S-6.01, r. 2.1 - Pilot project to promote taxi transportation services using electric taxis

Updated to 26 December 2015

This document has official status.

chapter S-6.01, r. 2.1

Pilot project to promote taxi transportation services using electric taxis

Act respecting transportation services by taxi

(chapter S-6.01).

DIVISION I GENERAL

1. The Pilot Project to promote transportation services using electric taxis (“Pilot Project”) is hereby authorized

(1)  to establish special rules allowing taxi transportation services to be offered using fully electric vehicles, and in doing so to experiment with the use of such vehicles for the purpose of fostering development of the taxi industry;

(2)  to authorize any sponsor referred to in the Schedule to the Pilot Project to offer transportation services using electric taxis in accordance with the special rules set out in the Pilot Project and the other rules that remain applicable under the Act respecting transportation services by taxi (chapter S-6.01) and its regulations; and

(3)  to collect information on the transportation services a sponsor provides using electric taxis, on the safety of users and on the ensuing consequences for the taxi industry.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 1.

2. To be authorized under the Pilot Project, a sponsor must send a project charter to the Minister of Transport describing the project, its objectives, the number of electric vehicles to be put in service and the project term.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 2.

3. Every project submitted by a sponsor in accordance with section 2 must be authorized by the Minister. An agreement between the sponsor and the Minister must be entered into and concern among other things information sharing, monitoring mechanisms and reporting requirements.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 3.

4. For the purposes of the Pilot Project, “sponsor” means any person or body that is the holder of a taxi owner’s permit issued under the Act respecting transportation services by taxi (chapter S-6.01) or a business partner of such a holder.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 4.

DIVISION II AUTHORIZED ELECTRIC TAXIS

5. A sponsor authorized under the Pilot Project to offer transportation services using electric taxis must use an electric taxi of the sedan or station wagon type that

(1)  is fully powered by electricity;

(2)  has an electric motor and a battery that can be recharged using grid electricity;

(3)  is not more than 5 years old on the date of coming into force of the Pilot Project (2015-11-26);

(4)  has at least 4 seat belts installed by the manufacturer;

(5)  has at least 4 side doors;

(6)  has a hard top; and

(7)  has a wheelbase equal to or greater than 251 cm.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 5.

6. Every electric taxi must be registered in the same manner as any other taxi. It must have a registration plate bearing the prefix “T” as required by the Regulation respecting road vehicle registration (chapter C-24.2, r. 29).

M.O. 2015-14, s. 6.

DIVISION III SPECIAL RULES

7. Every electric taxi used in connection with the Pilot Project must be driven by a holder of a taxi driver’s permit issued

(1)  by the Bureau du taxi de Montréal if the area served is Île-de-Montréal; or

(2)  by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec if the area served is not the area described in paragraph 1.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 7.

8. Despite section 5 of the Act respecting transportation services by taxi (chapter S-6.01), a sponsor whose project involves the leasing of taxi owner’s permits is authorized to lease, for the authorized term of the project which cannot exceed the term set for the Pilot Project, the maximum number of taxi owner’s permits (“regular permit”) set out in the Schedule to the Pilot Project in any of the areas described in the Schedule.

The sponsor must attach each regular permit to a single electric taxi.

The sponsor must immediately inform the Minister, the Commission des transports du Québec and the Bureau du taxi de Montréal of the regular permits involved in the leasing allowed under the first paragraph.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 8.

9. A holder of a taxi owner’s permit may not lease, to a sponsor, a permit to which a handicapped accessible taxi is attached on the date of coming into force of the Pilot Project indicated in the Gazette officielle du Québec(2015-11-26).

M.O. 2015-14, s. 9.

10. The holder of a taxi owner’s permit having entered into a leasing contract with a sponsor that has become a business partner of the holder must either have the vehicle properly registered if no longer in service as a result of the partnership or put the vehicle in storage.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 10.

11. Despite any inconsistent provision, a sponsor leasing a permit held by a taxi owner is deemed to be such a holder and assumes all the rights and obligations under the Act respecting transportation services by taxi (chapter S-6.01) and its regulations, with the necessary modifications.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 11.

12. Despite section 11 of the Taxi Transportation Regulation (chapter S-6.01, r. 3), a sponsor may possess or control more than 20 regular permits during the term of the Pilot Project.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 12.

DIVISION IV SPECIAL RULES FOR ÎLE-DE-MONTRÉAL

13. To be able to offer transportation services using electric taxis under the Pilot Project on Île-de-Montréal, a sponsor must obtain authorization from the Bureau du taxi de Montréal and provide the Bureau with a copy of the project charter referred to in section 2.

A sponsor other than a holder of a taxi owner’s permit must also provide the Bureau with proof of the sponsor’s business partnership with such a holder.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 13.

14. A holder of a taxi owner’s permit having entered into a leasing agreement with a sponsor that has become a business partner of the holder must hand over the sticker of any vehicle that will no longer be in service because of the partnership to the Bureau du taxi de Montréal.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 14.

