§ 50–301.29. Public vehicles-for-hire, exclusive of taxicabs and limousines.

(a) The DFHV may create and regulate classes of public vehicles-for-hire independent of taxicabs and limousines, including sedan-class vehicles. The DFHV may issue rules and regulations governing the conduct of such vehicles, including the type of vehicles, number of inspections, licensing of operators, advertising, safety of the operator and of the public, financial obligations, and any other provisions necessary; provided, that the rules and regulations are necessary for the safety of customers and operators, consumer protection, or the collection of non-personal trip data information. Any rules and regulations shall protect personal privacy rights of customers and operators and shall not result in the disclosure of confidential business information.

(a-1) The DFHV shall not require a company that provides digital dispatch to sedan-class vehicles to produce to the DFHV a list or inventory of vehicles or operators affiliated with the service.

(b) Sedan-class vehicles shall operate exclusively through digital dispatch as defined by and meeting the requirements of § 50-301.31 and shall not solicit or accept street hails. Sedan-class vehicles shall calculate fares on the basis of time and distance, except trips to airports and other point-to-point trips based on well-traveled routes or event-related trips such as sporting events, which may be charged on a flat-fee basis.

(b-1) A vehicle shall be permitted to operate as a sedan-class vehicle if:

(1) It has a manufacturer’s rated seating capacity of fewer than 10 persons;

(2) It is not a salvaged vehicle or a vehicle rented from an entity whose predominant business is that of renting motor vehicles on a time basis; and

(3) It is no more than 10 model years of age at entry into service and no more than 12 model years of age while in service.

(c) An owner of a licensed taxicab or limousine may convert a vehicle from a taxicab or limousine to a sedan-class vehicle; provided, that the vehicle complies with the requirements of sedan-class vehicles. Additionally, if a vehicle meets the requirements of more than one class, and the operator is properly licensed for each class, the vehicle may operate as either class of vehicle.

(d)(1) Each company with 20 or more sedan-class vehicles in its fleet as of January 1, 2013, or anytime after, shall dedicate a portion of its sedan-class vehicles as follows:

(A) At least 6% of each sedan-class fleet shall be wheelchair-accessible by December 31, 2014.

(B) At least 12% of each sedan-class fleet shall be wheelchair-accessible by December 31, 2016.

(2) The DFHV may withhold the renewal of licenses of companies with sedan-class vehicles that do not meet the requirements of this subsection. The DFHV shall have the authority to audit or monitor wait times and rates charged by sedan-class operators and companies in the provision of wheelchair-accessible service in order to evaluate the number of wheelchair-accessible sedans.

(3) Each company with 20 or more sedan-class vehicles in its fleet as of January 1, 2013, or anytime after, that does not yet have wheelchair-accessible vehicles in its fleet shall provide information as to companies that do offer wheelchair-accessible service to customers upon request.

(Mar. 25, 1986, D.C. Law 6-97, § 20j; as added Oct. 22, 2012, D.C. Law 19-184, § 2(s), 59 DCR 9431; Apr. 23, 2013, D.C. Law 19-270, § 2(i), 60 DCR 1717; Mar. 10, 2015, D.C. Law 20-197, § 2(j), 61 DCR 12430; June 22, 2016, D.C. Law 21-124, § 401(bb), 63 DCR 7076; Feb. 22, 2019, D.C. Law 22-224, § 2(i), 66 DCR 187.)

Prior Codifications

2001 Ed., § 50-329.

Effect of Amendments

The 2012 amendment by D.C. Law 19-184 added this section.

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-270, in the last sentence of (a), deleted “fares” preceding “financial obligations” and substituted the proviso at the end for “to provide safe public passenger transportation”; rewrote (b) and (c); and added (d).

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-197 added (a-1) and (b-1); and substituted “digital dispatch” for “a digital dispatch service” in (b).

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) repeal of D.C. Law 19-184, § 7, see § 7007 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-130, July 30, 2013, 60 DCR 11384, 20 DCSTAT 1827).

For temporary (90 days) repeal of D.C. Law 19-184, § 7, see § 7007 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-204, October 17, 2013, 60 DCR 15341, 20 DCSTAT 2311).

For temporary (90 days) repeal of D.C. Law 19-270, § 5, see § 7017 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-130, July 30, 2013, 60 DCR 11384, 20 DCSTAT 1827).

For temporary (90 days) repeal of D.C. Law 19-270, § 5, see 7017 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-204, October 17, 2013, 60 DCR 15341, 20 DCSTAT 2311).

Short Title

Section 7001 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that Subtitle A of Title VII of the act may be cited as the “Subject to Appropriations Repealers Amendment Act of 2013”.

Editor's Notes

Section 7 of D.C. Law 19-184 provided that the act shall apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, as certified by the Chief Financial Officer to the Budget Director of the Council in a certification published by the Council in the District of Columbia Register.

Section 5 of D.C. Law 19-270 provided that the act shall apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, as certified by the Chief Financial Officer to the Budget Director of the Council in a certification published by the Council in the District of Columbia Register.

Section 7007 of D.C. Law 20-61 repealed D.C. Law 19-184, § 7.

Section 7017 of D.C. Law 20-61 repealed D.C. Law 19-270, § 5.

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-197: Section 7 of D.C. Law 20-197 provided, in part, that §§ 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the act shall apply as of March 10, 2015.