(a)(1) Each person, association, limited liability company or corporation owning or operating a taxicab is declared a common carrier and subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation. The Commissioner of Transportation is authorized to prescribe adequate service, reasonable rates and charges, and standards for the equipment, including, but not limited to, a taxi meter or cellular mobile telephone or other electronic device with online-enabled application or access to an Internet web site used to calculate such rates and charges. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, for the purpose of establishing fares, tiered rates, discounted rates, promotions, service, operation and equipment as it deems necessary for the convenience, protection and safety of passengers and the public. Such regulations shall require any person, association, limited liability company or corporation owning or operating a taxicab and using tiered rates to post such tiered rates in the taxicab in a location visible to a passenger and on the online-enabled application and Internet web site of such person, association, company or corporation. For the purposes of this subsection, “tiered rates” means separate premium and nonpremium rates based on time periods, events or dates or any combination thereof.

(2) Not later than October 1, 2018, the Commissioner of Transportation shall submit regulations concerning the appearance, identification and markings of taxicabs to the standing legislative regulation review committee.

(b) The rates and charges established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any person, association, or corporation (1) operating a taxicab engaged in the transportation of passengers for hire pursuant to a contract with, or a lower tier contract for, any federal, state or municipal agency, (2) certified pursuant to section 13b-97 prior to May 22, 1998, and (3) registered pursuant to section 13b-99 prior to May 22, 1998.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section or any regulation adopted pursuant to said subsection (a) concerning wheelchair accessibility requirements for motor vehicles, any motor vehicle in compliance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act 42 USC 12101 and the registration requirements of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles may be used to provide taxicab service for persons requiring such wheelchair accessibility.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section or any regulation adopted pursuant to said subsection (a) concerning wheel base requirements, any sedan or station wagon type vehicle powered by a clean alternative fuel and having a wheel base of not less than one hundred two inches may be used to provide taxicab service.

(1949 Rev., S. 5717; P.A. 75-486, S. 1, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 79-610, S. 19; P.A. 97-304, S. 22, 31; P.A. 98-91, S. 6, 9; P.A. 02-123, S. 6; P.A. 09-186, S. 10; P.A. 10-110, S. 55; P.A. 17-140, S. 11.)

History: P.A. 75-486 substituted “public utilities control authority” for “commission” i.e. public utilities commission, and “authority” for “commission” thereafter, effective December 1, 1975; P.A. 77-614 replaced “public utilities control authority” with “division of public utility control within the department of business regulation”, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-610 substituted “department of transportation” for foregoing designation and “department” for “division”; in 1981 Sec. 16-319 transferred to Sec. 13b-96; P.A. 97-304 extended provisions to limited liability companies, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-91 amended Subsec. (a) to provide authority for the commissioner to adopt regulations and added Subsec. (b) prohibiting the rates and charges established pursuant to Subsec. (a) to apply to certified and registered persons operating a taxicab engaged in the transportation of passengers for hire pursuant to a governmental contract, effective May 22, 1998; P.A. 02-123 amended Subsec. (a) to allow any sedan or station wagon type vehicle powered by a clean alternative fuel with a wheel base of at least 102 inches to be used to provide taxicab service, effective June 7, 2002; P.A. 09-186 redesignated provision in Subsec. (a) authorizing vehicles powered by alternative fuel and having wheel base not less than 102” to provide taxicab service as Subsec. (d) and added Subsec. (c) authorizing use of any motor vehicle in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act and state motor vehicle registration requirements to provide taxicab service for persons requiring wheelchair accessibility; P.A. 10-110 made a technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 17-140 amended Subsec. (a) to designate existing provisions re owner of taxicab declared common carrier as Subdiv. (1) and amended same to add provision re standards for equipment, replace “may” with “shall” re adoption of regulations, add “tiered rates, discounted rates, and promotions”, add provisions re tiered rates, and add Subdiv. (2) re regulations concerning the appearance, identification and marking of taxicabs, effective January 1, 2018.