Chapter 02. Taxicabs — Control and Operation

“Allocated Space” is a three dimensional space that can accommodate a wheelchair or similar mobility aid.

“Commission” means the Public Service Commission of Maryland.

“Company” includes every corporation, association, partnership, group of individuals, or individual, owning, controlling, operating, or managing one or more taxicabs.

Inspection Certificate.

“Model year” means the year which appears on the Vehicle Registration Certificate.

“Operator” means a person engaged in driving a taxicab for which a permit has been issued.

“Owner” means the individual, partnership, or company to whom a permit has been issued.

“Permit” means a permit issued by the Public Service Commission of Maryland authorizing the operation of a motor vehicle as a taxicab subject to any requirements for operation contained in the permit and authorized by this chapter.

“Stand” means any area or space designated for taxicab use by a public authority.

“State” means the State of Maryland.

Taxicab, Taxi, or Cab.

“Wheelchair accessible vehicle” means a taxicab compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the provisions of 49 CFR Part 38.1—38.39 and that is designed and intended to be used for the purpose of transporting persons who use wheelchairs or scooters.

The operator's name;

The time and place of beginning and of termination of the trip;

The total time of the trip;

The amount of fare charged, including an explanation of any additional charges;

The driver’s Public Service Commission license number;

The company name; and

A customer support telephone number and an email address or hyperlink or both, for passenger inquiries, as well as instructions for filing a complaint with the Public Service Commission.

Be conspicuously displayed in the rear area of the taxicab;

Be posted in an accessible format on the taxicab association’s website and on any electronic media that the taxicab association maintains; and

Be provided by the taxicab association in Braille or in large print upon customer request.

Every company, partnership, association, or individual operating one or more taxicabs under permits issued by the Public Service Commission may have the full name of the owner of each taxicab for which a permit has been issued, permanently painted on one door on each side of the taxicab in letters at least 2-1/2 inches high. The word “Taxicab”, “Taxi”, or “Cab” shall also appear conspicuously on the vehicle. Every company, partnership, association, or individual operating five or more taxicabs under permits issued by the Public Service Commission may adopt and employ a distinctive color scheme or insignia which shall be approved by and registered with the Public Service Commission. An owner of a taxicab may not paint the vehicle or vehicles to so closely resemble the distinctive color scheme or insignia of other taxicabs as to mislead the public as to the identity of the owner.

The number by which a taxicab is identified shall also be prominently displayed both inside and outside in numerals at least 4 inches high and color contrasted so as to be readable.

The number by which a taxicab is identified shall also be displayed inside written in Braille and embossed print, and placed in a location accessible to the passenger. The Braille shall conform to the size and spacing standards issued by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

It shall be the obligation of an owner when withdrawing a taxicab from service to obliterate all markings identifying the vehicle as a taxicab.

In a contrasting color, every wheelchair accessible vehicle used for the transportation of wheelchair users shall display the international symbol of accessibility in a clearly visible position on the rear of the vehicle and on the front of the vehicle in a position other than on the windshield.

Permissible Equipment. The following equipment may be installed in or on a taxicab:

Prohibited Equipment. The following equipment may not be installed in or on taxicabs:

This section does not apply to a taxicab operating in the City of Hagerstown.

General Requirements.

Periodic tests of taximeters will be made by representatives of the Public Service Commission. The interval between tests may not exceed 12 months, unless exceptional circumstances, in the discretion of the Public Service Commission, require variation from that interval. A meter with an error in registration not exceeding 3 percent will be considered correct.

Except as otherwise specified, the requirements for approval, and methods of testing, of taximeters shall conform to “Specifications and Tolerances of Taximeters” as set out in the National Bureau of Standards Handbook.

Multiple tariff meters may not be used.

Calculation of Distance.

After July 1, 2022, an owner, upon application for a taxicab permit and annually thereafter, shall self-certify the vehicle is not subject to any open safety recalls issued by a vehicle manufacturer and posted online by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under 49 U.S.C. §30118.

Upon self-certification, the owner may not operate or permit the operation of a taxicab for hire with any open vehicle safety recalls as of the date of self-certification, except if, due to the unavailability of parts to comply with the manufacturer’s safety recall, the owner cannot comply with the recall.

Any recall that qualifies for this exemption shall be remedied as soon as practicable, after parts become available, and not to exceed 90 days from the availability of the parts.

Self certification for vehicle safety recall compliance, in a form approved by the Commission, is the responsibility of the owner.

At the discretion of the Public Service Commission, an owner of a motor vehicle shall present the motor vehicle for inspection by a Commission representative.

