2016 -- S 2791

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LC005016

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - PUBLIC MOTOR VEHICLES

     

     Introduced By: Senator Louis P. DiPalma

     Date Introduced: March 23, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 39-14.1-1 and 39-14.1-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-14.1

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entitled "Public Motor Vehicles" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-14.1-1. Definitions. -- Terms used in this chapter shall be construed as follows, unless

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another meaning is expressed or is clearly apparent from the language or context:

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      (1) "Certificate" means a certificate of operating authority issued to a public motor

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vehicle;

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      (2) "Charter carrier" means a provider of transportation services to groups such as:

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lodges, bands, athletic teams, schools, or other travel groups, assembled by someone other than

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the carrier who collectively contracts for the exclusive use of certain equipment for the duration

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of a particular trip or tour. Charter carrier services shall also include transportation services

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provided by employment agencies or employers to individuals in the context of providing

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transportation to and from their place of employment;

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      (3) "Common carrier", as used in this chapter, means any person engaging in the

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business of providing transportation services for compensation to passengers through the use of a

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public motor vehicle as defined in this chapter;

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      (4) "Division" means the division of public utilities and carriers;

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      (5) "Driver" means any person operating a motor vehicle used for the transportation of

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passengers that he or she owns or is operating with the expressed or implied consent of the

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owner;

 

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      (6) "Person" means and includes any individual, partnership, corporation, or other

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association of individuals;

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     (7) "Prearranged" or "prearrange" means a reservation for transportation services to be

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provided by a public motor vehicle, made at least two (2) hours in advance of the delivery of

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services to the passenger. Transportation services commence at the time the passenger is initially

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picked up by the driver.

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      (7) (8) "Public motor vehicle" means and includes every motor vehicle for hire, other

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than a jitney, as defined in § 39-13-1, or a taxicab or limited public motor vehicle, as defined in §

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39-14-1, used for transporting members of the general public for compensation in unmarked

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vehicles at a predetermined or prearranged charge to such points as may be directed by the

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passenger. All vehicles operated under this chapter shall conform to specifications established by

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the division. Transportation services provided by charter carriers, as defined in this chapter, or by

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funeral homes, in association with funeral services, and by ambulance companies shall be exempt

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from this chapter;

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      (8) (9) "Unmarked vehicles" means motor vehicles that do not display the transportation

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company's name, address or telephone number, or any advertisements or commercial information

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beyond that included by the vehicle's manufacturer on the vehicle's exterior surfaces; provided,

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however, that public motor vehicles that display markings identifying them as service or courtesy

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vehicles used by licensed health care facilities, assisted living residences, and adult day care

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programs, licensed by the Rhode Island department of health, pursuant to chapters 17 and 17.4 of

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title 23 and § 23-1-52, respectively, shall be permitted to operate with such markings; provided

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the vehicles are registered to these licensed entities; operated by employees of these licensed

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entities; and that the service provided with these vehicles, when being used as public motor

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vehicles, is limited to transportation services provided to passengers receiving transportation

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services through a program funded by the federal government and/or the state of Rhode Island;

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provided, further, that public motor vehicles providing transportation services under a program

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funded by the federal government and/or the state of Rhode Island may display temporary and

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easily removable markings (e.g. magnetic placards) on their vehicles, for the sole purpose of

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identifying the vehicles as authorized transportation service vehicles operating in association with

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the publicly funded program.

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      (9) (10) "Wheelchair accessible public motor vehicle" means a public motor vehicle

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designed and equipped to allow the transportation of a person(s) who uses a wheelchair without

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requiring that person(s) to be removed from the wheelchair, but such public motor vehicle is not

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restricted to transporting only persons using wheelchairs.

 

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     39-14.1-6. Operations of public motor vehicles. -- No public motor vehicle shall be

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operated from any taxicab stand on any public highway; nor shall the operator of it transport any

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passenger for hire unless the transportation is requested and prearranged by the passenger at an

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office of the owner of the vehicle, either personally or by telephone and/or other electronic means

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at least two (2) hours in advance of the delivery of the services to the passenger. When solicited

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by a prospective customer, the certificate holder or its representative shall quote what the actual

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charge for the requested transportation service will be prior to picking up the passenger(s).

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      The division shall establish and set a minimum allowable charge for public motor

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vehicle services. The minimum allowable charge provisions of this section shall not apply to

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public motor vehicle service coordinated by, or paid for by, a state department, authority, or

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agency on behalf of clients of said state department, authority, or agency; provided, however, that

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the state department, authority, or agency requests the service no later than the day before the

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service is to be rendered. This exemption shall also apply in cases where the state has contracted

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with a private company to coordinate the scheduling and provision of such transportation

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services, provided the funding for such transportation services comes exclusively through a

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program funded by the federal government and/or the state of Rhode Island.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - PUBLIC MOTOR VEHICLES

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     This act would prohibit the operator of a public motor vehicle from transporting any

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passenger unless the pickup time is prearranged at least two (2) hours before the actual pickup.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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