D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 31, r. 31-9901
For the purposes of this title, the following words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed:
"Accessible Vehicle Identification" - an operator's license that allows its bearer to operate a wheelchair accessible vehicle and any other type or class of public vehicle-for-hire.
"Act" - the District of Columbia Taxicab Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code §§50-301 et seq. (2012 Repl. & 2013 Supp.).
"Active status" - a status in which an operator or vehicle participates in providing service without a cessation of any nature or duration, or without an interruption of more than ten (10) calendar days.
"ADA" - the Americans with Disabilities Act as defined in this chapter.
"Administrative Procedure Act" ("APA") -- The District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, effective October 8, 1975, (D.C. Law 1-19; D.C. Official Code §§ 2-502et seq. (2016 Repl.)).
"Affiliated" - Common ownership.
"Americans with Disabilities Act" - the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (104 Stat. 328; 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.).
"App" - an application, as defined in this chapter.
"Application" - a piece of software designed to fulfill a particular purpose, which is downloadable by a user to a mobile device, such as a tablet or smartphone. For purposes of this title, unless otherwise stated, an app's purpose shall be assumed to be the digital dispatch of, or the digital dispatch and digital payment of, trips by vehicles-for-hire.
"Approved digital taximeter" - the taximeter app component of any approved DTS, as defined in this chapter.
"API" or "Application Programming Interface" - a set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application software.
"Associated" - voluntarily related through employment, contract, joint venture, ownership, agency or other legal affiliation. For the purposes of this chapter, an association not in writing shall be ineffective for compliance purposes.
"Association" - a group of taxicab owners organized for the purpose of engaging in the business of taxicab transportation for common benefits regarding operation, name, logo, or insignia. For the purposes of this title, an association not in writing shall be ineffective for compliance purposes.
"Autonomous vehicle" - a vehicle in which operation occurs without direct operator input to control the steering, acceleration, and braking, and which is capable of monitoring road conditions and performing navigation for an entire trip without human conduction.
"AVID" - an Accessible Vehicle Identification as defined in this chapter.
"Black car" - a luxury class vehicle which operates exclusively through advance reservation made by a digital dispatch service, which may not solicit or accept street hails, and for which the fare is calculated by time and distance. The term "black car" in this title is synonymous with the term "sedan" as defined in the Establishment Act.
"Black car service" - a public vehicle-for-hire service provided by a black car and operated in accordance with Chapter 14 of this title.
"Booked trip" - a trip that has been agreed to and accepted by the customer.
"CAPS-DC" - "Coordinated Alternative to Paratransit Services" as defined in this chapter.
"CAPS-DC debit card" - a payment card issued by the District to MetroAccess participants who have consented to participate in CAPS-DC.
"CAPS-DC MOU" - a memorandum of understanding between WMATA and the District, executed on June 23, 2014, and any amendments, modifications, or novations thereof, providing general terms, conditions, and requirements for WMATA's and the District's participation in the CAPS-DC Pilot Program.
"CAPS-DC trip" - a one-way trip to or from a participating CAPS-DC dialysis center.
"Cash payment" - a payment to the operator by the passenger inside the vehicle using cash. A cash payment is a form of in-vehicle payment.
"Cashless payment" - a payment to the operator by the passenger made inside the vehicle other than by cash, which shall include a payment by payment card and may include another form of non-cash payment that a payment service provider is approved to provide under Chapter 4 (such as near-field communication and voucher). A "digital payment" is not considered a cashless payment.
"Clean Hands Act" - The Clean Hands Before Receiving a License or Permit Act of 1996, effective May 11, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-118; D.C. Official Code §§ 47-2862 (2012 Repl.)).
"CNG vehicle" - an automobile powered exclusively by compressed natural gas.
"Commission" - the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission established under §§ 5 of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code §§50-304 (2012 Repl.).
"Commissioner" - a Commissioner of the D.C. Taxicab Commission, or his or her designated agent, except as to Chapter 9, which shall refer to a Commissioner of the Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking, or his or her designated agent.
"Company" - a person, partnership, or corporation engaging in the business of owning and operating a fleet or fleets of taxicabs utilizing the same identifying name, logo, or insignia, as approved by the Office of Taxicabs.
