*See chapter 277 for definitions and other provisions applicable to this chapter.
See Sec. 13b-199 re definitions.
Annotations to former chapter 287:
Right of motor vehicle commissioner to require a distinctive number plate on a taxicab. 97 C. 239. The provisions of chapter were not intended to give taxicabs rights which infringe upon individual property rights. 119 C. 328.
Cited. 24 CS 406.
Sec. 13b-95. (Formerly Sec. 16-318). Definition.
Sec. 13b-96. (Formerly Sec. 16-319). Operation under jurisdiction of Department of Transportation.
Sec. 13b-97a. Temporary authority.
Sec. 13b-98. (Formerly Sec. 16-321). Certificate to be displayed.
Sec. 13b-100. (Formerly Sec. 16-323). Penalty.
Sec. 13b-95. (Formerly Sec. 16-318). Definition. The term “taxicab” includes any motor vehicle operated upon any street or highway or on call or demand accepting or soliciting passengers indiscriminately for transportation for hire between such points along streets or highways as may be directed by the passenger or passengers being transported, provided nothing in this chapter shall be construed to include, as a taxicab, a motor bus, as defined in section 14-1, a motor vehicle in livery service when such motor vehicle is hired for a specific trip or trips and is subject to the direction of the person hiring the same, or a transportation network company vehicle, as defined in section 13b-116.
(1949 Rev., S. 5716; P.A. 90-263, S. 43, 74; P.A. 03-115, S. 62; P.A. 17-140, S. 6.)
History: In 1981 Sec. 16-318 transferred to Sec. 13b-95; P.A. 90-263 deleted from definition of “taxicab” term public service motor vehicle; P.A. 03-115 made technical changes; P.A. 17-140 redefined “taxicab” to add provision re transportation network company vehicle.
Annotation to former section 16-318:
Is a common carrier and should exercise highest degree of care and skill reasonably to be expected. 124 C. 549.
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Sec. 13b-96. (Formerly Sec. 16-319). Operation under jurisdiction of Department of Transportation. (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.
Annotations to former section 16-319:
Cited. 122 C. 293; 124 C. 552; 235 C. 1.
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Sec. 13b-97. (Formerly Sec. 16-320). Certificate of public convenience and necessity. Service at Bradley International Airport. (a) No person, association, limited liability company or corporation shall operate a taxicab until such person, association, limited liability company or corporation has obtained a certificate from the Department of Transportation certifying that public convenience and necessity require the operation of a taxicab or taxicabs for transportation of passengers, the acceptance or solicitation of which originates within the territory specified in such certificate except as provided under subsection (d) of this section. No such certificate shall be issued unless the department finds that the person, association, limited liability company or corporation is suitable to operate a taxicab service, after giving due consideration to, at a minimum, the following factors: (1) Any convictions of the applicant under federal, state or local laws relative to safety, motor vehicle or criminal violations; (2) the number of taxicabs to be operated under the certificate, provided no applicant for a new certificate shall operate fewer than three taxicabs; (3) the adequacy of the applicant's financial resources to operate the taxicab service; (4) the adequacy of insurance coverage and safety equipment; and (5) the availability of qualified taxicab operators. The commissioner shall request the state criminal history records check for any person or any officer of any association, limited liability company or corporation applying for such certificate from the State Police Bureau of Identification. The commissioner shall arrange for the fingerprinting of any person or any officer of any association, limited liability company or corporation applying for such certificate and forward the fingerprints to said bureau which shall submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history records check for any federal conviction specified in subdivision (1) of this subsection. The commissioner shall charge a fee for each such national criminal history records check which shall be equal to the fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for performing such check. Such certificate shall be issued only after written application, fingerprinting and said criminal history records check for the same has been made and public hearing held thereon. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of two thousand dollars and the fee for said criminal history records check. Upon receipt of such application, the department shall fix a time and place of hearing thereon and shall promptly give written notice of the pendency of such application and of the time and place of such hearing to the applicant, the mayor of each city, the warden of each borough or the first selectman of each town in which the applicant desires to originate the transportation of such passengers, and to any common carrier operating within the territory specified. Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to the contrary, the department may, upon receipt of a written application, amend an existing certificate to increase the number of taxicabs which may be operated pursuant to the certificate without holding a hearing on the application, provided the department issues a legal notice of such application in a daily newspaper in accordance with the provisions of section 1-2, gives written notice of the pendency of such application to any common carrier operating within the territory specified and no objection is filed with the department within thirty days of each such notice.
