Deregulation Of Large-market Taxicab Service

Public utilities commission - taxicab service - reduced regulation of large-market taxicab service - motor carrier status applied. The act reduces the regulation of taxicab service provided in large metropolitan areas by changing taxicab service provided in such areas from common carrier status to motor carrier status.

Section 4 of the act defines a large-market taxicab service as indiscriminate passenger transportation for compensation in a taxicab on a call-and-demand basis, within and between points in the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld, and between those points and all points within the state of Colorado, with the first passenger in the taxicab having exclusive use of the taxicab unless the passenger agrees to multiple loadings.

Section 5 authorizes the public utilities commission to promulgate safety rules governing the operation of large-market taxicab service.

Section 7 requires individuals seeking to drive for a motor carrier that operates a large-market taxicab service to submit a set of fingerprints to the commission for a fingerprint-based criminal history record check.

Section 10 requires that, on or after January 1, 2019, a person obtain a permit from the commission to operate a large-market taxicab service. To obtain a permit, a motor carrier providing large-market taxicab service must have at least 25 vehicles in its fleet at all times; except that a motor carrier providing large-market taxicab service in El Paso, Larimer, or Weld county need only have 10 vehicles in its fleet at all times. The commission shall determine by rule the maximum rate that may be charged for large-market taxicab service in each county in which large-market taxicab service is authorized. Section 10 also requires permittees to file with the commission a rate schedule and does not limit the number or frequency of updated rate schedules that a permittee may file. Unless a rate schedule exceeds the maximum rate established by the commission by rule, the commission is not authorized to reject or amend a rate schedule filed in the form and manner required by the commission.

Sections 1 through 3, 6, 8, 9, and 11 make conforming amendments to include large-market taxicab services in provisions of statute that address fines and fees, subject the services to rules, and require specific license plates.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)