"Complainant" - a member of the public who submits a complaint.
"Compliance order" - an order issued by the Office of Taxicabs or a District enforcement official to any person regulated by this title or other applicable law, requiring the person to implement a measure or undertake an action to comply with a provision of this title or other applicable law.
"Compulsory/No Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act" - the Compulsory/No Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act of 1982, effective September 18, 1982 (D.C. Law 4-155; D.C. Official Code §§ 31-2406 (2012 Repl. & 2014 Supp.)).
"Consumer Personal Information Security Breach Notification Act" - The Consumer Personal Information Security Breach Notification Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-237; D.C. Official Code §§ 28-3851 et seq. (2012 Repl.)).
"Consumer Service Fund" - the Public Vehicle-for-Hire Consumer Service Fund as authorized by the Establishment Act, as defined in this chapter, as amended by the Vehicle-for-Hire Act, as defined in this chapter.
"Contract reservation" - an advance booking for limousine service that includes the start time and the hourly rate.
"Co-op" - the District of Columbia Taxicab Industry Co-op, as defined in this chapter.
"Coordinated Alternative to Paratransit Services" - a pilot program to provide paratransit service, including wheelchair accessible service, to eligible patients.
"Credit card processing device" - a component of a DTS unit that allows passengers to make payments using credit cards and other methods of non-cash payment in the manner required by the Act and other applicable laws.
"Customer" - a person that requests public vehicle-for-hire service, including a passenger or any other person that requests service on behalf of another person.
"Day" - a calendar day unless otherwise stated.
"D.C." - the District of Columbia.
"DC TaxiApp" - the District of Columbia Universal Taxicab App, as defined in this chapter.
"DCRA" - the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
"DCTC" - the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission as defined in this section.
"DCTC operator's license" - a license issued by the Office allowing its bearer to operate a taxicab, limousine, or black car.
"DCTC ID card" - a DCTC operator license identification card as defined in this section.
"DCTC operator license identification card"- a licensing document (a card) stating that its bearer is licensed by the Office to operate one or more classes of public vehicle-for-hire as stated on the document.
"DCTC public vehicle-for-hire license" - a vehicle license issued pursuant to D.C. Official Code §§ 47-2829(h) (2012 Repl.).
"DDS" - a digital dispatch service as defined in this chapter.
"Department of For-Hire Vehicles", "Department" or "DFHV" - the Department established under §§ 5 of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code §§ 50-301.04 (2014 Repl. & 2015 Supp.)) and which replaced the D.C. Taxicab Commission and the Office of Taxicabs with the enactment of the Transportation Reorganization Amendment Act of 2016, effective June 22, 2016 (D.C. Law 21-0124).
"DISB" - the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking.
"Digital dispatch" - hardware and software applications and networks, including mobile phone applications, used for the provision of vehicle-for-hire services.
"Digital dispatch service" - a dispatch service that provides digital dispatch for vehicles-for-hire. The phrase "company that uses digital dispatch for public vehicle-for-hire service", as used in the Establishment Act, as amended by the Vehicle-for-Hire Act, shall include only a digital dispatch service, and shall not include any other person regulated by this title in connection with the provision of a public vehicle-for-hire service, such as a taxicab company.
"Digital payment" - a non-cash payment processed by a digital dispatch service and not by the vehicle operator. A "cashless payment" is not considered a digital payment.
"Digital services" - digital dispatch, or both digital dispatch and digital payment, for public vehicles-for-hire.
"Digital taxicab solution" or "DTS" - a technology solution for the operation of taxicabs that consists at a minimum of a digital taximeter running on a driver console, as defined in this chapter, a passenger console, and a credit card processing device, as such terms are defined in this chapter, and any optional components that the DTS provider may choose to include.
"Dispatch" - a means of booking a vehicle-for-hire through advance reservation.
"Dispatch or payment solution" - any combination of technology, such as a tablet or smartphone running an app provided by a DDS, which, together, allows the DDS to provide taxicabs with digital dispatch or digital dispatch and digital payment.