15. Despite the By-law concerning taxi transportation (RCG 10-009) of Ville de Montréal, the following rules apply:

(1)  the domelight on an electric taxi may have a display screen and be used to display advertising. Such a domelight may

(a)  be less than one cubic metre in volume;

(b)  have not more than 2 display screens having a total display surface that does not exceed one square metre; and

(c)  show the taxi’s availability status;

(2)  at a private stand having recharging facilities for electric taxis, the rules concerning vehicle priority and position set out in the By-law do not apply; and

(3)  public parking free of charge is permitted when an electric taxi ends its trip, except where the parking is situated less than 60 m from a public stand, in which case the taxi driver must proceed to the stand and get into position.

The domelight referred to in subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph cannot display animated advertising or advertising using any other process that creates an illusion of movement, or display more than one time-variable message. In addition, the domelight cannot have lighting, lamps, reflectors or any other effects likely to compromise road safety.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 15.

DIVISION V SPECIAL PERMITS FOR ELECTRIC TAXIS

16. The Commission des transports du Québec is to issue to a sponsor the number of special permits for electric taxis set out in the Schedule to the Pilot Project, those additional vehicles being required solely to enable rotation of the electric taxis in service while their respective batteries are being recharged and the required scientific electrification monitoring is being conducted for the purposes of the Pilot Project.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 16.

17. The term of a special permit cannot exceed the term set for the Pilot Project.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 17.

18. A sponsor must provide the Minister, the Commission des transports du Québec, the Bureau du taxi de Montréal, if applicable, and Contrôle routier Québec with a list of the sponsor’s electric taxis and specify, for each taxi, the regular permit or special permit to which the taxi is attached.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 18.

19. The number of electric taxis put in service by a sponsor may at no time exceed the number of regular permits authorized and set out in the Schedule to the Pilot Project.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 19.

20. A sponsor must be able at all times to furnish the Minister, the Commission des transports du Québec, the Bureau du taxi de Montréal, if applicable, and Contrôle routier Québec with information concerning the number of taxis in service, being recharged, under scientific study or not in service.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 20.

DIVISION VI OTHER PROVISIONS

21. Despite any inconsistent provision, a sponsor may equip electric taxis with a computerized taximeter having

(1)  a digital display that lights up when activated and allows the user of the taxi transportation service sitting in the back seat to read the information it displays from the back seat, including the fare as the trip progresses; and

(2)  a program designed to apply the rate fixed by the Commission des transports du Québec.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 21.

22. A driver of an electric taxi ending a trip in an area other than the area specified in the driver’s permit is authorized to make an additional trip outside the driver’s area on the condition that the trip is requested through a centralized dispatching system.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 22.

23. A driver of an electric taxi may refuse a trip if in the driver’s opinion the range of the vehicle’s battery is not sufficient to make the trip. In such as case, another taxi must immediately be made available to the user requesting the taxi transportation services.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 23.

DIVISION VII OFFENCES

24. Every person who uses, or entrusts to a taxi driver the custody of, an automobile that does not meet the requirements of section 5 commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $700 to $2,100.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 24.

25. A person who drives an electric taxi in contravention of section 7 is liable to a fine of $200 to $500.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 25.

26. A holder of a taxi owner’s permit who contravenes section 9 is liable to a fine of $1,000 to $3,000.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 26.

27. A holder or sponsor whose electric taxi has a domelight that does not meet the requirements of section 15 commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $200 to $500.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 27.

28. Every person who allows the number of electric taxis in service to exceed the number of regular permits authorized by the Pilot Project under section 19 commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $1,000 to $3,000.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 28.

29. Every person who is unable to comply with section 20 as regards the furnishing of information on the person’s taxis in service, being recharged, under scientific study or not in service commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $1,000 to $3,000.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 29.

DIVISION VIII COLLECTION OF INFORMATION

30. The Minister of Transport is responsible for collecting information on the providing of transportation services using electric taxis in connection with the Pilot Project.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 30.

DIVISION XI MISCELLANEOUS AND FINAL

31. The rules of the Pilot Project prevail over any inconsistent provision of the Act respecting transportation services by taxi (chapter S-6.01) and its regulations.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 31.

32. The Pilot Project comes into force on 26 November 2015, except sections 25 to 29, which come into force on 26 December 2015. The Pilot Project terminates on 26 November 2017.

M.O. 2015-14, s. 32.

SCHEDULE

(ss. 1, 8, 16 and 19)

___________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized               Authorized urban                  Number and type of
holder or                agglomeration                     permit authorized
business partner         for leasing                       for project
___________________________________________________________________________________

Taxelco inc.             A-5 - Est de Montréal             110 leased regular
                                                           permits

                         A-11- Montréal                    22 special permits

                         A-12 - Ouest de 
                         Montréal
___________________________________________________________________________________

M.O. 2015-14, Sch.

REFERENCES

M.O. 2015-14, 2015 G.O. 2, 2956A