Driver of 'over-filled' van transporting 15 people in Ontario stopped three times, facing 25+ charges

A vehicle that was allegedly "over-filled" with passengers is taken off the road in Caledon, Ont. on May 2, 2023. (OPP)

Ontario police say a driver who was transporting more than a dozen people in a van without a proper licence, seatbelts, or working seats earlier this week is facing over 25 charges.

OPP told CTV News Toronto police stopped a van that appeared to be “over-filled with passengers” on Tuesday morning on Highway 10 as it was travelling through Caledon Village.

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There were 16 people in the unregistered commercial vehicle at the time of the stop including the driver, who police said was a “novice” and did not have the required bus licence to transport that many passengers.

On top of that, police said, the seatbelts in the van were not working and the seats in the back were not secured to the vehicle floor.

When a second vehicle arrived to pick up the passengers, a police inspection found its brakes were defective and it too had faulty seatbelts.

Images of the traffic stop posted to social media showed both vehicles being taken off the road. At the time that post was made, police said the passengers and the driver were waiting for a third vehicle to pick them up.

On Wednesday, another officer saw a van on Mississauga Road that was “overloaded” with passengers.

A traffic stop determined that the driver was the same individual in the previous incident and was again driving with an improper licence, police said.

“The vehicle was again found to be overloaded with passengers with no proper working seatbelts in the back as well as there being no insurance on the vehicle,” an OPP spokesperson told CTV News Toronto, noting that the same driver was actually stopped a week earlier and charged at the time.

“Thankfully these vehicles were not involved in a collision as the passengers in the vehicles would be in a precarious position so say the least without proper securement,” OPP said.

As a result of all three traffic stops, the driver is facing more than 25 charges, as well as the unidentified company they were driving for.

The passengers were also charged for seatbelt violations, police said.

“Some people never learn,” police said in a tweet after the third traffic stop.