(a) Limits on Driver Solicitation of Passengers in Taxicabs.
(1) A Driver of a Taxicab must not use a person, other than a dispatcher at a public transportation terminal, licensed E-Hail Application, or an Accessible Vehicle dispatcher, to solicit Passengers. Use of any licensed E-Hail Application by the Driver is optional.
35 RCNY § 80-19(a)(1) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(2) A Driver of a Taxicab must not pick up additional Passengers during a trip except at the Passenger's request.
35 RCNY § 80-19(a)(2) | Fine: $100 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(3) A Driver of a Taxicab must not suggest to a current Passenger that an additional person be accepted as a Passenger.
35 RCNY § 80-19(a)(3) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(4) A Driver of a Taxicab must not solicit or cruise for the purpose of soliciting Passengers:
(i) At Kennedy, La Guardia or Newark Airports.
(ii) Within 100 feet of any authorized Taxi Stand.
(iii) Within the private streets of Lincoln Center.
(iv) In any area of the City of New York where Taxicab cruising is prohibited.
35 RCNY § 80-19(a)(4) | Fine: $100 if plead guilty before a hearing; $150 if found guilty following a hearing. | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(5) A Driver who is logged off from the Technology System must not solicit or accept a Passenger unless ALL of the following are true:
(i) The Driver is returning the Taxicab to his or her garage or home;
(ii) The Driver has transmitted the relevant information to an electronic database for entry on the electronic trip record or made a written trip record entry "Returning to garage (or home)"; and
(iii) The Passenger's destination is directly on the route to the Driver's home or garage.
35 RCNY § 80-19(a)(5) | Fine: $75 if plead guilty before a hearing; $100 if found guilty following a hearing. | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(b) Limits on Driver Solicitation of Passengers in Street Hail Liveries.
(1) Exclusionary Zones.
(i) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery must not solicit Passengers in the Hail Exclusionary Zone.
(ii) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery must not accept a Pre-Arranged Trip beginning in the Pre- Arranged Exclusionary Zone.
35 RCNY § 80-19(b)(1) | Fine: First Violation: $500 and suspension; Second Violation in 24 months: $750 and suspension; Third Violation in 120 months: Revocation. | Appearance REQUIRED |
(2) Hail Zone.
(i) Inside the Hail Zone, a Driver of a Street Hail Livery can accept Passengers by Hail or can accept a Pre-Arranged Trip through a Base.
(ii) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery must not solicit or cruise for the purpose of soliciting Passengers within 100 feet of any authorized Taxi Stand.
35 RCNY § 80-19(b)(2)(ii) | Fine: $100 if plead guilty before a hearing; $150 if found guilty following a hearing. | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(iii) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery must not use a person, other than a dispatcher at a public transportation terminal, licensed E-Hail Application, an Accessible Vehicle dispatcher, or a Street Hail Livery Base, to solicit Passengers. Use of any licensed E-Hail Application by the Driver is optional.
35 RCNY § 80-19(b)(2)(iii) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(3) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery must not pick up additional Passengers during a trip except at the Passenger's request.
35 RCNY § 80-19(b)(3) | Fine: $100 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(4) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery must not suggest to a current Passenger that an additional person be accepted as a Passenger.
35 RCNY § 80-19(b)(4) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(5) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery who has indicated through the Technology System that he or she is on-duty unavailable for the purposes of accepting a Pre-Arranged trip must not solicit or accept a Passenger for a Hail Trip.
35 RCNY § 80-19(b)(5) | Fine: $75 if plead guilty before a hearing; $100 if found guilty following a hearing. | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(6) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery who has indicated in the meter or through the Technology System that he or she is off duty must not solicit or accept a Passenger unless ALL of the following are true:
(i) The Driver is in the Hail Zone;
(ii) The Driver is returning the Street Hail Livery to his or her Base or home;
(iii) The Driver has transmitted the relevant information to an electronic database for entry on the electronic trip record or made a written trip record entry; and
(iv) The Passenger's destination is directly on the route to the Driver's home or garage.
35 RCNY § 80-19(b)(6) | Fine: $75 if plead guilty before a hearing; $100 if found guilty following a hearing. | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(c) Limits on Driver Solicitation of Passengers in For-Hire Vehicles.
(1) A Driver of a For-Hire Vehicle must not solicit or pick up Passengers other than by prearrangement through a licensed Base of the class that can dispatch the Driver's For-Hire Vehicle.
