The owner of each taxicab shall maintain the vehicle in accordance with the laws of this State, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the provisions of this Subtitle and other regulations or ordinances of the County, with due regard to the safety, comfort and convenience of passengers and the general public. The driver of each taxicab shall operate it in accordance with the same laws and principles. The Director may issue a notice of violation, including the amount of the applicable fine, to any taxicab owner who permits operation of his/her vehicle where the vehicle fails to meet the requirements of the laws of this State, the provisions of this Subtitle, and other regulations or ordinances of the County. The fine for the first such violation shall be One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), for second violation shall be Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250) and for a third or any subsequent violation shall be Five Hundred Dollars ($500). The notice shall be mailed or delivered to the responsible party(ies) or their agents and shall state: the specifics of the violation; the amount of the fine; the actions required for compliance; a statement that the failure to comply with the notice may result in suspension or revocation of the parties' license or certificate, or other legal action; and how the person or company may appeal the violation notice. A notice of violation may be appealed as provided in Section 20-106 of this Code. If a violation notice is not appealed, or is upheld upon appeal, and the person or company fails to correct the violation as required by the notice, the Director may take one or more of the following actions: Issue a citation as provided in paragraph (f) of this Section; Revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew the license and/or certificate; Seek injunctive or other appropriate legal relief to enforce the provisions of this Subtitle. Where the continued operation of a vehicle poses an immediate or ongoing compromise to the safety of the riding public or the driver, in lieu of a violation notice, the Director may issue a citation pursuant to Subtitle 28, Division 3, of this Code to a person, persons who operates or permits others to operate a taxicab in violation of any of the provisions of this Subtitle. The citation shall serve as notification to the person that he has committed a civil violation and must pay to the County a monetary fine, subject to the right to trial under Section 28-257 of this Code. The amount of the fine shall be Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each violation, and each day in which the violation remains uncorrected shall constitute a separate violation. In addition to the remedies provided under Section 28-258 of this Code, the Director may revoke or suspend the license and/or certificate of a person who fails to pay the fine or request adjudication of a citation.

Except as provided in Section 20-159 of this Code for taxicabs from other jurisdictions, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a taxicab for hire within the County unless the operator holds a valid taxicab driver's license issued by the Director. Any violation of this Section is subject to the provisions of Section 20-164 of this Code. Failure to properly renew a taxicab driver's license is punishable by a fine of Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) per day (not to exceed $1,000) for each day from the date of expiration to the date the application for renewal is received by the Director. Non-renewal beyond 60 days may result in revocation of license for a minimum of one (1) year.

The driver shall not permit any other person to use his license (Identification Card).

The driver, or owner, or either of them shall not permit any unauthorized person to drive a vehicle when carrying passengers for hire.

The driver shall have permanently on display at all times while on duty a copy of the original of the certificate sealed or certified by the Department of Public Works and Transportation, issued for the operation of the taxicab, and the driver's license with photograph, and number, clearly visible to passengers.

The driver shall have permanently on display at all times while on duty a copy of the Passenger Bill of Rights clearly visible to passengers.

The owner or driver of a taxicab shall not permit such vehicle to be used for unlawful purposes, or knowingly to transport persons therein to places for such purposes.

For purposes of this Section, any driver who is gainfully employed in any other occupation for eight (8) hours or more a day shall be deemed a part-time driver. In no event shall a part-time driver operate a taxicab for more than eight (8) hours in any consecutive 24-hour period. No full-time driver shall operate, nor shall certificate holders or their agents require full-time drivers to operate, a taxicab for more than twelve (12) hours in any consecutive twenty-four (24) hour period.

The driver shall keep a neat, legible, and current record of all trips, written in ink in a bound manifest and on forms approved by the Director. The manifest shall be completed at or before reaching the destination. Such record shall be retained at least three (3) years, and shall be submitted under oath for inspection to the Director upon request. The manifest shall contain the exact addresses or nearest intersection of points of origin and destination, time trip began and ended, number of passengers, and amount of fare, corresponding to meter reading. Each accessible taxi trip provided shall be clearly designated as such in the manifest and on forms approved by the Director and shall be submitted under oath for inspection to the Director upon request. Failure to provide such documentation will result in the service being deemed as non-accessible. Submission of false information on a trip manifest is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months.

Within two (2) working days after any accident involving a taxicab in which property was damaged or any person injured, the driver shall make a written report to the Director on an approved form.

