Passenger Transportation Accessibility Program

The Passenger Transportation Accessibility Program (PTAP) will improve services and experiences for the accessibility community by providing funding and training to the taxi industry.

Funding Streams

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) Maintenance Rebate Funding Stream

The Maintenance Rebate Funding Stream will subsidize eligible applicants for the added maintenance costs associated with operating a WAV taxi compared to operating a non-accessible taxi by providing partial rebates for eligible maintenance costs.

Eligible applicants are defined as businesses or individuals that meet all the following criteria:

• A licenced operator in B.C. operating one or more WAVs as part of a Passenger Transportation Board approved taxi service (possessing a valid Passenger Transportation Licence with Special Authorization Passenger Directed Vehicle)
  
  Note: Licensed owner-operators that operate under one Passenger Transportation license (e.g., shared dispatch services), should contact the company whose license they work under to discuss applying for a rebate on your behalf (e.g., where you paid for maintenance costs for a WAV that you operate) as they would be considered the eligible applicant.
   
• Between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022, eligible applicants must have

1. Operated one or more WAVs under their owner-operator licence
2. Followed the terms and conditions of their licence (including submitting trip and shift data)
3. Incurred eligible expenses
4. Paid invoices/receipts detailing those eligible expenses
   Note: As part of the application process, eligible applicants are required to provide copies of paid invoices/receipts clearly marked PAID or similar

The maximum rebate value or cap for each WAV will be based on the:

1. Shift and trip data submitted by the taxi industry to the Province
2. Total number of eligible applications received
3. Total funding available: This is dependant on the amount of trip-fee revenues government receives from the ride-hail industry

The Province estimates that $3 million will be available for the 2023 intake. Based on the number of active WAVs and available funding, the Province anticipates the average rebate per WAV will be approximately $6,000. Applicants are encouraged to submit all eligible expenses they have incurred.

Eligible Expenses

Eligible expenses for the WAV Maintenance Rebate Funding are defined as any expenses associated with maintaining and repairing a WAV to ensure its safe operation, state of good repair, and availability. For example:

• Maintenance and repair costs for a WAV’s mechanical systems/running gear (e.g., axles, tires, brakes and rotors, transmissions, engines, suspension systems)
• Maintenance and repair costs for a WAV’s accessibility-related equipment (e.g., wheelchair-related safety/securement devices, ramp repairs, door mechanisms on the wheelchair accessible entrance)
• Commercial vehicle inspection costs
• Towing/driver expenses where repair service isn’t available in local communities and where the vehicle is unable to be safely operated

Note: To receive a rebate, eligible applicants must submit copies of paid invoices or receipts as part of the application process.

Ineligible Expenses

Ineligible expenses are generally defined as any expenses not covered under the definition of eligible expenses. For example:

• New WAV acquisition and conversion costs
• Insurance costs
• Fuel costs

The B.C. Passenger Transportation Accessibility Program (PTAP) will provide funding to help with maintaining, operating, purchasing, and converting WAVs, and will provide training to WAV taxi drivers to better support the passengers who rely on them.

The Province launched the Maintenance Rebate Funding Stream in January 2023. It will partially reimburse eligible licensee taxi owner-operators for costs incurred to maintain wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs). The Province will release funding under this intake before March 31, 2023.

Over the next two years, the Province will launch three additional funding streams which will focus on reducing the cost of operating, purchasing, and converting WAVs, and providing training to better support the passengers who rely on them.

People who depend on wheelchair accessible passenger transportation to run errands, access services in their communities, attend appointments, and connect with friends and family have been experiencing increasing wait times, and in some cases no service. 

WAV taxi owner-operators who want to provide services to support the accessibility community are struggling with the expenses of these vehicles over conventional vehicles. They may also need training opportunities to help them provide improved services. 

The program is designed to provide equitable access for the accessibility community to passenger-directed transportation services. It will support sustaining and increasing the number of WAVs operating in B.C. and enhancing services provided to members of the accessibility community.