicles can not accept a flag or hail from the street.

Vehicle For Hire Types

There are different types of vehicle for hire operating in Edmonton, and each type is regulated differently. The following summarizes the types of vehicle for hire and some of the general regulations that apply.

Taxis and Accessible Taxis

Taxis must have a toplight and a meter.

Taxis can be hailed from the street.

Accessible taxis prioritize requests from passengers who require mobility aids.

Accessible taxis may be hailed from the street.

Limousines

Limousines are a luxury vehicle for hire.

Limousines must be prearranged and must not be hailed from the street.

Examples include sedans, stretch limos and SUVs.

Shuttles

Shuttles can only pick up and drop off passengers at the predetermined locations set by a predetermined route and schedule.

Shuttles must be prearranged and may not be hailed from the street.

Transportation Network Vehicle (TNV)

Transportation network vehicles (TNV) look like vehicles that anyone can own and operate. These are licensed through the Province of Alberta and the City.

Transportation network vehicles are required to display a company marking on the front and back of the vehicle.

Transportation network vehicles do not have a toplight, meter, or use the words "taxi", "cab", or "taxicab" on vehicle advertising.

Transportation network vehicles are regulated by the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta.

Transportation network vehicles must be prearranged and can not be hailed from the street.

Private Transportation Providers (PTP)

Private transportation provider (PTP) vehicles look like vehicles that anyone can own and operate. These are licensed only by the City.

Private transportation provider vehicles do not have a toplight, meter, or use the words "taxi", "cab", or "taxicab" on vehicle advertising.

Private transportation providers are regulated solely by the City of Edmonton.

Private transportation provider vehicles must be prearranged and can not be hailed from the street.

How to Identify Vehicles for Hire

Limousine Vehicle

Vehicle for Hire Limousine Plate

Vehicle for Hire Limousine Plate 

Licensed limousines will have the current City of Edmonton issued limousine plate attached to the front of the vehicle. This plate begins with “L” followed by a three digit number.

Private Transportation Provider Vehicle

Vehicle for Hire Inspection Sticker

A City of Edmonton Vehicle for Hire licence sticker

Before you enter a Private Transportation Provider vehicle that you’ve requested a trip for, follow these steps to make sure it’s the vehicle and driver that you’ve requested.

The City of Edmonton issues licence stickers to Private Transportation Provider vehicles:

  1. Check and make sure this sticker is visible before you enter the vehicle.
  2. Check the provincial licence plate to confirm it is the same as the one provided by the company through the website, mobile app, or other method.
  3. Check that the driver information is the same as what was provided to you by the company through the website, mobile app, or other method.

Valid Private Transportation Provider vehicles should not have:

  • the words “taxi”, “cab”, or “accessible taxi” on the outside of the vehicle
  • a top light on the roof of the vehicle
  • a meter inside the vehicle
Shuttle Vehicle

Vehicle for Hire Shuttle Plate

Vehicle for Hire Shuttle Plate 

Licensed shuttles will have the current City of Edmonton issued shuttle plate attached to the front of the vehicle. This plate begins with “S” and is followed by a four digit number.

Taxi or Accessible Taxi

Standard City of Edmonton Taxi Plate

Standard City of Edmonton Taxi Plate

City of Edmonton Accessible Taxi Plate

City of Edmonton Accessible Taxi Plate

Taxi Meter Example

Example of Taxi Meter

Taxi Markings Example

Example of Taxi Markings

Licensed taxis will have the current City of Edmonton issued taxi plate attached to the front of the vehicle. This plate begins with “T” and is followed by a four digit number for a standard taxi and an “A” followed by a three digit number for an accessible taxi.

Taxi and accessible taxi vehicles will also have the following:

  • the words “taxi”, “cab”, or “accessible taxi” on the outside of the vehicle
  • a top light on the roof of the vehicle
  • a meter and safety shield inside the vehicle
  • The company name, contact information, and unit number of the vehicle
Transportation Network Vehicle

Before you enter a transportation network vehicle that you’ve requested a trip for, follow these steps to make sure it’s the vehicle and driver that you’ve requested.

  1. The company logo must be displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle. Check that the vehicle is from the company that you requested.
  2. Check the provincial licence plate to confirm it is the same as the one provided by the company through the website, mobile app, or other method.
  3. Check that the driver information is the same as what was provided to you by the company through the website, mobile app, or other method.

Valid Transportation Network Vehicles should not resemble a taxi vehicle. This means it should not have:

  • the words “taxi”, “cab”, or “accessible taxi” on the outside of the vehicle
  • a top light on the roof of the vehicle
  • a meter inside the vehicle

Vehicle for Hire Fares

Fares for taxis, accessible taxis, private transportation providers, and transportation network vehicles are regulated by Vehicle for Hire Bylaw 17400 (see Schedule A). The City may only enforce on regulated fares. These are the regulated fares

Taxi and Accessible Taxi Fares 

Minimum Fare

$3.60 (minimum fare) for first 135 metres (or any portion thereof) (Street Hail)

--or--

$3.25 if the service has been pre-arranged

Additional Charges

$0.20 for each additional 135 metres

$0.20 for each additional 24 seconds of waiting times

$3.60 for any request for service cancelled upon arrival without prior notice (Street Hail)

--or--

$3.25 for any pre-arranged service cancelled upon arrival without prior notice

Private Transportation Providers and Transportation Network Vehicles

Minimum Fare

$3.25 (minimum fare)

Additional Charges

$3.25 for any pre-arranged service cancelled upon arrival without prior notice.

Trips to the Airport

Fare for trips that have been prearranged are set at a minimum of $3.25.

Taxi fares to the airport can be either the fare calculated by the vehicle taxi meter or the flat rate established in the Edmonton International Airport fare map, whichever is less.

Report a Vehicle for Hire Complaint

If you have a complaint about your trip, such as:

  • your fare was charged incorrectly or unfairly
  • you were refused service
  • you received poor service
  • or any other type of complaint about a vehicle for hire

Please contact 311 with your contact information and details, such as date, location, company, driver description, and nature of problem, about the complaint.

The 311 team will forward your complaint to our enforcement team to investigate. By filing your complaint through the 311 service, our enforcement team can better track complaints on all vehicle for hire companies and address your concerns.

Related Documents

Vehicle for Hire Fees 2019

Vehicle for Hire Bylaw 17400

Includes details about driver licensing, fees and other Vehicle for Hire operations in the City of Edmonton.

Service Dogs Act

Blind Persons' Rights Act

For More Information

311 Contact Centre

Online Contact 311 Online
Telephone

In Edmonton: 311
Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
TTY 780-944-5555
Email 311@edmonton.ca

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