Upon presenting proper identification, the Public Service Commission or its representative may enter a motor vehicle for the purpose of inspecting the vehicle, vehicle equipment, or records of the carrier.

A representative of the Public Service Commission, after inspection and a determination that a motor vehicle does not comply with the requirements of this chapter, may require:

The Public Service Commission may require an owner of a taxicab to provide an inspection certificate from a facility licensed by the State to perform motor vehicle inspections.

A Baltimore City taxicab may be equipped with an approved partition separating the driver from the backseat passenger compartment, or an approved video monitoring system.

The partition shall be transparent and constructed of material approved by the Public Service Commission.

Every wheelchair accessible vehicle used for the transportation of wheelchair users shall be equipped with wheelchair, scooter, or other mobility aid securement devices that limit the forward, backward, rotational, lateral, and vertical motion of every wheelchair in the vehicle at the points of contact of the wheelchair with the vehicle while the vehicle is in normal operation.

For the purpose of §L(1) of this regulation, normal operation includes full throttle acceleration and maximum braking and cornering.

Every wheelchair, scooter or other mobility aid securement device in a wheelchair accessible vehicle shall:

Where more than one wheelchair securement device is used to secure a wheelchair in an accessible vehicle, §L(3)(b) of this regulation applies to the combination of devices used and not to each single device.

Every designated wheelchair position in a wheelchair accessible vehicle shall be equipped with an occupant restraint assembly:

The slope of an external boarding ramp may not exceed:

External boarding ramp flooring shall have an anti-skid surface having a static coefficient of friction on wet and dry ramp surfaces not less than 0.5.

An external boarding ramp shall operate in all weather conditions.

External boarding ramp side barriers shall automatically swing up to prevent wheelchair run-off during use.

An external boarding ramp shall provide white center stripe for wheelchair guidance.

External boarding ramps shall also be secured by means other than a support or lug in the door while the vehicle is operated on a highway.

Every power lift used on a wheelchair accessible vehicle shall:

A boarding device shall be able to support a total weight of up to 660 pounds at mid-span and be clearly labeled with the maximum load that it can carry, both on the boarding device and next to the accessible entrance on the outside of the conveyance.

The minimum allocated space for a single wheelchair or similar mobility aid shall be 800 mm/31.5 inches by 1300 mm/51.2 inches.

At least one allocated space shall be provided in each wheelchair accessible vehicle.

The minimum head room in an allocated space shall be 1500 mm/59 inches.

Automatic or Power-Assisted Doors.

The passenger access and seating area:

Cabs may be used to serve jointly from railroad stations or other public places of special assembly not more than four passengers who are bound for the same, or approximately the same, location, provided that a passenger who has engaged a cab may not be compelled to share the vehicle with others if unwilling to do so. Drivers may not refuse service in order to effect more profitable grouping.

When a cab is occupied by more than one passenger bound for different destinations, each passenger or party, as the case may be, shall be charged the fare recorded on the meter at the time of arrival at his destination except that a party or individual passenger may not be charged more than the fare applicable at the established rates for transportation over the shortest and most direct route. Solicitation of others while en route to the destination of passengers or parties initially occupying the cab is prohibited.

The driver of a taxicab may not operate it recklessly, in an unsafe manner, or in disregard of the public general or local laws or municipal ordinances governing the operation of motor vehicles.

Placards or other obstructions may not be attached to any windshield or windows in violation of Maryland law.

The operator of a taxicab shall be identified by a card displayed in full view of the passenger or passengers, bearing the operator's photograph and his name in letters of sufficient size to be easily read.

Operators shall be clean and neatly dressed at all times while on duty.

An operator shall display appropriate courtesy and consideration.

An operator may not use profane or abusive conduct or language.

All drivers shall be trained in their local disability-law-compliance responsibilities.

All drivers of the wheelchair accessible vehicle shall be trained in the safe use and operation of that accessible vehicle.

Drivers shall complete an accessibility training program satisfactory to the Public Service Commission, including boarding and deboarding protocols and disability awareness and etiquette.

If the owner of a taxicab or taxicabs elects to use liability insurance as authorized under Public Utilities Article, §10-207, Annotated Code of Maryland, the minimum insurance coverage for each accident is either:

The term of the insurance coverage under §A(1) of this regulation is 6 months or more.

If the owner of a taxicab or taxicabs elects to use a bond as authorized under Public Utilities Article, §10-207, Annotated Code of Maryland, the amount of the bond is as set out in the following table:

The bonding company shall guarantee the prompt payment by the taxicab owner of indemnities for personal injuries or for property damage resulting from any accident due to the negligence of the owner or the driver of the covered vehicle, to the extent of the damages sustained, but not to exceed, for any one accident involving any taxicab:

The Public Service Commission shall be shown as a certificate holder on the liability insurance policy, self-insurance certificate, security, or bond.