"Dispatch service" - an organization, including a corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship, operating in the District that provides telephone or digital dispatch, as defined in this chapter, for vehicles-for-hire.
"District" - the District of Columbia.
"District enforcement official" - a vehicle inspection officer or other authorized official, employee, general counsel or assistant general counsel of the Office, or any law enforcement officer authorized to enforce a provision of this title or other applicable law.
"District of Columbia Taxicab Commission" - the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission established under §§ 5 of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code §§50-304 (2012 Repl.).
"District of Columbia Taxicab Commission (DCTC) License" - a taxicab vehicle license issued pursuant to D.C. Official Code §§ 47-2829(d) (2012 Repl.).
"District of Columbia Taxicab Industry Co-op" - an industry-owned cooperative association which provides service and support for the use of the District of Columbia Universal Taxicab App, as defined in this chapter, and for other lawful purposes.
"District of Columbia Universal Taxicab App" - a software application which allows passengers to book available DCTC-licensed taxicabs by digital dispatch.
"Dome light" - an instrument or device approved by the Commission which is attached to the top of a licensed taxicab to illuminate the assigned PVIN and display the vehicle's availability for hire.
"Dome light installation business" - a business that engages, in whole or in part, in the manufacture, sale (whether of new or used equipment), installation, repair, or adjustment of dome lights for use on licensed taxicabs.
"Double seal" - a lead seal installed, in addition to a seal (as defined in this chapter) by a taximeter installation business, to ensure that the taximeter cannot be removed or replaced except as allowed by regulatory requirements.
"Driver" - an operator of a vehicle.
"Driver console" - a component of a DTS unit, as defined in this chapter, which: incorporates a digital meter and other DTS functions used by operators during taxicab rides; is safely-secured in the vehicle; and is accessible to District enforcement officials during traffic stops and compliance surveys.
"DTS unit" - an individual unit of a DTS, as defined in this chapter, that is installed in a vehicle.
"Dynamic street hail pricing" - a District-wide variable pricing structure for taxicab rides booked by street hail or telephone dispatch, which is established, maintained, and publicized by a DTS provider, as defined in this chapter.
"Ehail" - digital dispatch, as defined in this chapter. As used in this title, the terms "ehail" and "digital dispatch" are synonymous.
"EPA" - the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
"Establishment Act" - the District of Columbia Taxicab Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code §§ 50-301 et seq. (2012 Repl. & 2014 Supp.).
"Evidence" - papers, notarized statements, photographs, and other things a party believes are helpful to a case.
"Ex parte communications" - direct or indirect communications about the merits or facts of a matter or impending matter which do not occur in the presence of all parties, and which do not include scheduling or other procedural matters unrelated to the merits or facts of a matter.
"Extended vehicle" - a vehicle which is the subject of an extension under §§ 609.7.
"False dispatch" - the solicitation or acceptance of a street hail by an operator not legally permitted to solicit or accept a street hail, under the pretense of digital dispatch. The acceptance by the passenger of a digitally dispatched trip originating after the operator and passenger have made visual contact, after the passenger has entered the vehicle, or where the vehicle has been cruising or loitering, shall give rise to a presumption, rebuttable by the operator, that the operator engaged in false dispatch.
"Fleet" - a group of twenty (20) or more taxicabs having the same name, logo, or insignia and having unified control by ownership or by association.
"FOIA" - the Freedom of Information Act as defined in this chapter.
"Freedom of Information Act" - The District of Columbia Freedom of Information Act, effective March 25, 1977 (D.C. Law 1-96; D.C. Official Code §§ 2-531 et seq. (2012 Repl.)).
"Gratuity" - a voluntary payment by the passenger after service is rendered, in an amount determined solely by the passenger.
"Group riding" - a group of two (2) or more passengers composed prior to the booking of a trip by dispatch or street hail and whose trip has a common point of origin and different or common destinations.
"Hack Inspector" - a vehicle inspection officer as defined in this chapter.
"Hack-up" - to outfit a vehicle as a taxicab and obtain approval from the Office for that vehicle to serve as a taxicab for the first time.
"Hearing examiner" - an attorney who hears and adjudicates cases at OHE.