Both the driver and the certificate holder shall submit a written report of all arrests involving the operation of a vehicle for hire to the Director within two (2) working days of the arrest.

The driver and/or certificate holder shall submit a written report of any change of residence or business address within two (2) working days to the Director.

The certificate holder or licensed driver shall answer promptly all written communications received from the Director or the Board. The failure to receive a registered letter which has been properly addressed and delivered, or the refusal to receive a telegram, or any other written communication sent by the Director or the Board may result in suspension or revocation of the license or certificate.

The driver shall attend the taxicab at all times for the solicitation or transportation of passengers, except when actually engaged in loading or unloading, or in answering telephones in connection with the business. The driver shall not leave his or her license in an unattended taxicab at any time.

A taxicab shall not be placed upon or occupy a public or private vehicle taxicab stand except for the purpose of being held forth for hire. Vehicles may be placed on public or private stands only at the rear (approach) and shall be moved toward and to the front of stands, immediately, if space is available, or when space becomes available. When a taxicab stand is occupied by the full number of vehicles authorized for such stand, no taxicab shall loiter for the purpose of occupying space on such stand.

Neither a driver nor an agent of a driver or owner shall solicit patronage for any taxicab by word, signal or otherwise, on any public street or in a public building, or on public property in the County, other than at a taxicab stand.

A driver is permitted to cruise with the intention of picking up as a passenger, a person hailing a taxicab. In picking up passengers, a driver operating an accessible taxi cab shall give priority to individuals with disabilities. When cruising at night the cruising light of a taxicab shall be lighted. Cruising is not permitted by a taxicab within 500 feet of a taxicab stand.

An "On Call" sign shall be used when a taxicab is enroute to pick up a passenger, or awaiting a passenger at a designated place in response to the request of the passenger. The sign shall be visible from the street and placed in the lower right hand corner of the front windshield or upon the right hand sun visor. A taxicab, when not being operated for hire, shall display in the above manner an "Off Duty" sign. The lettering on the sign shall be at least three (3) inches in height.

The driver of a taxicab shall accept as a passenger and carry where directed upon dispatch or request any orderly person unless previously engaged or forbidden by the provisions of this Subtitle or by other valid law or regulation to do so. For purposes of this Section, a "disorderly person" shall mean any person who shall be acting in a disorderly manner to the disturbance of the public peace, or who shall willfully act in a disorderly manner by making loud and unseemly noises or by profanely cursing, swearing, or using obscene language on or about any public place, or in or about any taxicab stand, or in or about any taxicab vehicle.

The Executive may by regulation approve one or more centralized electronic dispatch systems to dispatch taxicabs for trips that begin within the County through an internet enabled application, digital platform, or telephone dispatch system. Within six months after the approval of the first system, every operator must use a centralized electronic dispatch system approved under this section.

On or before June 1, 2017, the County Executive shall promulgate regulations that establish an application process and criteria for designating a place or an area as a Destination Attraction. To be eligible for designation as a Destination Attraction, an applicant must have a taxi stand or stands that is accessible, visible and serves the main entrances of the location. The Director shall update the list of Destination Attractions, as necessary, to reflect changes and/or modifications to the list, and shall make the list available to the public. Unless otherwise expressly authorized by the Destination Attraction, only accessible taxis or taxicabs which have been certified by the Director as meeting the requirements and standards effective January 1, 2020, under Section 20-145 and are of a color and scheme as designated by the Director shall receive passengers at a Destination Attraction.

A driver shall not stop to load or unload a passenger or his belongings in the intersection of any street or on any crosswalk. A taxicab shall not load or unload in such manner that will in any way impede or interfere with the orderly flow of traffic on the streets or impede or interfere with the loading or unloading of passengers from buses at established bus stops. A driver shall not permit a passenger to enter or to leave any taxicab from the left side except at the left curb of any one-way street, or while parked perpendicular to the curb in places where such parking is permitted.

The driver of a taxicab shall proceed with a passenger to destination by the shortest practical route, unless requested otherwise by the passenger. The driver shall maintain an up-to-date road map in the taxicab showing Prince George's County and its environs.

A schedule of rates and charges approved by the County Council shall be displayed inside each taxicab in a manner to be plainly visible to any passenger therein. The driver shall, upon request of a passenger, give a receipt showing the operator's name, date, the time and place of origin, destination, and the amount of the fare on an authorized form.

