5046733 Taxicab Commission,DC - Notice of Final Rulemaking - Amendments to Chapter 5 regarding taxicab company parking.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TAXICAB COMMISSION

 

NOTICE OF FINAL RULEMAKING

 

The District of Columbia Taxicab Commission, pursuant to the authority set forth in Sections 8(c)(2), (7), (18), (19) and 14 of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code §§ 50-307(c)(2), (c)(7), (c)(18), (c)(19), and 50-313 (2012 Repl. & 2013 Supp.)), hereby gives notice of its adoption of amendments to Chapter 5 (Taxicab Companies, Associations and Fleets) of Title 31 (Taxicabs and Public Vehicles for Hire) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).

 

The rules: (1) require taxicab companies, associations, and fleets to prohibit long-term parking around the administrative offices or other property of the taxicab company, association, or fleet and establish penalties for failure to comply with this requirement, (2) require taxicab companies, associations, and fleets to post hours of operation, and (3) require taxicab companies, associations, and fleets to provide notice to the Commission if the taxicab company, association, or fleet acquires property for long-term parking.   

 

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was adopted on April 9, 2014 and published in the D.C. Register on May 16, 2014 at 61 DCR 5006.  No comments were received on the proposed rulemaking.  No substantive changes have been made.  The Commission voted to adopt these rules as final on August 6, 2014, and they will become effective upon publication in the D.C. Register.

 

Chapter 5, TAXICAB COMPANIES, ASSOCIATIONS AND FLEETS, of Title 31, TAXICABS AND PUBLIC VEHICLES FOR HIRE, of the DCMR is amended as follows:

 

Section 502, REQUIREMENT OF LOCAL PLACE OF BUSINESS, is amended by adding new Subsections 502.7 and 502.8 as follows:

 

502.7               Each company, association, and fleet shall post the hours of operation of its bona fide administrative office as set forth in § 516. 

 

502.8               Each company, association, or fleet shall prohibit the parking of taxicabs on any public street in front of, alongside, or in the rear of the bona fide administrative office as set forth in § 516.

 

Section 516 is amended to read as follows:

 

516                  COMPANIES, ASSOCIATIONS, AND FLEETS – HOURS OF OPERATION AND STREET PARKING OF TAXICABS

 

516.1               Each company, association, and fleet shall post the hours of operation of any building or property it owns, leases, or uses in the District for its taxicab business (“taxicab business property”).  The hours of operation shall be visible to the public from the outside of the building or, if the building or property is enclosed by a fence, from outside the perimeter of the fenced-in area.

 

516.2               Each company, association, and fleet shall prohibit the parking of taxicabs on any public street in front of, alongside, or in the rear of any taxicab business property as follows:

 

(a)        Parking outside of the posted hours of operation of the taxicab business property shall be prohibited; and

 

(b)        Parking during the posted hours of the taxicab business property shall be prohibited unless the operator of the taxicab is carrying on business at the taxicab business property and only for so long as the operator is carrying on such business.

 

516.3               If a company, association, or fleet acquires space for long-term parking, it shall provide notification to the Office within thirty (30) days after the acquisition.  The notification shall also be provided with each application for renewal of the operating authority of the company, association, or fleet pursuant to § 501.          

 

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