35 RCNY § 80-19(c)(1) | Fine: First Violation: $200 - $350. Second Violation in 24 months: $350 - $500, and up to 30 days' suspension. Third Violation in 36 months: Revocation.
| Appearance REQUIRED |
(2) Hail Exclusionary Zone. If a Driver solicits or picks up Passengers in Manhattan south of East 96th Street and West 110th Street or at the New York City Airports other than by prearrangement through a licensed Base of the class that can dispatch the Driver's For-Hire Vehicle, or by dispatch of an Accessible Vehicle, the Driver will be subject to the below enhanced penalties.
35 RCNY § 80-19(c)(2) | Fine: First Violation: $500. Second Violation in 24 months: $750. Third Violation in 120 months: Revocation.
| Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(3) No Requiring Ride-Sharing. A Driver of a For-Hire Vehicle must not require that any prospective Passenger share a ride with another prospective Passenger.
35 RCNY § 80-19(c)(3) | Fine: $100 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(d) Taxi Stands and Relief Stands.
(1) A Driver of a Taxicab has the right to take a position at any Taxi Stand having a vacancy, and no other Driver may interfere with that right.
(i) A Driver of a Street Hail Livery has the right to take a position at any Taxi Stand having a vacancy in the Hail Zone, and no other Driver may interfere with that right. A Driver of a Street Hail Livery does NOT have the right to take a position at a Taxi Stand in the Hail Exclusionary Zone.
35 RCNY § 80-19(d)(1) | Fine: $75 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(2) A For-Hire Driver must not pick up Passengers at any Taxi Stand.
35 RCNY § 80-19(d)(2) | Fine: First Violation: $350. Second Violation in 24 months: $500. Third Violation in 36 months: Revocation. | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(3) A Driver must not occupy a Taxi Stand in order to repair his or her Vehicle, except for minor emergency repairs.
35 RCNY § 80-19(d)(3) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(4) A Driver must take the rear position on the line formed at a Taxi Stand (other than a relief stand) and must not overcrowd such stand.
35 RCNY § 80-19(d)(4) | Fine: $100 if plead guilty before a hearing; $150 if found guilty following a hearing. | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(5) A Driver must only occupy a Taxi Stand when on duty or for no longer than one hour while on relief time or for Personal Use-Off Duty.
35 RCNY § 80-19(d)(5) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(6) The Drivers of each of the first two Vehicles on a Taxi Stand, (other than a relief stand), must remain in the driver's seat ready to accept Passengers. Any other Driver on a Taxi Stand must be no more than 15 feet from his or her Vehicle unless he or she is off duty.
35 RCNY § 80-19(d)(6) | Fine: $75 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(7) A Driver may take any vacant position at a relief stand however Drivers must comply with all posted restrictions including the type(s) of Vehicles that may occupy a position at the relief stand and the maximum time a Vehicle may park at the relief stand.
35 RCNY § 80-19(d)(7) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(e) Taxicab Passenger Pick Up at Airports and Terminals.
(1) The rules regarding Taxi Stands also apply to special Taxi Stands and Feed Lines at air, rail, bus and ship terminals. (Note: These rules also apply to Street Hail Liveries for terminals located in the Hail Zone).
(2) Where a terminal provides Taxicab or Street Hail Livery holding areas:
(i) Drivers must park the Vehicle in a taxi holding area before leaving on relief time.
(ii) Upon returning from relief time, the Driver must join the end of the Feed Line.
(iii) Drivers are not permitted to bring Passengers into a holding area.
35 RCNY § 80-19(e)(2) | Fine: $50 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(3) Where an airport Taxi Stand offers both Long Haul and Short Haul lines, if there are Taxicabs available in both lines:
(i) A Driver who has been given a Short Haul ticket must not accept a Passenger for a Long Haul.
(ii) A Driver who has been given a Long Haul ticket must not accept a Passenger for a Short Haul.
35 RCNY § 80-19(e)(3) | Fine: $100 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(f) For-Hire Vehicle Dispatch at Airports and Terminals. A Driver of a For-Hire Vehicle must not accept a dispatch while parked or otherwise located at Kennedy Airport or La Guardia Airport unless the Driver is parked in an area other than the airport's designated passenger pick up locations.
35 RCNY § 80-19(f) | Fine: $250 | Appearance NOT REQUIRED |
(Added City Record 9/22/2016, eff. 10/22/2016; amended City Record 5/17/2018, eff. 6/16/2018; amended City Record 12/11/2018, eff. 1/10/2019; amended City Record 8/19/2019, eff. 9/18/2019; amended City Record 12/9/2020, eff. 1/8/2021; amended City Record 2/2/2023, eff. 3/4/2023)