Learn more about the staff report and the Council decisions.
New applicants for taxicab, limousine and private transportation company (such as Facedrive, Lyft and Uber) driver licences need to successfully complete a third-party training program approved by the City, as a requirement of licence issuance. Drivers currently licensed will also have to take this training program; the deadline by which they need to complete the training will be provided at a later date when more training providers are approved.
The City has approved the following driver training programs for all vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company (PTC) such as Uber, Lyft and Facedrive drivers:
It is anticipated that more providers will be added to the City’s list of approved training providers and this page will be updated as more details are available.
The City has temporarily suspended the driver training program offered by DRVR Hub, after performing an audit and identifying a number of concerns that threaten the integrity of the program. The program is currently being investigated. Drivers can take the other training programs that have been approved by the City and should not register for the DRVR Hub training program. The City will no longer accept training certificates from drivers who complete this program. The City is also reviewing all drivers who have already taken the DRVR Hub training. Once this review is finalized, the drivers will be informed if there are any next steps to be taken.
The City has robust licensing requirements for drivers of vehicles-for-hire in order to ensure the safety of passengers. As directed by City Council, the City has introduced a mandatory Driver Training Accreditation Program (DTAP) for all vehicle-for-hire drivers.
The new driver training focuses on improving driver awareness on Vision Zero, transporting passengers in a safe manner, driving in an urban setting, anti-racism and discrimination, and legal requirements.
On November 9, 2021 the City issued a call for applications for driver training program and received 12 applications. In order to be on the City’s list of approved training programs, third party training providers need to satisfy all mandatory criteria provided by the City and submit a course content which clearly demonstrates how it will meet the curriculum criteria.
An expert panel with representatives from City divisions reviewed each program and have provided specific feedback based upon the mandatory criteria. At this time, two programs have been approved.
An Accessibility Fund Program has been created to support the availability of accessible service and to offset the higher cost of providing wheelchair accessible service.
The program is funded by a regulatory charge on members of the industry. Toronto Taxicab Licensees (TTLs) and standard taxicab owners who have an accessible vehicle are exempt from these fees.
Funds will be disbursed to wheelchair accessible taxicab owners and drivers based on service standards and eligibility criteria. Drivers will also be required to have valid accessible service training.
Drivers and owners under contract with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Wheel-Trans program are not be eligible.
The deadline to apply for service offered in 2021 was May 9, 2022. Funds will be disbursed in June 2022. Questions can be directed to: accessibilityfundprogram@toronto.ca.
The City provided an update on outstanding Vehicle-for-Hire directives to the City Council in December 2021. The report addressed the work completed since the last Vehicle-for-Hire Bylaw Review and outstanding Council directives. The following topics were included in the report.
Note, safety measures were also explored as part of the 2019 Vehicle-for-Hire Bylaw Review.
If you are interested in receiving updates on the regulations for vehicles-for-hire, please subscribe to the Vehicle-for-Hire e-mail listserv by visiting the City’s E-updates webpage. Under the header “Get Involved in Your Community,” scroll down and click “Vehicle-for-Hire Review,” then scroll back up to enter your e-mail address to subscribe.