(b) Any town, city or borough within which taxicab service is operated or any interested party may bring a written petition to the department with respect to fares, service, operation or equipment or the convenience, protection and safety of passengers and the public. Thereupon, the department may fix a time and place for a hearing upon such petition, and give written notice thereof to the parties in interest at least one week prior to such hearing.
(c) No certificate shall be sold or transferred until the department, upon written application to it setting forth the purpose, terms and conditions thereof, and after investigation, finds that the purchaser or transferee is suitable to operate a taxicab service after consideration of the factors specified in subsection (a) of this section and approves the same. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of one thousand dollars. The department may amend or, for sufficient cause shown, may suspend or revoke any such certificate. The department may impose a civil penalty on any person or any officer of any association, limited liability company or corporation or any driver who violates any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted under section 13b-96 with respect to fares, service, operation or equipment, in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars per day for each violation. Any such certificate issued by the department shall remain valid unless suspended or revoked by the department. Any such certificate issued by the Division of Public Utility Control within the Department of Business Regulation prior to October 1, 1979, or by any transit district prior to March 1, 1997, shall remain valid unless suspended or revoked by the Department of Transportation.
(d) Any person, association, limited liability company or corporation which has obtained a certificate under subsection (a) of this section, after providing proof that service has been active, adequate within the territory specified in such certificate and in compliance with all relevant statutes and regulations for a period of not less than two years since such certificate was obtained, may solicit, receive and discharge taxicab passengers at Bradley International Airport, subject to formal agreement with the Commissioner of Transportation provided such agreement shall not take precedence over its obligation to provide taxicab service within the territory specified in such certificate. Any such person, association, limited liability company or corporation may discharge taxicab passengers received at such airport within a territory other than the territory specified in its certificate. The commissioner may charge and collect a reasonable fee from any such person, association, limited liability company or corporation for the privilege of solicitation of such passengers.
(1949 Rev., S. 5718; 1955, S. 2642d; 1963, P.A. 22; 1967, P.A. 13; 1969, P.A. 768, S. 243; P.A. 75-486, S. 1, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 79-610, S. 20; P.A. 80-25, S. 5; P.A. 83-241; P.A. 84-216, S. 2; 84-254, S. 21, 62; P.A. 92-136, S. 3; P.A. 93-307, S. 20, 34; P.A. 95-126, S. 2, 25; P.A. 97-304, S. 23, 31; P.A. 99-181, S. 15, 40; P.A. 12-81, S. 52; P.A. 13-277, S. 77; P.A. 21-175, S. 7.)
History: 1963 act added requirement that $25 fee accompany application; 1967 act provided for fee of $25 to accompany application for sale or transfer of certificate; 1969 act provided for prompt and written notice of pendency of application and added commissioner of transportation to those to be notified and where a petition is brought provided for the same type of notice and added commissioner of transportation as well as the parties to be notified, further provided for consideration of recommendations of the commissioner of transportation where submitted in writing within 30 days of conclusion of hearing; 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” where appearing, and further, deleted requirement for notifying commissioner of transportation of hearings on applications and petitions and also the provision concerning his recommendations; P.A. 80-25 provided that certificates issued prior to October 1, 1979, shall remain valid unless suspended or revoked by department of transportation; in 1981 Sec. 16-320 transferred to Sec. 13b-97; P.A. 83-241 added Subsec. (b), re service at Bradley International Airport; P.A. 84-216 relettered subsections and amended Subsec. (a) to allow, without a hearing, amendment to an existing certificate to increase number of taxicabs operated pursuant to certificate; P.A. 84-254 increased application fee from $25 to $88 between July 1, 1985, and July 1, 1993; P.A. 92-136 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring the issuance of a decal to be conspicuously displayed on the vehicle; P.A. 93-307 amended Subsec. (a) by providing for an annual decal fee and eliminating the provision for a one-time decal fee, effective June 29, 1993; P.A. 95-126 amended Subsec. (a) to eliminate decal representing authority to operate and provision re display of decal, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 97-304 extended provisions to limited liability companies, amended Subsec. (a) to prohibit issuance of certificate unless department finds that the person, association, limited liability company or corporation is suitable to operate a taxicab service after consideration of five factors, to delete obsolete references re application fees, to require, in the proviso, that department give written notice of pendency of application to any common carrier operating