SUPPORTS ITEM NO.    
                                                      CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA


                              ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT


                                                   Date:  November 16, 1995


     TO:       Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

     FROM:     Director of Finance and
               Director of Permits & Licenses

     SUBJECT:  1996 Fees for Vehicles for Hire



     RECOMMENDATION

          A.   THAT  license  fees  for  Vehicles for  Hire,  contained  in
               Schedule   A  of  By-law No.  6066, be  increased for  1996,
               reflecting  a  general  increase  of 7.0%  except  for  dual
               taxicabs and taxicabs which will increase from $250 to $350,
               as outlined in Appendix I.

          B.   THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare
               the necessary  By-law to implement the  revised Fee Schedule
               on January 1, 1996.


     GENERAL MANAGERS  COMMENTS

          The  General   Managers  of  Corporate  and   Community  Services
          RECOMMEND approval of A and B.


     COUNCIL POLICY

     On January  17, 1991,  Council resolved  that every  department/ board
     review services for  which fees  are now charged  to ensure full  cost
     recovery, or that fees are equivalent to competitive charges where the
     fee is of a market nature.


     PURPOSE

     The purpose of  this report is  to bring the  license fees to  current
     cost  recovery levels, the Directors of Finance and Permits & Licenses
     recommend that the  fees be  increased by 7.0%,  recognizing that  the
     last  increase took  place in 1992.   This fee  increase reflects cost
     increases for negotiated wage increases and other operating costs, and
     is  consistent with  Council policy  to maintain  cost recovery.   The
     proposed 1996 fees for all classes of vehicles for hire are set out in
     Appendix I.

     DISCUSSION

     The  proposed 1996 fees  for Vehicles for  Hire will result  in a 7.0%
     increase  (rounded to  the nearest dollar),  to ensure  cost recovery.
     Exceptions to the 7.0% increase are discussed below.

     Dual Taxicab & Taxicab

     Currently in the City of  Vancouver there are 30 dual taxicabs  (i.e.,

     vans that can accommodate both people and wheelchairs) and 418 sedans.

     The administrative  costs associated with licensing  dual taxicabs and
     taxicabs  has  risen significantly  in recent  years.   There  are two
     principal  functions carried out by the City of Vancouver with respect
     to taxicabs.

     1.   The  Department  of  Permits &  Licenses  issues  each  taxicab a
          business license at  the beginning  of the year.   This  requires
          City  staff to inspect, twice  a year, the  physical condition of
          each vehicle;  examine  the  fare  meter; and  ensure  that  each
          taxicab is being maintained on a regular basis.  With  respect to
          the fare meter, City  staff may be required to  undertake several
          inspections during the year for  each vehicle, for example, after
          major repairs or if  the meter is believed to  be malfunctioning.
          The  City s administration  maintains a  detailed record  on each
          taxicab operating in the City.

          The 1995 business license revenues for all taxicabs is $112,000.


     2.   The Vancouver Police  Department has a  Taxi Detail which  issues
          each  of  the 3,171  taxicab drivers  in  the City  a chauffeur s
          permit.  For  a new  applicant this includes  a criminal  records
          check; written test; and fingerprinting.  Each year thereafter  a
          taxi  driver must  renew the  permit.   This requires  the Police
          Department to undertake  a criminal records check  and update its
          filing system.

          Provisions  of the  Motor Vehicle  Act, Section  32.(4), prohibit
          fees being levied for chauffeur permits.


     It is the recommendation of both the Directors of Finance  and Permits
     & Licenses that the  business license fee for taxicabs  be raised from
     $250  to  $350   for  two  reasons:  (i)   to  adjust  for   the  true
     administrative costs  associated with issuing a  license for taxicabs,
     and  (ii) to reflect the average consumer price index for metropolitan
     Vancouver 1992 - 1996, which is being applied to all Vehicles for Hire
     business licenses.



     The proposed  fee increase, beyond  the adjustment for  the negotiated
     wage  increase from 1992 -  1996, will generate  an additional taxicab
     business license revenue  of $36,960.   It is  anticipated that  total
     revenue for taxicab  business licenses in 1996 will be $156,800.  This
     will offset  the  cost of  administering  and regulating  the  taxicab
     industry in the City of Vancouver.

     The present and proposed Vehicle for Hire license fees are detailed in
     Appendix I.


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                                                                APPENDIX I 
                                                                Page 1 of 2


            Current and Proposed (1996) Vehicle for Hire License Fees

     ______________________________________________________________
                                             Current   Proposed
          Class of Vehicle                     Fee        Fee      

     Airport Shuttle Bus,
      for each vehicle                        $ 47.00   $ 50.00

     Airport Transporter,
      for each vehicle                         100.00    107.00

     Antique Charter Limousine,
      for each vehicle                         100.00    107.00

     Charter Bus, for each vehicle             100.00    107.00

     Charter Limousine,
      for each vehicle                         100.00    107.00

     Charter Van, for each vehicle             100.00    107.00

     Courier Bicycle, for each vehicle          11.00     12.00

     Driver Instruction Vehicle,
      for each vehicle                         100.00    107.00

     Dual Taxicab, for each vehicle            250.00    350.00

     Funeral Cab, for each vehicle             100.00    107.00

     Handicapped Cab, for each vehicle         100.00    107.00

     Horse-Drawn Carriage                      330.00    355.00

     Luxury Limousine, for each vehicle        100.00    107.00

     Motor Stage, for each vehicle             100.00    107.00

     Pedicab, for each vehicle                 100.00    107.00
     for each person operating a leased
     vehicle on a daily basis                    7.00      8.00

     School Cab, for each vehicle              100.00    107.00
                                                                Appendix I 
                                                                Page 2 of 2




     Current and Proposed (1996) Vehicle for Hire License Fees

     ______________________________________________________________
                                              Current   Proposed
        Class of Vehicle                        Fee        Fee     

     Taxicab, for each vehicle                 250.00    350.00

     if used also for displaying advertising
     material, for each vehicle so used,
     additional fee                             20.00     21.00

     Tow Truck, for each vehicle               100.00    107.00

     U-Drive, for each vehicle with
      4 or more wheels                          27.00     29.00
      for each other vehicle                     8.00      9.00

     Cost of Transfer of License                65.00     70.00

     License fee to operate a vehicle
      licensed for one purpose, each

      additional purpose authorized
      by this By-Law                            47.00     50.00




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