Responsibilities of brokers
Licensing compliance and recordkeeping
- Holding a valid Taxi Broker License (this includes annual, timely renewals)
- Maintaining written or electronic records of all dispatched rides for 12 months
- Vehicle, owner, and driver oversight
- Ensuring all dispatched vehicles meet safety and accessibility standards, as prescribed by the Taxi By-law, as well as any relevant provincial legislation
- Ensuring all vehicles and drivers are properly licensed under the Taxi By-law
- Ensuring all drivers receive all necessary training:
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- Safe driving
- How to use taxi equipment
- How to respond to emergencies
- Serve people with accessibility needs respectfully
- Provide service free from discrimination and following the Human Rights Code
- Accessible vehicle drivers must complete accessibility training approved by the Region of Waterloo.
- Ensuring all owners and rivers comply with bylaw requirements
Communication and reporting
- Providing clear fare information to passengers before the trip begins, including pre-arranged services
- Immediately report any known contravention of the Taxi By-law to the Region
- Immediately report any accidents deemed reportable in the Taxi By-law to the Region
- Immediately report to the Region any owner or driver terminated by the broker
- Provide reports and data in formats prescribed by the Region
Responsibilities of the Owner
- Holding a valid Taxi Owner License (this includes annual, timely renewals)
- Ensuring the vehicle they own meets all safety standards, as prescribed by the bylaw, as well as any relevant provincial legislation
- Ensuring their taxi meters and top signs are functional and meet the requirements of the bylaw
- Ensuring the drivers they employ are properly licensed and trained, as prescribed by the bylaw
- If their vehicle is older than 10 years, providing safety standard certificates every 6 months
- Cooperating with the Region during inspections or investigations
- Immediately reporting to the Region any known contravention of the bylaw
- Immediately reporting to the Region any accidents deemed reportable in the bylaw
Responsibilities of the Driver
- Holding a valid Taxi Driver License (this includes annual, timely renewals)
- Displaying the license in a location visible to passengers
- Ensuring the vehicle they operate meets all safety standards, as prescribed by the Taxi By-law, as well as any relevant provincial legislation
- Ensuring the Meter in their vehicle is fully operational and accurate
- Ensuring the fee charged to passengers conforms to the one as set on the Meter, or the agreed price for pre-arranged rides
- Immediately notifying the Region of any police investigation, charge, or conviction pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, Criminal Code or Controlled Drugs and Substances Act relating to the driver
- Immediately reporting to the Region any known contravention of the Taxi By-law
Special responsibilities of Accessible Taxi Drivers (in addition to the above)
- Giving priority to persons using wheelchairs
- Ensuring all wheelchairs are securely fastened to the wheelchairs do not move while the vehicle is in motion