"Identification card" or "Face card" - a licensing document reflecting that the bearer has been granted a DCTC operator's license pursuant to D.C. Official Code §§ 47-2829(e) (2012 Repl.).
"ILVB" - An independent taxicab business, as defined in this chapter.
"Implementation date" - the date for implementation of one or more provisions of a chapter as stated in the chapter.
"Impoundment" - impoundment that occurs pursuant to the Taxicab and Passenger Vehicle for Hire Impoundment Act of 1992, effective March 16, 1993 (D.C. Law 9-199; D.C. Official Code §§ 50-331 (2012 Repl.)).
"Independent luxury vehicle business" - A District-based business which appears as co-owner and co-registrant of a vehicle owned by an individual who is not domiciled in the District, for the purpose of allowing the individual to register a public vehicle-for-hire in the District pursuant to all applicable District laws and regulations.
"Independently operated taxicab" - an independent taxicab as define in this chapter.
"Independent taxicab" - a taxicab operated by an individual owner who is not part of a fleet, company, or association and who does not operate under the name, logo, or insignia of any fleet, company, or association.
"Independent taxicab business" - A District-based business which appears as co-owner and co-registrant of a taxicab vehicle owned by an individual who is not domiciled in the District, for the purpose of allowing the individual to register a public vehicle-for-hire in the District pursuant to all applicable District laws and regulations.
"Individual riding" - the transportation of a single passenger for an entire trip.
"Integration" - a commercial arrangement between a payment service provider and a digital dispatch service for the real-time sharing of electronic information between such businesses that complies with industry best practices and allows each of them to meet all obligations imposed by this chapter.
"Integration agreement" - an agreement between a payment service provider and a digital dispatch service to allocate the rights and obligations pertaining to integration under this chapter.
"Integration service fee" - a fee paid by the vehicle owner to the payment service provider for the use of the modern taximeter system when a digital payment is made.
"In-vehicle payment" - a payment made to the operator by the passenger inside the vehicle, consisting only of a cash payment or a cashless payment. A digital payment is not an in-vehicle payment.
"ITVB" - An independent taxicab business, as defined in this chapter.
"LCS service" - luxury class service as defined in this chapter.
"LCS vehicle" - luxury class service vehicle as defined in this chapter.
"Legacy dome light" - the patented and licensed dome light required for use on all taxicabs as of September 12, 2016.
"Legacy dome light regulations" - the regulations applicable to the legacy dome light, appearing in §§ 605.1 and in effect on September 12, 2016.
"License" - includes the whole or part of any permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter, membership, statutory exemption, or other form of permission granted by the Mayor or any agency (as defined in the Administrative Procedure Act, effective October 8, 1975 (D.C. Law 1-19; D.C. Official Code §§ 2-502 (2012 Repl. & 2013 Supp.)).
"Licensing document"- a physical or electronic document issued to a person as evidence that such person has been issued a license pursuant to this title, such as a DCTC operator's identification card.
"Limousine" - a luxury class vehicle which operates exclusively though advance reservation by the owner or operator, which may not solicit or accept street hails, and for which the fare is calculated by time.
"Limousine service" - a public vehicle-for-hire service provided by any LCS vehicle operated by an operator who possesses a DCTC operator's license, where the trip is booked by advance reservation and the fare is calculated by time.
"Livery tags" - vehicle tags issued by a motor vehicle licensing agency for a public vehicle-for-hire used to provide luxury class services, including the "L" tags issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
"Loitering" - waiting around or in front of a hotel, theater, public building, or place of public gathering or in the vicinity of a taxicab or limousine stand that is occupied to full capacity; stopping in such locations, except to take on or discharge a passenger; or unnecessarily slow driving in front of a hotel, theater, public building, or place of public gathering or in the vicinity of a taxicab or limousine stand that is occupied to full capacity.
"Luxury class service"- limousine or black car service.
"Luxury class vehicle" - a public vehicle-for-hire that:
"Matter" - a contested case, as defined in the Administrative Procedures Act.
"MetroAccess Card" - an identification card issued by WMATA to passengers who participate in its MetroAccess program.
