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a. The commission, in conjunction with the department of transportation, shall study (i) income drivers derive from operating vehicles that provide transportation services to passengers, (ii) traffic congestion throughout the city, (iii) the extent to which various categories of vehicles for hire contribute to such congestion, (iv) traffic safety, (v) vehicle utilization rates, (vi) access to services in different geographic areas of the city for one or more categories of vehicles for hire, (vii) the number of hours that drivers have made themselves available to accept dispatches from a base or from a high-volume for-hire service by day or week, (viii) driver income and well-being, and (ix) such other topics as the commission and the department of transportation deem appropriate. The study shall be conducted during the 12 months following the effective date of the local law that added this section.
b. Based on the results of the study conducted pursuant to subdivision a of this section, the commission:
1. may establish vehicle utilization standards for the operation of vehicles dispatched by high-volume for-hire services in the city and, if such standards are established, shall review such standards on a periodic basis, but not less than once annually, and based on such review may revise such standards for the operation of such vehicles; and
2. shall review the number of for-hire vehicle licenses on a periodic basis, but not less than once annually, and based on such review may regulate the number of for-hire vehicle licenses issued pursuant to section 19-504.
c. The commission may vary the vehicle utilization standards established, and the number of licenses issued, pursuant to subdivision b of this section, by geographic area of the city, time of day, day of the week, whether a vehicle is a wheelchair accessible vehicle or a low- or zero-emission vehicle and by such other factors as the commission deems appropriate to address traffic congestion, shared rides, traffic safety, vehicle emissions, for-hire vehicle ridership, the income drivers derive from providing transportation services to passengers and the availability of for-hire vehicle services in different geographic areas of the city.
d. For each trip a high-volume for-hire service offers or otherwise facilitates through one or more black car base, luxury limousine base or livery base station, the commission may require the following data be provided:
1. For each trip dispatched by such base or base station:
(a) the driver license number issued by the commission;
(b) the license number, issued by the commission, of the vehicle that fulfilled the trip request and the base or base station with which such vehicle is affiliated;
(c) the location from which each passenger is picked up and subsequently dropped off;
(d) the total number of passengers picked up and dropped off from the location referenced in subparagraph (c);
(e) the date and time such passenger is picked up;
(f) the date and time such passenger is dropped off;
(g) the total trip mileage;
(h) the date and time such trip request was made by a passenger;
(i) the itemized fare for each trip including the amount of the fare, any toll, surcharge, commission rate, other deduction and any gratuity and a breakdown of the amount such passenger paid for the trip; and
(j) the payment that each driver received for each trip or the hourly rate paid;
2. The total amount of time a vehicle is connected to the electronic platform of a high-volume for-hire service each day;
3. The amount of time spent each day by each vehicle transporting passengers for hire, as well as the time spent each day by such vehicle on the way to a passenger, and time spent by such vehicle between trips but not on the way to a passenger; and
4. Any additional information required by the commission to conduct the study required by subdivision a or to review:
(a) the vehicle utilization standards authorized to be established by subdivision b of this section; and
(b) the issuance of licenses authorized to be regulated by subdivision b of this section.
e. The commission shall establish penalties to be imposed on a high-volume for-hire service for the failure of such service to meet any vehicle utilization standards established pursuant to this section. Such penalties shall be calculated by multiplying the total number of trips dispatched by such service within a 24-hour period by the following penalty ranges: no less than $0.01 per trip dispatched and no greater than $0.10 per trip dispatched for the first violation of any vehicle utilization standard; no less than $0.50 per trip dispatched and no more than $0.80 per trip dispatched for a second violation within a 24-month period; and no less than $1 per trip dispatched and no greater than $5 per trip dispatched for any subsequent violation within a 24-month period. The establishment of penalties by the commission shall depend on an assessment of factors, which shall include but need not be limited to the extent to which the high-volume for-hire service has failed to meet any vehicle utilization standard established by the commission during the previous 12 months, the scale of the divergence from such standard, and the number of vehicles dispatched by such service in a 24-hour hour period. Such civil penalties shall not affect the authority of the commission to suspend or revoke the license of any high-volume for-hire service or the license of any base or base station.
f. A high-volume for-hire service shall not deduct any payment owed to any driver for a trip dispatched by such service for the payment of any penalties imposed by the commission pursuant to subdivision e of this section. The commission shall establish penalties no less than $500 and no greater than $1,000 for each violation of this subdivision.
g. The commission shall no later than December 31, 2020 and annually thereafter submit to the council and the mayor a report on the effects of vehicle utilization standards and the regulation of the number of licenses issued to for-hire vehicles authorized by subdivision b of this section.
(L.L. 2018/147, 8/14/2018, eff. 8/14/2018)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2018/147.
a. Driver assistance services. The commission, in consultation with the department of consumer and worker protection, the department of small business services and any other agencies designated by the mayor, shall provide services and information to assist drivers, or owners of vehicles, licensed by the commission including but not limited to financial counseling, mental health services and referrals to non-profit organizations or other entities that may provide additional assistance to such drivers or owners. The commission may provide such services and information through the unit that issues licenses, the website of the commission, or such other means as the commission deems appropriate.
b. Financial education for drivers. The commission, in consultation with the department of consumer and worker protection and any other agencies designated by the mayor, shall engage in outreach and education efforts that are intended to inform individuals who are considering whether to enter into purchase, rental, lease or loan agreements for the purpose of obtaining vehicles for use as for-hire vehicles, and individuals who are considering whether to purchase, refinance or lease a taxicab license, about the costs and benefits of entering into such arrangements and transactions. Such outreach and education efforts may include written materials describing the common terms of such arrangements and transactions and identifying resources intended to help an individual understand the terms of such arrangements and transactions. The commission shall make any materials designed for the purposes of conducting such outreach and education available in English and in the six languages most commonly spoken by drivers, as those languages are determined by the commission, and in any other languages the commission determines to be appropriate. The commission shall make such materials available on the commission's website.
(L.L. 2018/218, 12/15/2018, eff. 6/13/2019; L.L. 2018/220, 12/15/2018, eff. 6/13/2019; Am. L.L. 2020/080, 8/28/2020, eff. 8/28/2020)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2020/080.
a. Notwithstanding any inconsistent regulations, provisions of law or provisions of any contract entered into after the effective date of the local law that added this section, if a payment transaction for a completed trip dispatched by a high-volume for-hire service fails, such high-volume for-hire service shall ensure that the driver receives the entire amount owed to such driver for such completed trip.
b. Notwithstanding subdivision a of this section, a high-volume for-hire service may refuse to deposit funds to a driver for rendering services upon a reasonable belief that the driver's account is associated with fraudulent activity.
c. Any high-volume for-hire service that violates this section is liable for a civil penalty of not less than $250 nor more than $500 for each offense.
(L.L. 2018/217, 12/15/2018, eff. 4/14/2019)
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