609.1 Effective January 1, 2013, no vehicle that is more than five (5) model years old (or has accumulated mileage in excess of three hundred thousand miles (300,000 mi.)) may begin service as a taxicab in the District of Columbia, whether owned, rented, or leased.

609.2 The Commission establishes a gradual removal schedule for the purposes of beginning the process of removing the current older vehicles from service and minimizing the impact, on both drivers and consumers, of the loss of a large number of taxicabs from service:

(a) Effective January 1, 2013, the following five (5) year schedule of vehicle removal from service will apply to all public vehicles for hire currently in service as a taxicab in the District of Columbia, whether owned, rented, or leased.

---5 YEAR REMOVAL SCHEDULE---

Disposal Year**	Age Policy***	Model Year
2013	15 years and older	1997 and older
2014	12 - 14 years	2000 - 1998
2015	10 - 11 years	2002 - 2001
2016	8 - 9 years	2004 - 2003
2017	7 years or older	2005 - below

** Vehicles must go out of service on Jan 1st of the year listed.

*** Mileage is not a factor in this removal schedule.

(b) Pursuant to this chapter, no vehicle may begin service as a taxicab in the District of Columbia that is more than five (5) model years old, in accord with § 609.1, and at the end of the five (5) year removal schedule in, § 609.2 (a), no vehicle remaining in service as a taxicab in the District of Columbia may be more than seven (7) model years old, in accord with § 609.4.

609.3 A Waiver Petition may be filed with the Commission to request a one (1) time extension of time or waiver from the removal schedule at § 609.2(a) only. The following provisions apply to a request for a waiver:

(a) Standards for a waiver include, but are not limited to

(1) Vehicle must have passed its last two (2) required inspections;

(2) Vehicle may not have any body damage; and

(3) Vehicle must have current insurance;

(b) A non-refundable waiver application fee, established by the commission, must be paid at the time of application;

(c) Owner may apply for a waiver ninety (90) days before his or her disposal year but no later than thirty (30) days before his or her disposal year;

(d) Applicant must file a Carfax report with application;

(e) A panel of three (3) persons, which may include Department of Motor Vehicles representative, Hack Inspector, and Commission staff person or General Counsel, will review all requests for waiver;

(f) A waiver granted may be granted for a maximum of three (3) years or any lesser period;

(g) A denial of waiver may not be appealed; and

(h) No extension of time or waiver may be granted for salvaged (including rebuilt salvaged) vehicles.

609.4 Effective January 1, 2018, no vehicle that is more than seven (7) model years old (or that has accumulated mileage in excess of four hundred thousand miles (400,000 mi.)) may remain in service as a taxicab in the District of Columbia, whether owned, rented, or leased.

609.5 Effective immediately, no additional salvaged (including rebuilt salvaged) vehicle may begin service as a taxicab in the District of Columbia.

609.6 Effective immediately, Subsections 609.2 and 609.3 of this section are suspended and shall not be enforced by the Commission until July 1, 2013, at which time they shall resume their effect and shall be enforced as if this suspension had not occurred.

609.7 Effective immediately, and notwithstanding any other requirement of Title 31 of the DCMR, no vehicles shall be placed into service until July 1, 2013.

609.8 An exemption to Subsection 609.7 will be granted by the Office of Taxicabs upon execution of a written agreement in a form incorporating such terms as are required by the Commission, including but not limited to:

(a) The vehicle shall be repainted at the sole expense of the vehicle owner and/or operator;

(b) The vehicle repainting shall comply with such rules concerning a

uniform color scheme as may be promulgated by the Commission in the future;

(c) The repainting shall occur no later than the deadline stated in the agreement; and

(d) The repainting shall be done to the satisfaction and subject to the approval of the Commission.

609.9 A waiver to Subsection 609.7 in cases of accidents and mechanical failures will be granted by the Office of Taxicabs only in response to a formal, written request by the owner or operator of the vehicle that includes:

(a) Execution of a written agreement pursuant to Subsection 609.8, and

(b) Any and all documentary evidence of the accident or need for an equipment change, including but not limited to:

(1) Any police and/or accident reports; or notarized proof of mechanical vehicle failure;

(2) A notarized proof of vehicle purchase after December 12, 2012, and

(3) Proof of insurance.

609.10 An exemption or waiver granted pursuant to this section may be revoked by the Commission upon a finding that the vehicle was not properly or timely repainted to the uniform color scheme rules. If an exemption or waiver is revoked, the vehicle shall immediately be removed from service, and the owner and operator of such vehicle also will be subject to any applicable fines and penalties listed in Section 825.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 45 DCR 2556 (April 24, 1998); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 52 DCR 11289 (December 30, 2005); as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 6317 (June 1, 2012); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 1178 (February 1, 2013).