"Modern taximeter system" - a technology solution that combines taximeter equipment and payment service provider ("PSP") service and support in the manner required by this title.
"Modern taximeter system unit" - the MTS equipment installed in a particular vehicle.
"MSA" - the Multi-State Area, as defined in this chapter.
"MTA" - A modern taxicab association, as defined in this chapter.
"MTS" - a modern taximeter system as defined in this section.
"MTS unit" - a modern taximeter system unit as defined in this section.
"Multi-State Area" - the area comprised of the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
"New vehicle" - any vehicle owned by its manufacturer, or a dealer holding a valid franchise for the sale of such vehicle, or a bank or a finance company and which has never before been titled or registered in this or any other jurisdiction, except the kind of title issued only to dealers, provided however that:
"Office" - the Office of Taxicabs established pursuant to §§ 13 of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code §§50-301 (2012 Repl.)).
"Office order"- an administrative issuance by the Office to a class of persons or vehicles regulated by a provision of this title or other applicable law that: adopts a form; issues a guideline or protocol applicable to persons other than employees of the Office; provides guidance concerning a provision of this title; or takes any action that the Office deems necessary for purposes of administration, enforcement, or compliance.
"Operator" - a person who operates a public vehicle-for-hire.
"Option for payment technology" and "OPT" - a payment processing service that meets the technical requirements of DFHV, including the reporting of trip data and the collection of passenger surcharges, the ability to work with one or more approved digital taximeters, with which it is integrated at its own expense, and that processes payments at a total cost at or below two and seventy-five one hundredths percent (2.75%) per swipe.
"Owner" - A person, individual, partnership, company, association, or corporation that holds legal title to a public vehicle-for-hire which is licensed by the Office or the registration of which is required in the District of Columbia to own and operate a taxicab or taxicabs. For purposes of Chapters 4 and 12 of this title the term "owner" may include a mortgagor if the mortgagor of a public-vehicle-for-hire is entitled to possession. The term may also include a lessee, a trustee, or a receiver appointed by a court, operating, controlling, managing, or renting a passenger vehicle-for-hire in the District of Columbia except as to operations licensed under D.C. Official Code §§ 47-2829(d) (2012 Repl.). The term does not include common carrier which have been expressly exempted from the jurisdiction of the Commission.
"Passenger console" - a component of a DTS unit, as defined in this chapter, which provides passengers with: the operator's license number; the vehicle's navigational path; applicable rates and charges (including if the provider uses dynamic street hail pricing: a disclosure of its current discount, if any, which shall be the same as the disclosure that appears on the DTS provider's website); advertising; any audiovisual content required by the Department; a statement about payment and receipt options.
"Passenger surcharge" - a fee, which is currently set at fifty cents ($0.50), required to be assessed to and collected from passengers and remitted to the District for each public vehicle-for-hire trip as required by this title and which shall not exceed fifty cents ($.50).
"Payment card" - a credit or debit card, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
"Payment information on file" - a payment card, direct debit, or pre-paid account that allows a person to process a payment without requiring the person authorizing the payment to present the original payment information.
"Payment service provider" - a business that offers a modern taximeter service or MTS, which, if approved by the Office, may operate such MTS pursuant to this title.
"PCI Compliant" - Adherence to set of policies and procedures developed by the PCI Security Standards Council to protect credit, debit and cash card transactions and prevent the misuse of cardholders' personal information.
"Person" - shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, effective October 8, 1975 (D.C. Law 1-19; D.C. Official Code §§ 2-502 (2012 Repl. & 2013 Supp.) and shall specifically include a firm, company, institution, receiver, or trustee, and, is further defined as including, any individual, company, business, association or entity regulated by this title, any individual or entity that engages in an activity regulated by this title which requires District of Columbia Taxicab Commission licensure or authorization to operate but has not obtained such appropriate license or authorization, or any individual or entity whose District of Columbia Taxicab Commission license or authorization has lapsed, been suspended, or been revoked.
"Personal service" - in the context of the provision of taxicab service to a passenger, assistance or service requested by a passenger that requires the taxicab operator to leave the vicinity of the taxicab.
