1. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a motor carrier permit is required for a passenger motor vehicle used in the transportation of persons for hire.

2. (b) A motor carrier permit is not required for:

   1. (1) a motor vehicle used exclusively for the transportation of pupils to and from public or private schools;
   2. (2) a motor vehicle operated for a period of not more than 3 months in any registration year in the transportation of persons employed at a cannery located in a county;
   3. (3) taxicabs;
   4. (4) public transportation for hire authorized to operate on the boardwalk in Ocean City;
   5. (5) a vanpool operation as defined in § 11-175.1 of the Transportation Article;
   6. (6) a local public transportation system established under a law enacted by the local governing body of a county or municipal corporation;
   7. (7) subject to subsection (c) of this section, a motor vehicle used by a privately owned transportation company exclusively to provide transportation system services under a contract with the governing body of a county or municipal corporation or with a unit of State government;
   8. (8) shuttle bus service operated by the University of Maryland, College Park Campus for students enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park Campus and, in exchange for payment by a municipal corporation in which the University of Maryland, College Park Campus operates shuttle bus service, transportation service on the shuttle bus to residents of the municipal corporation; or
   9. (9) transportation services that a nonprofit organization provides through the use of a volunteer driver and the volunteer driver's personal vehicle.
3. (c) A privately owned transportation company that provides transportation system services under a contract with the governing body of a county or municipal corporation or with a unit of State government shall obtain a motor carrier permit for motor vehicles that the company does not use exclusively to provide transportation system services under a contract with the governing body of a county or municipal corporation or with a unit of State government.
4. (d) The public duties of a common carrier may not be imposed on a person with respect to a vehicle for which a motor carrier permit is required under this section, if the vehicle is not actually engaged in public transportation.

Added by Acts 1998, c. 8, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1998. Amended by Acts 2000, c. 602, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2000; Acts 2008, c. 346, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2008, c. 347, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2011, c. 373, § 1, eff. June 1, 2011; Acts 2011, c. 465, § 1, eff. July 1, 2011; Acts 2014, c. 442, § 1, eff. June 1, 2014; Acts 2016, c. 25, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2016; Acts 2020, c. 64, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2020; Acts 2020, c. 65, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2020.

Formerly Art. 78, § 32.