within the territory specified, and to provide that department shall not consider as a ground for denial of a request for an increase in number of taxicabs to be operated within territory specified, any number of taxicabs not currently registered with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, amended Subsec. (b) to eliminate requirement that department fix a time and place for a hearing upon a written petition brought by town, city or borough and give written notice thereof, amended Subsec. (c) to require that no certificate be sold or transferred until the department finds that the purchaser or transferee is suitable to operate a taxicab service after consideration of the factors specified in Subsec. (a), to delete obsolete references re application fees, to authorize department to impose civil penalty for violation of any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted under Sec. 13b-96, to require that any such certificate issued by department or by any transit district prior to March 1, 1997, remain valid unless suspended or revoked by the department, and amended Subsec. (d) to extend provisions to limited liability companies, to provide that formal agreement shall not take precedence over taxicab operator's obligation to provide taxicab service within territory specified in certificate, to allow any taxicab operator to discharge passengers received at Bradley International Airport within a territory other than the territory specified in its certificate and to substitute “association” and “limited liability company” for “firm”, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-181 amended Subsec. (a) by adding requirements re criminal history records checks, fingerprinting and applicable fees in connection with an application for a certificate, effective June 23, 1999; P.A. 12-81 amended Subsec. (a) to add proviso in Subdiv. (2) that no applicant for a new certificate shall operate fewer than 3 taxicabs, increase application fee from $88 to $2000, delete provision prohibiting department from considering as ground for denial of request for increase in number of taxicabs to be operated within territory specified any number of taxicabs not currently registered with Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and make a technical change and amended Subsec. (c) to increase application fee from $88 to $1000 and authorize imposition of civil penalty on any driver for a violation; P.A. 13-277 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that hearing be held not earlier than 3 months after receipt of application and amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re proof of active, adequate and compliant service for not less than 2 years before being permitted to solicit, receive or discharge passengers at Bradley International Airport, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 21-175 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision re hearing to be held not earlier than 3 months after receipt of application and to make technical changes, effective July 12, 2021.
Annotations to former section 16-320:
Cited. 126 C. 551. Failure of permittee to exercise proper supervision over employees operating taxicab is sufficient ground for revocation. 127 C. 267. Cited. 235 C. 1.
Annotation to present section:
Cited. 235 C. 1.
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Sec. 13b-97a. Temporary authority. (a) The Department of Transportation may, without hearing, issue to an applicant for authority to operate taxicab service, temporary authority to operate such service, pending hearing upon his application and disposition thereof by the department, but such temporary authority shall not extend over a period of more than one hundred eighty consecutive days.
(b) The Department of Transportation may, in an emergency situation and without hearing, issue to any person, association, limited liability company or corporation which holds a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued under the provisions of section 13b-97, temporary authority to operate such service within or outside the territory specified in such certificate, pending resolution of such emergency, but such temporary authority shall not extend over a period of more than one hundred eighty consecutive days.
(P.A. 97-304, S. 3, 31.)
History: P.A. 97-304 effective July 1, 1997.
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Sec. 13b-97b. Operation of taxicab or advertisement of taxicab services without certificate or authority. Allowing unauthorized person to operate taxicab. Penalty. Amounts remitted to municipality. (a) Any person who (1) operates a taxicab, or advertises taxicab services, without obtaining a certificate from the Department of Transportation pursuant to section 13b-97 or obtaining authority to operate a taxicab from a holder of such a certificate, or (2) allows an unauthorized person to operate a taxicab, which is under such person's control, shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(b) The state shall remit to a municipality fifty per cent of the fine amount received for a violation of this section with respect to each summons issued by such municipality. Each clerk of the Superior Court or the Chief Court Administrator, or any other official of the Superior Court designated by the Chief Court Administrator, shall, on or before the thirtieth day of January, April, July and October in each year, certify to the Comptroller the amount due for the previous quarter under this subsection to each municipality served by the office of the clerk or official.