"Pre-arranged ride" - A period of time that begins when a private sedan operator accepts a requested ride through digital dispatch (an app), continues while the operator transports the passenger in the operator's private sedan, and ends when the passenger departs from the private sedan.
"Preponderance of the evidence" - evidence which is of greater weight or more convincing than the evidence which is offered in opposition to it; that is, sufficient evidence to convince the hearing examiner that something is more likely to have occurred than to not have occurred.
"Private sedan" - a private motor vehicle that shall:
The term "private sedan" in this title is synonymous with the term "private vehicle-for-hire", as defined in the Establishment Act."
"Private sedan business" - an organization, including a corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship, operating in the District, that uses digital dispatch to connect passengers to a network of operators of private sedans, as defined in this chapter.
"Private sedan operator" - an individual who operates a personal motor vehicle to provide private sedan service, as defined in this chapter, in association with a private sedan business, as defined in this chapter.
"Private sedan service" - a class of transportation service by which a network of private sedan operators, as defined in this chapter, registered with a private sedan business, as defined in this chapter, provides vehicle-for-hire service through a digital dispatch service, as defined in this chapter.
"Proceeding" - the entire adjudication process, from the issuance of a notice of hearing through the issuance of a decision, including the disposition of any motion for reconsideration.
"PSP" - Payment service provider as defined in this chapter.
"Provisional DFHV luxury class service operator's license" - a DFHV operator's license issued to an operator of a luxury class service vehicle which, following its issuance, may be subject to additional requirements or conditions, including the completion of a background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, prior to full licensing consistent with the requirements of this title and other applicable laws.
"Provisional LCS operator's license" - a provisional DFHV luxury class service operator's license as defined in this section.
"Public vehicle-for-hire" - classes of for-hire transportation which exclusively use operators and vehicles licensed by the Office pursuant to D.C. Official Code §§ 47 -2829.
"Public vehicle-for-hire identification number" - a unique number assigned by the Office to a public vehicle-for-hire.
"PVIN" - Public vehicle-for-hire identification number as defined in this chapter.
"Rate of fare" - the established fare which may be charged by a licensed taxicab other than for trips booked through digital dispatch, which fare has been promulgated by the Commission and may include, but is not limited to, surcharges and waiting times.
"Respondent" - a person against whom an enforcement action is taken a public complaint is made, or an order of investigation or order to show cause is directed.
"Revocation" - the permanent recall or annulment of a privilege or authority granted by the Office.
"rollDC" - the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's Wheelchair Accessible Taxicab program.
"Seal" - a device, approved by the Commission, which may be installed on a taximeter, wire, wiring mechanism, gear or other device, so that no adjustment, repair, alteration or replacement can be made without removing or mutilating the seal or seals.
"Sedan" A black car as defined in this chapter. Sedan and black car are synonymous throughout Title 31.
"Semi-autonomous vehicle" - a vehicle which has automation of at least two primary control functions designed to work in unison to relieve the operator of control of these functions, such as adaptive cruise control with lane centering.
"Senior hearing examiner" - a hearing examiner, as defined in this chapter, who also performs administrative duties for OHE as allowed or required by OHE rules and by other applicable laws and regulations.
"Shared riding" - a group of two (2) or more passengers arranged by a starter at a location which has been designated by the Chief of the Office in an Office Issuance issued pursuant to Chapter 7 of this title, where there are common or different destinations.
"Shift" - A twelve (12) hour period of time which covers at least one (1) rush-hour.
"Smoking Restriction Act" - the District of Columbia Smoking Restriction Act of 1979, effective September 28, 1979 (D.C. Law 3-22; D.C. Official Code §§ 7-1703(5) (2012 Repl.)).
"Special shared ride distance rate" -: the taximeter distance rate for a shared ride in a vehicle with a digital taximeter which has been reprogrammed for this rate.
"Street" - a roadway designated on the Permanent System of Highways of the District of Columbia as a public thoroughfare.
"Surcharge account" - an account established and maintained with the District for the purpose of processing the passenger surcharge.
"Surcharge bond"- a bond payable to the D.C. Treasurer for the purpose of securing the payment of passenger surcharges to the District.
