Int 0267-2002

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Chapter one of title 19 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding thereto a new section 19-167 to read as follows: �19-167 For-hire vehicle stands. (a) The department, in consultation with the taxi and limousine commission and the taxi and limousine commission advisory board, shall establish stands in each borough at which licensed for-hire vehicles affiliated with base stations may accept passengers without prearrangement. No such stand shall be established without notice being given to the council member in whose district such proposed stand is to be located. Such council member shall be given no less than thirty days to comment on the proposed stand prior to its establishment. Council members may also recommend to the department that a stand be established to which the department shall make a formal written response no later than thirty days following receipt of such recommendation. (b) Criteria to be taken into consideration when establishing for-hire vehicle stands shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: (i) the proximity of such prospective stand to major mass transit points of egress in order to facilitate access by commuters to their destinations; (ii) the regular availability of taxicabs within reasonable proximity of such prospective stand; (iii) the potential adverse impacts on traffic flow and public safety that could result from establishing such stand; and (iv) the public demand for for-hire vehicle passenger pick-up at and around the location of such prospective stand. The department shall establish no fewer than two stands in each borough no later than six months after the effective date of this section. (c) Any for-hire vehicle stand established pursuant to this section may be eliminated jointly by the department and the council upon the initiative of either. Any determination to eliminate a for-hire vehicle stand shall be accompanied by a written finding specifying the reasons why such stand is being eliminated. (d) The provisions of this section shall only apply to for-hire vehicles designed to carry no more than four passengers at any one time. �2. Paragraph 4 of subdivision a of section 19-507 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows: 4. No driver of a for-hire vehicle shall accept passengers unless the passengers have engaged the use of the for-hire vehicle on the basis of telephone contract or prearrangement, except that the driver of a licensed for-hire vehicle affiliated with a base station may accept passengers without prearrangement when such vehicle is picking-up at a for-hire vehicle stand established in accordance with section 19-167 of chapter one of this title. �3. Subdivision a of section 19-516 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows: a. For-hire vehicles may accept passengers only on the basis of telephone contract or prearrangement, except that a licensed for-hire vehicle affiliated with a base station may also accept passengers when the vehicle is picking-up at a for-hire vehicle stand established in accordance with section 19-167 of chapter one of this title. Upon acceptance of one or more passengers at a for-hire vehicle stand, the driver of such for-hire vehicle shall notify the base station with which the for-hire vehicle is affiliated of the number of passengers, the location at which the passenger or passengers were accepted and their intended destination or destinations. Each base station shall maintain a record containing such information and the driver shall also enter this information on a trip record. The owner of a for-hire vehicle affiliated with a base station that accepts one or more passengers at a for-hire vehicle stand shall conspicuously display its vehicle license number and the telephone number and address of the base station with which it is affiliated on the back of the driver's seat in a clear, plastic enclosure so that it may be readily observed by a passenger. The commission may establish such disciplinary actions as it deems appropriate for failure to abide by the provisions of this chapter. �4. This local law shall take effect immediately after its enactment into law. 2 MBS-9-20-02 LS#902