BC Ferries recently announced changes to the BC Ferries Accessible Fare Identification (AFI) Card. The card allow eligible BC residents with a permanent disability—and one personal attendant 12 years and older, if required— to receive a 50% discount on passenger fares.
The card now expires and has to be renewed every two years. However, applicants can now show proof of receiving PWD or CPP-D and be approved for the card without providing any additional medical information. People with disabilities who cannot provide PWD or CPP-D documentation must still have their medical practitioner complete Section C of the application form.
The Province of BC is seeking feedback from the public on ride-hailing services (Uber, Lyft etc.) within BC.
Background
In 2019, BC put a framework in place to enable ride-hailing.
In 2023/24, a Special Committee to Review Passenger Directed Vehicles made recommendations related to items such as vehicle supply, safety, employment, environmental impacts, and service to rural and remote communities. On November 16th, 2023, DABC made a presentation to the Special Committee. DABC’s Cynthia Minh identified numerous issues that people with disabilities often face when accessing passenger directed vehicles, and made seven recommendations that could help address the issues identified. You can find full information here.
Additionally, Lower Mainland resident Martin Bauer complained to the BC Human Rights Tribunal that Uber’s lack of wheelchair accessibility was discriminatory under BC’s Human Rights Code. On March 1st, 2024, the Tribunal ordered Uber to pay Mr. Bauer $35,000 and offer accessible rides in the Lower Mainland within the next 12 months.
Consultation Process
The Province’s current consultation process on ride-hailing focuses on understanding policy issues related specifically to legislation and regulation. The Ministry is also working to respond to program-related recommendations of the Special Committee.
The Province is committed to adjusting the current ride-hailing framework and making targeted improvements to optimize the way it functions.
As part of this consultation process, the Province would like your answer to the following questions. If you’d like to help shape the way the ride-hailing framework will look in future, please submit your answers to the questions below to PDVEngagement@gov.bc.ca.
If you would like to submit your answers anonymously, you are welcome to share them to DABC at feedback@dabc.ca, and we will ensure that your answers are shared with the Province without your personal information. If so, please include “ride-hailing services” in the subject line of your email.
Questions
Provision of taxi number
Can you help us understand if/how receiving a taxi identification number at time of booking would improve user experience?
Taxi Bill of Rights
Are you aware of the Taxi Bill of Rights program and associated complaint mechanisms, and do you have any experience with them?
Funding programs
What opportunities do you see where financial support would improve accessibility in the taxi and ride hail sector?
Are there other transportation services beyond the taxi and ride hail sector where the province should consider directing accessibility funding?
Did you know that in Vancouver, BC, vehicles displaying a SPARC BC accessible parking permit can access resident permit parking and resident parking only, for up to 3 hours? And No Parking Zones for 30 minutes while actively loading or unloading people or materials?