(P.A. 12-81, S. 54; P.A. 13-277, S. 79; P.A. 17-140, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 12-81 effective June 6, 2012; P.A. 13-277 added “or advertises taxicab services” in Subdiv. (1), effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 17-140 designated existing provision re person who operates taxicab or advertises taxicab services without a permit or allows unauthorized person to operate taxicab as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re remittance by state to municipality of 50 per cent of fine amount.
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Sec. 13b-98. (Formerly Sec. 16-321). Certificate to be displayed. Section 13b-98 is repealed, effective July 1, 1997.
(1949 Rev., S. 5719; P.A. 97-304, S. 30, 31.)
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Sec. 13b-99. (Formerly Sec. 16-322). Registration. Jurisdiction of Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Rooftop light. Operator phone number. Inspection. Exemption from child restraint system requirements. Regulations. (a) Upon the granting of a certificate of public convenience and necessity as provided in section 13b-97, the holder thereof may apply to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for the registration of any taxicab of which the holder is the owner or lessee and which is to be used as specified in such certificate, and the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall have jurisdiction over the registration of any taxicab and its exterior lighting equipment and over the licensing of its operator. Each registered taxicab shall have an electric light attached to the rooftop of the taxicab. Each registered taxicab shall indicate, in type affixed to the outside of such taxicab, the phone number of the company operating such taxicab.
(b) Each such taxicab shall be inspected, biennially, at the time of renewal of registration of such taxicab, by a repairer or limited repairer licensed and authorized by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to perform such inspections. The commissioner shall set a fee for such an inspection.
(c) Each such taxicab shall be exempt from the provisions of subsection (d) of section 14-100a.
(d) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to carry out the purposes of this section. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall consult with the Commissioner of Transportation before adopting any regulation concerning the attachment of a rooftop light to a taxicab under subsection (a) of this section.
(1949 Rev., S. 5720; P.A. 90-105; P.A. 97-304, S. 24, 31; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 35; P.A. 09-187, S. 26; P.A. 12-81, S. 53; P.A. 13-277, S. 78; P.A. 17-203, S. 3.)
History: In 1981 Sec. 16-322 transferred to Sec. 13b-99; P.A. 90-105 added a new Subsec. (b) requiring taxicabs to be inspected annually, a new Subsec. (c) requiring the commissioner to publish a list of persons holding a class B license which has been suspended and a new Subsec. (d) requiring the commissioner to adopt regulations; P.A. 97-304 amended Subsec. (c) to require list to be mailed to each limited liability company operating a taxicab, effective July 1, 1997; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (b) to change inspection of taxicab from semiannually to biennially at time of registration renewal, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 09-187 deleted former Subsec. (c) re publication and mailing of list of persons holding a class B license that has been suspended and redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (c), effective July 8, 2009; P.A. 12-81 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change, added new Subsec. (c) re exemption from Sec. 14-100a(d) and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d); P.A. 13-277 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions re permanently attached rooftop light and operating company phone number, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 17-203 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “a permanently attached electric rooftop light” with “an electric light attached to the rooftop of the taxicab” and to replace “three-inch type permanently” with “type” re operating company phone number, and amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re consultation with Commissioner of Transportation re rooftop light.
See Sec. 14-26 re registration of taxicabs.
Annotation to former section 16-322:
Cited. 235 C. 1.
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Sec. 13b-100. (Formerly Sec. 16-323). Penalty. Any person or the officers of any association, limited liability company or corporation who violate any provision of this chapter or any order or regulation adopted or established under any such provision shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, and the certificate issued to him or to such association, limited liability company or corporation may be revoked.
(1949 Rev., S. 5722; P.A. 97-304, S. 25, 31.)
History: In 1981 Sec. 16-323 transferred to Sec. 13b-100; P.A. 97-304 extended provisions to limited liability companies, increased maximum fine from $100 to $1,000 and eliminated penalty of imprisonment of not more than 60 days or both, effective July 1, 1997.
Annotations to former section 16-323:
Does not limit power of revocation under Sec. 16-320 (13b-97). 127 C. 270. Cited. 235 C. 1.
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