(a) This Chapter does not prohibit a driver from bringing passengers into the County if the trip originated in a jurisdiction where the driver and the taxicab are authorized to operate. (b) Except to the extent expressly permitted by federal or state law, a person who does not have a license and identification card issued by the County, but holds a license issued by another jurisdiction, must not solicit business or pick up and transport passengers in the County unless: (1) a passenger engaged the taxicab to bring the passenger into the County, wait for the passenger, and then take the passenger to another location; or (2) the jurisdiction from which the individual holds a license has entered into a reciprocal agreement with the Director under subsection (c) of this Section. (c) The Director may enter into reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions regarding the ability of taxicabs licensed elsewhere to pick up and carry passengers in the County. (d) Any taxicab licensed in the County must only provide trips that either begin or end in the County, except a trip: (1) dispatched under the operational procedure of the Metropolitan Airports Authority; or (2) provided under a contract approved by the Director and on file with the Department. (e) Any taxicab operating under a license issued under this Chapter must not obtain or operate under a license to provide taxicab service in any other jurisdiction.

Each driver must notify the Department, in writing, not more than 2 business days after changing a business or residential address or required telephone number.

(a) Each driver of a taxicab must accept any passenger and convey any passenger where directed upon dispatch or request, unless: (1) the taxicab is out of service; (2) the driver is expressly committed to another passenger, or (3) the driver is prohibited by this Chapter or another law or regulation from accepting the passenger. (b) A driver must not refuse to transport a passenger because of the passenger’s disability, race, color, marital status, religious creed, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or geographic location, as defined in Chapter 27. (c) A driver may refuse to transport a passenger if the driver reasonably believes the driver’s life or safety is in danger. (d) Any driver who refuses to transport a passenger must: (1) immediately report the incident and circumstances to the dispatcher, and (2) submit a written report to the Department on a form approved by the Director not later than 2 business days after the incident.

(a) A driver must give each passenger a paper or electronic receipt showing the name of the fleet or association, the taxicab number, the time and place of origin and destination of each trip, and the amount of the fare, on a form authorized by the Department, unless the passenger declines to receive the receipt. (b) A driver must accept major credit cards (including, at a minimum, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express) as a form of payment for a fare. (c) A driver must allow a passenger to choose to pay the fare using any available payment system, including a system provided by a fleet. (d) Any system or service used to process credit card transactions must: (1) comply with all applicable tax laws; (2) be approved by the Director; (3) comply with PCI DSS standards; (4) be registered to the appropriate licensee or driver with the Department; and (5) retain records of all transactions for at least six months. (e) A licensee or driver must allow the Director to inspect records of all credit card transactions processed using a system registered to the licensee or driver upon the Director’s request.

(a) Each driver, or the fleet or association on behalf of an affiliated individual licensee, must keep a record, for a period of 6 months, of all in-service trips in a form approved by the Department. Each in-service trip must be entered on the trip record at the point of pickup. (b) The driver, or the fleet or association on behalf of an affiliated individual licensee, must submit trip records to the Department whenever the Director requires. (c) Each trip record must include the date, the driver’s starting and ending time, and the taxicab’s starting and ending mileage for the driver’s work day. (d) Each rest break the driver takes must be entered on the trip record.

When a taxicab is not operating, the driver must display a notice visible to the public that the taxicab is out of service. This notice must take a form approved by the Director.

(a) A driver must not park in a taxicab stand unless: (1) the taxicab is in service, (2) the driver is in or within 50 feet of the taxicab, and is awake, and (3) the driver is clearly visible from the taxicab and the area adjacent to it. (b) A person must not park any vehicle other than a taxicab at a taxicab stand.

A driver must not park in any publicly controlled parking space, whether restricted by parking meter or posted by official signs, to solicit business. However, a driver may park in a publicly controlled parking space, after paying any required fee, while waiting to receive a dispatch assignment.

A passenger may request that a driver take a specific route to the passenger’s destination. Otherwise, a driver must make all trips by the most direct route from the point of pickup to the point of destination. However, the driver may suggest, and the passenger may approve, a less direct route that may take less time under the circumstances.

(a) Not more than 24 hours after an accident involving a taxicab, the driver of the taxicab must submit to the licensee and the Department a written report which provides a detailed account of the accident and whether any property was damaged or any person was injured. (b) The report must include the driver’s name; driver’s identification card number; taxicab number; date, location, time, and description of the accident; and whether a police report was filed. (c) The Police Department must forward any official police report of an accident involving a taxicab licensed under this Chapter to the Department when it is available to any party.

A person who holds an identification card under this Chapter must not permit the card to be used by any other person.

A full time driver must not drive a taxicab more than 12 hours during any 24-hour period. A part-time driver must not drive a taxicab more than 4 hours during any 24-hour period in which the driver is otherwise employed for 8 or more hours.

When a taxicab is in service, a person other than the driver and the passengers must not be allowed in the taxicab, except: (a) a person participating in a driver training program operated by the licensee; or (b) a passenger’s personal care attendant.

A driver must not carry more people in a taxicab than the number designated on the license.

(a) A taxicab may be used to jointly serve passengers who have not previously notified the driver or dispatcher of their intention to travel together and whose trips either begin or end at different locations. (b) Each person sharing a taxicab must consent to share the ride with others. (c) A driver must not solicit other passengers en route to the destination of the passengers who already occupy the taxicab. (d) A person seeking taxicab service must not be refused service so that the driver may try to arrange a more profitable grouping.