"Suspension" - a temporary bar of a person from the privilege or authority conferred by the Office for a period of time after which period the privilege or authority is automatically re-instated or the person must request re-instatement.
"Taxicab" - a public vehicle-for-hire which may be hired by dispatch or hailed on the street, and for which the fare complies with the provisions of §§ 801.
"Taxicab commission information system" - the information system operated by the Office.
"Taximeter fare"- the fare established by this title for use by taxicabs other than for trips booked by a digital dispatch service.
"Taximeter" - an instrument or device approved by the Office by which the charge to a passenger for the hire of a licensed taxicab is automatically calculated and on which such charge is plainly indicated.
"Taximeter business" - a business which engages, in whole or in part, in the manufacture, sale (whether of new or used equipment), installation, repair, adjustment, testing, sealing, or calibrating of taximeters, for use upon a licensed vehicle in the District of Columbia including any business which engages in whole or in part in the installation of taxicab dome lights.
"Taximeter business owner" - an individual, partnership or corporation licensed by the Office to own and operate a taximeter business.
"Taximeter test" - a method to determine compliance with distance and time tolerances, utilizing either a road test over a precisely measured road course or a simulated road test determining the distance traveled by use of a roller device, or by computation from rolling circumference and wheel-turn data, said test having been conducted in accordance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook No. 44.
"TCIS" - a taxicab commission information system as define in this chapter.
"Telephone dispatch" - a traditional means for dispatching a vehicle-for-hire, originating with a telephone call by the passenger. The term "telephone dispatch" in this title is synonymous with the term "dispatch" as defined in the Establishment Act, as amended by the Vehicle-for-Hire Act.
"Telephone dispatch service" - a taxicab company which provides telephone dispatch for taxicabs.
"Tour of duty" - the period of time when an operator is signed into an MTS or digital payment system.
"Trade Dress" - a logo, insignia, or emblem established by a private sedan business for display on its associated vehicles while providing service.
"Trip" - a trip provided by a public vehicle-for-hire licensed by the Office to one (1) or more passengers at the same time which either originated in the District or originated outside of the District, pursuant to a valid reciprocity agreement and for which a fare is or should have been collected.
"Trunk tote" - a tote bag maintained by the vehicle operator to carry necessities for emergencies and essential tools as described in this title.
"Vehicle-for-hire" - a public vehicle-for-hire or a private sedan, as defined in this chapter.
"Vehicle-for-Hire Act" - the Vehicle-for-Hire Innovation Amendment Act of 2014, effective March 10, 2015 (D.C. Law 20-0197).
"Vehicle-for-hire industry" - all persons directly involved in providing public vehicle-for-hire and private sedan services, including companies, associations, owners, operators, and any individual who, by virtue of employment or office, is directly involved in providing such services.
"Vehicle inspection officer" - an Office employee trained in the laws, rules, and regulations governing vehicle-for-hire service to ensure the proper provision of service and to support safety through street enforcement efforts, including traffic stops of vehicles-for-hire, pursuant to this title, the Establishment Act, and other applicable laws.
"Washington Metropolitan Area" - the area encompassed by the District; Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, and Frederick County in Maryland; Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudon County, and Prince William County and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park in Virginia.
"Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority" - the regional transportation agency created by interstate compact to serve the Washington Metropolitan Area.
"WAV" - A wheelchair accessible vehicle, as defined in this chapter.
"Wheelchair accessible vehicle" - a vehicle compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and its implementing regulations, including 49 C.F.R. Part 38.1 - 38.39, which accommodates a passenger using a wheelchair or other personal mobility device who needs a ramp or lift to enter or exit the vehicle.
"Wheelchair securement system" - a system which meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R. Part 38 §§ 38.23(d) to safely secure a wheelchair in a wheelchair accessible vehicle.
"Wheelchair service" - service provided by a wheelchair accessible vehicle.
"Wiring harness" - a wire or collection of wires, including all connections thereto, which is connected in any manner whatsoever to a taximeter or in any way affects the operation of a taximeter.
"WMATA" - "Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority" as defined in this chapter.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 31, r. 31-9901