When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed:

“Approved MTS” means an MTS that has been approved for use by the Office under this chapter.

“Associated” connotes a voluntary relationship of employment, contract, ownership, or other legal affiliation. For purposes of this chapter, an association not in writing shall be ineffective for compliance purposes.

“Association” means a group of taxicab owners organized for the purpose of engaging in the business of taxicab transportation for common benefits regarding operation, color scheme, or insignia.

“Authorized MTS installation business” means a business authorized by the Office under this title to install one or more approved MTSs.

“Cashless payment” means a payment made with a passenger’s payment card, or other means of non-cash payment that the PSP is approved to offer under Chapter 4, and processed by the PSP. A cashless payment is not a digital payment.

“Commission” or “DCTC” means the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission.

“Digital dispatch” means dispatch initiated by computer, mobile phone application, text, email, or Web-based reservation.

“Digital payment” means a payment made with a payment card or by a direct debit transaction, processed by a digital dispatch service in a manner that complies with § 801. A digital payment is not a cashless payment.

“Dispatch” means the booking of a public vehicle-for-hire through an advance reservation from the person seeking service.

“District” means the District of Columbia.

“District of Columbia Taxicab Commission (DCTC) License” means the taxicab vehicle license issued pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-2829(d).

“Face Card” or “DCTC Identification Card” or “Identification Card” means the taxicab or public vehicle-for-hire operator license issued pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-2829(e).

“Fleet” means a group of twenty (20) or more taxicabs having a uniform color scheme and having unified control by ownership or by association.

“Gratuity” is a voluntary payment by the passenger after service is rendered, which, if made, shall be included as an authorized additional charge under § 801.7(b)(7), in the amount determined only by the passenger.

“Group Riding” means a group of two (2) or more passengers composed prior to the booking by dispatch or street hail and whose trip has a common point of origin, and different or common destinations.

“Independent taxicab” means a taxicab operated by an individual owner.

“Independently operated taxicab” means a taxicab operated by an individual owner that is not part of a fleet, company, or association, and that does not operate under the uniform color scheme of any fleet, company, or association.

“Individual Riding” means the transportation of a single passenger for an entire trip.

“License” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the D.C. Administrative Procedure Act, D.C. Official Code § 2-502.

“License Act” means D.C. Official Code § 47-2829.

“Limousine” shall have the meaning ascribed to it by § 1299.1.

“Loitering” means 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.

“Modern taximeter system” or “MTS” is a technology solution that combines taximeter equipment and PSP service and support in the manner required by this chapter and § 603.

“MTS unit” means the MTS equipment installed in a particular vehicle.

“Notice” means notice of transfer under § 507.

“Office” means Office of Taxicabs.

“Office order” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Chapter 7 of this title.

“Operator” means a person who operates a public vehicle-for-hire.

“Owner” means a person, corporation, partnership, or association that holds the legal title to a public vehicle-for-hire, the registration of which is required in the District of Columbia. If the title of a public vehicle-for-hire is subject to a lien, a mortgagor may also be considered an owner.

“Payment card” means any major credit or debit card including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.

“Payment service provider” or “PSP” is a business that offers an MTS, which, if approved by the Office, may operate such MTS pursuant to this chapter and § 603.

“Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the D.C. Administrative Procedure Act, D.C. Official Code § 2-502.

“Personal service” means assistance or service requested by a passenger that requires the taxicab operator to leave the vicinity of the taxicab.

“Public vehicle-for-hire” means any private passenger motor vehicle operated in the District as a taxicab, limousine, or sedan, or any other private passenger motor vehicle that is used for the transportation of passengers for hire but is not operated on a schedule or between fixed termini and is operated exclusively in the District, or a vehicle licensed pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-2829, including taxicabs, limousines, and sedans.

“Public Vehicle-for-hire Identification Number” or “PVIN” is a unique number assigned by the Office of Taxicabs to each public vehicle-for-hire.

“Sedan” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in § 1299.1.

“Shared Riding” means a group of two (2) or more passengers, arranged by a starter at Union Station, Verizon Center, or Nationals Park, or other locations designated by an administrative order of the Office, that has common or different destinations.

“Street” means a roadway designated on the Permanent System of Highways of the District as a public thoroughfare.

“Surcharge Account” is an account established and maintained by the PSP with the Office for the purpose of processing the Passenger Surcharge.

“Taxicab” means a public vehicle-for-hire that operates pursuant to Chapter 6

and other applicable provisions of this title, having a seating capacity for eight (8) or fewer passengers, exclusive of the driver, and operated or offered as a vehicle for passenger transportation for hire.

“Taxicab Commission Information System” or “TCIS” means the information system operated by the Office.

“Taxicab company” means a taxicab company that operates pursuant Chapter 5 and other applicable provisions of this title.

“Taxicab passenger surcharge” means a passenger surcharge required to be collected from the passenger and paid by the PSP for each trip in a taxicab in an amount established in § 801.

“Taximeter fare” means the fare established by § 801.7 and not generated using information entered manually by any person into any device except for an authorized additional charge under § 801.7(b).

“Telephone dispatch” means dispatch initiated by a telephone call.

“Washington Metropolitan Area” means 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.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 6993 (May 17, 2013).