NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION'S UPCOMING WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MEDALLION AUCTION.

DATE FOR AUCTION ANNOUNCEMENT IN SEPTEMBER 2013.

INDUSTRY NOTICE #13-30

NOTE TO TLC LICENSEES: ONLINE RENEWAL PAYMENTS EXPANDED TO ALL LICENSE TYPES

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) is pleased to announce the expansion of online license renewal payments. All licensees may now submit a renewal payment through the TLC website. Visit the TLC website at www.nyc.gov/taxi and click on "Licensing" for details.

INDUSTRY NOTICE #13-33

PROHIBITED USE OF "TAXI" IN FHV ADVERTISEMENTS

The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) wishes to remind its FHV licensees of the restrictions surrounding the use of the word "taxi" and other similar words by individuals and/or Bases in the advertising or offering of FHV car service.

Current TLC Rules prohibit Base Owners from advertising or holding themselves out for business as a "hack," "taxi," "taxicab," "cab," or "coach" service, or using any of those words to describe their business (see §59B-25(b) of TLC Rules).

Similarly, Local Law prohibits any person from advertising or holding themselves out as doing business as a "hack," "taxi," "taxicab," "cab," or "coach" service unless he or she holds a vehicle license and medallion for each vehicle (see §19-506(c) of the Administrative Code of the City of New York).

TLC would like to further clarify that the use of a smartphone application, website, or other electronic means to dispatch a FHV that contains in its name any of the words "hack," "taxi," "taxicab," "cab," or "coach" is considered advertising and holding themselves out for business as such, and is thus prohibited by TLC Rules and Local Law.

However, it has come to the TLC's attention that the GetTaxi smartphone application and the YellowCabNYC.com website appear to be providing passengers with FHV
service, and the TLC would like to remind its FHV licensees that the dispatch of FHV vehicles through such services – with their use of the words "taxi" and "cab" in their name - could cause those licensees to violate both the TLC Rules and Local Law as enumerated above.

This and other information detailing TLC requirements around the use of smartphone applications for the dispatch of FHVs was previously provided in TLC Industry Notice #11-16 dated July 18, 2011. FHV licensees and smartphone application developers interested in providing services to FHV licensees should revisit that Industry Notice.

INDUSTRY NOTICE #13-34

STREET HAIL SERVICE PROHIBITED FOR NON-STREET HAIL LIVERIES
AND PROPOSED RULE ON VEHICLE COLORN

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) wishes to remind its For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) licensees that vehicles that are not affiliated to a Street Hail Livery (SHL) Permit and have not been inspected at TLC's Woodside facility are not permitted to provide street hail service.

Livery vehicle licensees who perform street hail service without meeting the requirements to do so are subject to TLC enforcement action, including, but not limited to, significant fines and the possible seizure of their vehicle.

The TLC also wishes to inform FHV licensees that it will be publishing a draft rule prohibiting FHVs that are not affiliated to an SHL permit from being painted any shade of green. The purpose of this proposed rule is to prevent confusion of SHLs with non-SHL FHVs. In anticipation of the passage of this proposed rule, FHV owners/operators are strongly encouraged to avoid painting their vehicles any shade of green. If the rules are approved, any vehicle painted green that is not affiliated to an SHL permit will need to be painted a color other than green.

For information on how your vehicle may be licensed for Street Hail Livery service, visit the TLC web site at:

www.nyc.gov/taxi

© 2013 TLC Magazine Online, Inc.