The penalty of the security or bond may not be exhausted by successive recoveries but shall remain unimpaired until the security or bond shall be canceled after statutory notice to the Public Service Commission or by action of the Public Service Commission.

If the self-insurance policy, security, or bond is canceled or the taxicab operation terminated or interrupted at any time, the security or bonding company shall proceed to make settlement of all then outstanding indemnity claims, in conformity with the limitations of §B(2), of this regulation, except that the aggregate amount of the settlements may not exceed the penal sum of the bond.

Compliance with Public Utilities Article, §10-207, Annotated Code of Maryland, as to insurance shall be evidenced by depositing with the Public Service Commission the insurance policy, or a certificate from the insurance company signed by an authorized agent, that the policy has been issued, specifying the terms of the policy, description of the taxicab, and name of the assured.

An owner or operator of a motor vehicle who neglectfully or with prior knowledge causes or permits the violation of Public Utilities Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, or this chapter, may be guilty of a violation and subject to a civil penalty under this regulation as fully as though the owner was operating the motor vehicle personally at the time.

In the case of a corporation, an officer, agent, or employee who violates, procures, aids, or abets any violation of Public Utilities Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, or COMAR 20.90 may be determined to be individually guilty of a violation.

Operating a motor vehicle after a permit is suspended or revoked;

Failure to present a motor vehicle for inspection;

Failure to file with the Public Service Commission an inspection certificate from a facility licensed by the State to perform motor vehicle inspections;

Failure to carry appropriate insurance under Regulation .19 of this chapter;

Operating a motor vehicle which has been placed out of service;

Operating a motor vehicle without a valid state driver's license and a valid taxicab driver's license;

Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as defined under State law;

Violation of State or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control, the violation of which directly contributed to the cause of a fatality;

Reckless driving while operating a motor vehicle, as defined under State or local law;

Leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident while operating a motor vehicle;

Operating a motor vehicle which has had recurring violations of the equipment and safety standards under Transportation Article, Title 22, Annotated Code of Maryland, and COMAR Title 11, committed with actual knowledge of and a conscious failure to avert the violation;

Use of a motor vehicle subject to the provisions of this chapter before obtaining approval of the Public Service Commission;

Falsification of a certification statement that a defect in a motor vehicle has been repaired;

Operating a motor vehicle which has been placed out of service for the same violation more than two times in a 1-year period or over 50 percent of the time inspected in a 1-year period, whichever is less;

Failure of the owner or an operator of a motor vehicle to permit inspection of a vehicle or records relating to a permit;

Operating a taxicab equipped with a taximeter not having its case sealed, or otherwise not being used as designed by the manufacturer;

Operating a taxicab without an authorized schedule of fares (rate sheet) posted in the taxicab in such manner that passengers can readily determine the exact rate of fare payable by them;

Failure to charge only a rate of fare or charge approved by the Public Service Commission;

Failure to respond to Public Service Commission correspondence in a timely manner; and

Violation of accessibility and nondiscrimination provisions of Regulation .23 of this chapter.

Notice of a violation and imposition of a civil penalty under §B of this regulation shall be in writing and mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of the owner or, in the case of a corporation, the authorized representative.

The notice given under §C(1) of this regulation shall:

The mailing by first class mail of a notice is considered to be effective and binding as an actual notice.

The driver of the taxicab at the head of the line on the stand shall accept as a passenger any orderly person who agrees to pay the proper fare.

A taxicab driver entering a stand shall take the rear position in the line.

The driver of the first taxicab in line of the stand shall remain with his taxicab, ready to be hired.

When each taxicab leaves the stand, those behind in line shall move up.

The number of taxicabs at a stand may not exceed the maximum number allowed in accordance with applicable traffic regulations.

Taxicabs using a stand shall be parked in accordance with applicable traffic regulations.

A taxicab driver entering a stand may not take or attempt to take a position in a line out of turn, or ahead of a driver entitled to that position.

A taxicab driver may not solicit a passenger while on a stand so as to cause the passenger to take the driver's particular taxicab out of turn.

Shall ensure that the taxicab association’s websites, mobile applications, and rear-seat payment center are accessible to the blind and visually impaired and the deaf and hard of hearing; and

May not:

The steps it has taken during the preceding 12 months to ensure and upgrade the accessibility of the taxicab association’s services; and

The number of complaints or other notifications received regarding an inability or failure to accommodate a person with a disability.