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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TAXICAB COMMISSION
NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING
The District of Columbia Taxicab Commission (“Commission”), pursuant to the authority set forth in Sections 8(c) (2), (3), and (19), and 14 of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Establishment Act of 1985 (“Establishment Act”), effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97;
D.C. Official Code §§ 50-307(c) (2) (3), and (19), and 50-313 (2014 Repl. & 2015 Supp.)) hereby gives notice of its intent to adopt amendments to Chapters 8 (Operating Rules for Public Vehicles for Hire) and 16 (Dispatch Services and District of Columbia Taxicab Industry Co-Op) of Title 31 (Taxicabs and Public Vehicles For Hire) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).
This proposed rulemaking would: (1) support the growth of taxicab service by allowing shared rides to be arranged through digital meters approved by the Office of Taxicabs, for vehicles that are equipped with such meters; and (2) broaden the definition of electronic refusal to haul.
The Commission also hereby gives notice of its intent to take final rulemaking action to adopt these proposed rules in not less than thirty (30) days after the publication of this notice in the
D.C. Register. Directions for submitting comments may be found at the end of this notice.
Chapter 8, OPERATING RULES FOR PUBLIC VEHICLES FOR HIRE, of Title 31 DCMR, TAXICABS AND PUBLIC VEHICLES FOR HIRE, is amended as follows:
Section 801, PASSENGER RATES AND CHARGES, is amended as follows:
Subsection 801.8 is amended to read as follows:
801.8 Charges for group and shared rides shall be assessed as follows, and in the manner set forth in an applicable administrative issuance:
(a) For shared rides, only one flag drop rate shall be charged, without regard to the number of destinations. Shared rides may be arranged through digital meters approved by the Office pursuant to § 602, which shall allow passengers to apportion the total fare in a manner that maximizes consumer choice and operator income pursuant to an administrative issuance.
(b) For group rides booked by street hail, telephone dispatch, or digital dispatch, and paid through in-vehicle payment, the metered fare, including the additional passenger fee under § 801.7(c)(2)(E), shall be paid by the last passenger(s) leaving the taxicab.
(c) For group rides booked by digital dispatch and paid through digital payment, the fare shall be charged and paid consistent with all applicable requirements of this title applicable to a trip which is not a group ride.
Section 819, CONSUMER SERVICE AND PASSENGER RELATIONS, is amended as
follows:
A new Subsection 819.11 is added to read as follows:
819.11 Proof that an operator has failed to accept two (2) or more requests for service transmitted to the operator through the app of any DDS registered with the Office under Chapter 16, including but not limited to the DC TaxiApp, during the same two (2) hour period of any tour of duty, shall be treated as a refusal to haul under §§ 818.2 or 819.5.
Chapter 16, DISPATCH SERVICES AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TAXICAB INDUSTRY CO-OP, is amended as follows:
Section 1603, TELEPHONE DISPATCH SERVICES – OPERATING REQUIREMENTS, is amended as follows:
Subsection 1603.6 is amended by adding a new paragraph (f) to read as follows:
(f) Process shared rides in accordance with § 801 and any applicable administrative issuance.
Section 1612, District of Columbia Universal Taxicab App, is amended as follows:
Subsection 1612.1 is amended to read as follows:
1612.1 Not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of this section (“implementation date”), each DCTC taxicab operator shall at all times throughout each tour of duty:
(a) Be logged into the District of Columbia Universal Taxicab App (“DC TaxiApp”); and
(b) Be able to timely receive and accept all requests for service.
Copies of this proposed rulemaking can be obtained at www.dcregs.dc.gov or by contacting Secretary to the Commission, District of Columbia Taxicab Commission, 2235 Shannon Place, S.E., Suite 3001, Washington, D.C. 20020. All persons desiring to file comments on the proposed rulemaking action should submit written comments via e-mail to dctc@dc.gov or by mail to the D.C. Taxicab Commission, 2235 Shannon Place, S.E., Suite 3001, Washington, D.C. 20020, Attn: Secretary to the Commission, no later than thirty (30) days after the publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.
