325A.13 Passenger certificate required — exceptions.

1. It is unlawful for a charter carrier to transport passengers by motor vehicle for hire from any place in this state to another place in this state irrespective of the route or highway traversed, without first having obtained a charter passenger certificate from the department.

2. a. It is unlawful for a regular-route motor carrier of passengers to transport passengers for hire upon the highways of this state in intrastate commerce without first having obtained from the department a regular-route passenger certificate. The department shall issue a regular-route passenger certificate if the department finds that the applicant is fit, willing, and able.

b. In determining whether a regular-route motor carrier of passengers is fit, willing, and able, the department shall only consider the applicant’s compliance with safety, financial fitness, and insurance requirements.

c. A regular-route passenger certificate authorizing the transportation of passengers includes the authority to transport newspapers, baggage of passengers, express packages, or mail in the same motor vehicle with passengers.

d. A regular-route motor carrier of passengers holding a regular-route passenger certificate may at any time commence scheduled service over any regular route from any point or place in this state to another place in this state irrespective of the route or highway traversed and may at any time discontinue any part of its regular-route service.

e. A regular-route motor carrier of passengers granted a certificate prior to January 1, 1998, which authorized motor carrier passenger operations, may continue to provide motor carrier passenger service with all rights and privileges granted by a regular-route passenger certificate issued under this section.

f. An Iowa urban transit system as defined in section 452A.57, subsection 6, may operate within the metropolitan area which it serves and between its service area and another city which is located not more than ten miles from its service area without obtaining a regular-route passenger certificate if the other city is not served by another motor carrier of passengers operating under a regular-route passenger certificate.

3. It is unlawful for a taxicab service to transport passengers by motor vehicle for hire from any place in this state to another place in this state, irrespective of the route or highway traversed, without first having obtained a taxicab service passenger certificate from the department. However, a taxicab service passenger certificate issued by the department does not authorize a taxicab service to transport passengers within the boundaries of a local authority that licenses or regulates such vehicles pursuant to section 321.236, subsection 7, unless the taxicab service is in compliance with all applicable regulations of the local authority.

4. A person shall not operate as a charter carrier, regular-route motor carrier of passengers, or taxicab service in this state unless the person possesses a certificate issued by the department applicable to the type of operation in which the person is engaged.

5. A motor carrier providing primarily passenger service for persons who are elderly, persons with disabilities, and other transportation-disadvantaged persons is exempt from the certification requirements of this section if it satisfies all of the following requirements:

a. The motor carrier is not a corporation organized for profit under the laws of Iowa or any other state or the motor carrier is a governmental organization.

b. The motor carrier received or receives operating funds from federal, state, or local government sources.

c. The motor carrier does not duplicate a transportation service provided by a motor carrier issued a regular-route passenger certificate.

6. A person operating a motor vehicle in a car pool or van pool is exempt from the requirement of this chapter.

7. Except for a person operating a car pool or van pool, each motor carrier exempt from the requirement for obtaining a certificate under this section shall obtain a nontransferable permit from the department. Such motor carriers shall comply with all safety, insurance, and other rules of the department pertaining to a publicly funded transit system.

97 Acts, ch 70, §15; 97 Acts, ch 104, §44, 61; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §33 – 35; 2018 Acts, ch 1070, §7, 8

Subsection 2, paragraphs f and g stricken and former paragraph h redesignated as f

NEW subsections 3 and 4 and former subsections 3 – 5 renumbered as 5 – 7