6082596 Taxicab Commission, D.C. - Notice of Final Rulemaking - Chapters 5 and 6 - Standardize Taxicab Appearance

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TAXICAB COMMISSION

 

NOTICE OF FINAL RULEMAKING

 

The District of Columbia Taxicab Commission (“Commission”), pursuant to the authority set forth in Sections 8(c)(2), (3), (5), (7), and (19), 14, and 20 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), (5), (7), and  (19), 50-313, and 50-319 (2014 Repl. & 2015 Supp.)), and D.C. Official Code § 47-2829 (b), (d), (e), (e-1), and (i) (2015 Repl.), hereby gives notice of the adoption of amendments to Chapter 5 (Taxicab Companies, Associations, Fleets, and Independent Taxicabs) and Chapter 6 (Taxicab Parts and Equipment) of Title 31 (Taxicabs and Public Vehicles for Hire) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR). 

 

This final rulemaking amends Chapters 5 and 6 for taxicabs to:  (1) clarify the requirements for the display of insignias, logos, numbers, and symbols on taxicabs; (2) require at repainting that a taxicab vehicle display the public vehicle identification number (PVIN) on the rear of the vehicle, and not display a legacy taxicab number no longer tracked or used by the Office of Taxicabs; and (3) add a requirement that vehicles approved for extensions be painted in the uniform color scheme. 

 

Proposed rulemaking was adopted by the Commission on December 9, 2015 and published in the D.C. Register on January 29, 2016 at 63 DCR 001095.  The Commission did not receive any comments during the comment period, which expired on February 28, 2016, and no substantial changes have been made.

 

The Commission voted to adopt these rules as final on March 9, 2016, and they will become effective upon publication in the D.C. Register.

 

Chapter 5, Taxicab COMPANIES, ASSOCIATIONS, FLEETS, AND INDEPENDENT TAXICABS, of Title 31 DCMR, TAXICABS AND PUBLIC VEHICLES FOR HIRE, is amended to read as follows:

 

Section 503, TAXICAB COLORINGS AND MARKINGS, is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 503.1 is amended as follows:

 

Paragraph (d) is amended to read as follows:

 

(d)       It is required to be repainted in whole or in part pursuant to:

 

(1)        Subsection 609.7, as a condition of the Office's approval of the owner's application for an extension of the vehicle’s retirement under §§ 609.2 through 609.5; or

 

(2)        Any other provision of this title or other applicable law.

 

Subsection 503.3 is amended as follows:

 

Paragraph (d) is amended to read as follows:

 

(d)       Bear decal letters of the taxicab company, association, fleet name or the name of the owner, which shall be on the rear of the body so as to be clearly visible from the rear, on either side of and in alignment with the center of the vehicle manufacturer placed logo. The decal letters shall be the color black, in Calibri font, using capital letters that are one and one half (1-1/2) inches in height measured from the X height and manufactured of 3M Controltac Plus Film (or equivalent);

 

A new paragraph (g) is added as follows:

 

(g)        The PVIN shall appear on the deck-lid if the vehicle is a passenger sedan, and on the rear door as high as possible beneath the rear window, if the vehicle is a passenger van or SUV, in letters and numbers that are black in color, Gothic in style, three inches (3 in.) high, three eighths of an inch (3/8 in.) wide, and with three eighths of an inch (3/8 in.) between each digit.

 

Subsection 503.8 is amended to read as follows:

 

503.8               The following prohibitions apply to all taxicab vehicles that must be repainted under this section:

 

(a)        No paint, graphic, vehicle wrap or decal, paint color, design, insignia, logo, term, symbol, advertisement, signage, display, label, sticker, lettering, or numbering, including any legacy taxicab number no longer tracked or used by the Office, shall be placed on any taxicab unless it is expressly authorized by and complies with this section, or is permitted by an administrative issuance.

 

(b)        There shall not be placed on or in any taxicab, paint, graphic, vehicle wrap or decal, paint color, design, insignia, logo, term, symbol, advertisement, signage, display, label, sticker, lettering, numbering, or other exterior object which has, tends to have, or may have the effect of confusing, misleading, or deceiving the public.

 

Chapter 6, TAXICAB PARTS AND EQUIPMENT, is amended as follows:

 

Section 609, TAXICAB VEHICLE RETIREMENT, is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 609.7 is amended as follows:

 

A new paragraph (g) is added as follows:

 

(g)        The vehicle shall be painted in the uniform color scheme in accordance with the requirements of § 503.