Where a taxicab association or company has obtained a County contract through which it is expected to provide service to the public, the business holding the contract shall pay ninety (90%) percent of the driver's fare, if a driver timely submits reimbursement and chooses to receive payment within thirty (30) days of the fare. The remaining ten (10%) percent shall be remitted to the driver within 90 days of submission absent a finding, by the business holding the contract, of error or fraud. If a driver timely submits reimbursement and chooses to receive payment after thirty (30) days of the fare, the business holding the contract shall pay one hundred (100%) percent of the driver's fare. Where the rate to be charged for the provision of services to a passenger traveling by voucher is disputed by the business holding the County contract, the holder of the contract may request that the contract administering agency make an independent determination as to the correct rate. Where the contract administering agency determines that the taxicab driver has overcharged on the County contract or voucher, the holder of the contract shall be entitled to reimbursement of the overcharge provided the holder of the contract previously paid the driver the full amount of the original charge.

A driver shall not deceive or attempt to deceive a passenger who may ride in a taxicab or who may desire to ride in such vehicle, as to the destination of the driver, or the rate of fare to be charged. The driver shall not convey any passenger, or cause him to be conveyed, to a place other than as directed by the passenger.

A nonpaying passenger shall be transported by the driver of a taxicab only if both are in training, or if an off-duty sign is adequately displayed; provided, however, in the event a police officer requests the use of a taxicab in the performance of his official duty, then in such event, the driver shall transport said officer or assist him in any way possible. When a taxicab is in service, no persons other than the driver and passengers are allowed in the taxicab.

Whenever any taxicab is occupied by a passenger, the driver shall not permit any other person to occupy or ride in such taxicab if the original passenger objects thereto.

A driver shall not permit to be carried in a taxicab, at any one time, more persons, including the driver, but excepting children in arms, than the indicated seating capacity of the taxicab, as rated by the automobile manufacturer.

At no time shall more than one person, in addition to the driver, ride on the front seat of a taxicab. A child in arms is excepted.

A driver shall comply with all reasonable and lawful requests of a passenger as to the speed of travel and the route to be taken.

Upon request by a passenger for police assistance, the driver shall telephone the Prince George's County Police if the call is requested anywhere in Prince George's County, excluding municipal corporations which have an available police force, in which case, the call shall be directed to such municipal police force.

In the event personal property is left in a taxicab by a passenger, the driver shall, within twenty-four (24) hours, notify the Director, giving a description of the property and the time it was left in the cab and other circumstances within the knowledge of the driver.

Loud conversation, yelling, or calls to and from drivers of taxicabs is prohibited. The sounding of horns or other mechanical devices for purposes other than lawful traffic signals is prohibited. Drivers shall refrain from the use of profane, loud, insulting, or derogatory language and insulting or intimidating conduct while driving or operating a taxicab. Drivers shall present a neat and clean appearance at all times while on duty and shall maintain good personal hygiene. Any violation of this Section shall be grounds for suspension or revocation of a license.

A driver shall not smoke cigarette(s), cigars, or a pipe while in a taxicab. A passenger shall not smoke in a taxicab. All taxicabs shall display a "Smoking is Prohibited" sign at all times. A violation of this Section shall be a misdemeanor subject to a One Hundred Dollar ($100.00) fine.

At no time while on duty shall the driver of a taxicab use or possess alcoholic beverages, controlled dangerous substances, or other habit-forming drugs. The transportation of alcoholic beverages in possession of a paying passenger is permitted, provided that the alcoholic beverages are transported in the trunk of the vehicle. Transportation of narcotic drugs for delivery that are prescribed by a licensed medical doctor is allowed in the custody of the driver if the driver obtains a receipt upon delivery, such receipt to include the signature of the recipient and the identification of the drugs. If the intended recipient refuses to sign the receipt, the driver shall refuse delivery and shall notify the Police Department as soon as possible and give possession of the narcotic drug to the police. Any driver convicted of a traffic-related offense involving the use of alcohol or a controlled dangerous substance, whether on or off duty, shall be subject to an immediate suspension or revocation of his license. Passengers shall not use alcoholic beverages or controlled dangerous substances or other habit-forming drugs while being transported in a taxicab.

A driver must submit to a test if the Director or a police officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the driver has been or is drinking alcoholic beverages or has used or is using a controlled dangerous substance while on duty. The failure to submit to a test shall be sufficient grounds for suspension or revocation of a license. The Director may authorize the initiation of random drug testing of drivers of taxicabs. Any driver who fails to submit to random drug testing may be subject to the immediate suspension or revocation of license.