B.C.'s solicitor general is calling a local cab company's dispatch message instructing drivers to refuse service for an intoxicated woman "unacceptable" and worthy of an investigation.

Last week, a woman who goes by Arden Christine on Facebook posted that she called a Yellow Cab and noticed a message on the dispatch screen that said "Code 3 drunk customer at Tap and Barrel 1 Athletes Way. She cannot even stand up. Do not pick up."

However, on Thursday, Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said cab companies have a duty to passengers.

"There's a responsibility out there, particularly when somebody's impaired, to pick them up," he said during a press conference.

"The reality is that issue around cabs not picking up somebody who is impaired is unacceptable and we will look into that."

According to the Taxi Bill of Rights, drivers can refuse fares if they are concerned about their own safety or if the customer is acting in a disorderly or offensive way.

Yellow Cab wasn’t able to verify if one of those situations applied in this case.

"How do you figure her safety was at (risk)? There was no name of her. There could be 10 people walking there. It's a bar," said Kulwant Sahota of Yellow Cab said last week.

The company says it will consider changing its policy on alerts, but wouldn’t commit.

"We've been putting these message out as far as I can remember, I've never had an incident where passengers got into trouble," Sahota said.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure released a statement saying, "The Passenger Transportation Branch will be following up with police and the company involved to gain more details and determine next course of action."

In this case, the woman at Tap and Barrel was given a ride home by a friend who hadn't been drinking.