HOUSE BILL No. 5951

 

November 12, 2014, Introduced by Reps. Kelly and Nesbitt and referred to the Committee on Energy and Technology.

 

     A bill to regulate transportation network companies in this

 

state; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state

 

officers and entities; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies;

 

and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Department" means the department of state.

 

     (b) "Personal vehicle" means a motor vehicle that has been

 

approved to be used by a transportation network company driver to

 

perform rides arranged through a transportation network company

 

digital platform and that meets the requirements of this act.

 

     (c) "Prearranged ride" means a period of time that begins when

 

a transportation network company driver accepts a requested ride

 


through a digital network, continues while the transportation

 

network company driver transports the rider in a personal vehicle,

 

and ends when the rider departs from the personal vehicle.

 

     (d) "Transportation network company" means a person operating

 

in this state that uses a digital network to connect riders to

 

transportation network company drivers for the purpose of providing

 

transportation. Transportation network company does not include

 

taxi service, transportation service arranged through a

 

transportation broker, a ridesharing arrangement, or a

 

transportation service using fixed routes at regular intervals.

 

     (e) "Transportation network company driver" means an

 

individual who uses his or her personal vehicle to provide

 

transportation services for riders that are matched to that

 

individual through a transportation network company's digital

 

network, regardless of whether the individual is employed by a

 

transportation network company.

 

     Sec. 3. A transportation network company shall not operate in

 

this state unless the transportation network company has submitted

 

an application on an annual basis to the department attesting to

 

all of the following:

 

     (a) That the transportation network company maintains a

 

primary liability insurance policy covering each transportation

 

network company driver for incidents involving the transportation

 

network company driver at all times during a prearranged ride and

 

covering a minimum of $1,000,000.00 per incident. The

 

transportation network company or transportation network company

 

driver shall provide documentation of the insurance coverage

 


required by this subdivision to the department.

 

     (b) That contingent coverage of at least $50,000.00 per person

 

for bodily injury, at least $100,000.00 for bodily injury to 2 or

 

more persons per accident, and at least $30,000.00 for property

 

damage per accident is provided during the time that a

 

transportation network company driver is providing transportation

 

services. The requirement of this subdivision may be satisfied by a

 

combination of insurance policies maintained by a transportation

 

network company or a transportation network company driver.

 

     (c) That contingent coverage of at least $20,000.00 per person

 

for bodily injury, at least $40,000.00 for bodily injury to 2 or

 

more persons per accident, and at least $10,000.00 for property

 

damage per accident is provided during the time that a

 

transportation network company driver is logged into the

 

transportation network company's digital network and available to

 

receive requests for transportation but is not providing

 

transportation services. The requirement of this subdivision may be

 

satisfied by a combination of insurance policies maintained by a

 

transportation network company or a transportation network company

 

driver.

 

     (d) That personal protection insurance and property protection

 

insurance are in effect as required by chapter 31 of the insurance

 

code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3101 to 500.3179.

 

     (e) That each transportation network company driver is at

 

least 21 years of age and, except as provided in subdivision (f),

 

maintains a valid operator's license issued under the Michigan

 

vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923.

 


     (f) That each transportation network company driver maintains

 

a valid chauffeur's license issued under the Michigan vehicle code,

 

1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, and has obtained a commercial

 

vehicle registration plate under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA

 

300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, if the transportation network company

 

driver's vehicle has a capacity of 9 or more passengers.

 

     (g) That the transportation network company has conducted a

 

local, state, and national background check of each transportation

 

network company driver, including a search of the national sex

 

offender database, and the transportation network company driver

 

has not been convicted of any of the following:

 

     (i) Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, if the

 

conviction occurred within the 7 years prior to the date the

 

application is submitted.

 

     (ii) Use of a motor vehicle to commit a felony.

 

     (iii) A crime involving property damage.

 

     (iv) Fraud.

 

     (v) A sexual offense.

 

     (vi) Theft.

 

     (vii) An act of violence.

 

     (viii) An act of terror.

 

     (h) That each transportation network company driver has

 

submitted a driving history report to the transportation network

 

company before providing transportation services showing that the

 

transportation network company driver has not had more than 3

 

moving violations or a major violation in the 3-year period before

 

the date of the driving history report. As used in this

 


subdivision, "major violation" includes, but is not limited to,

 

attempting to evade the police, reckless driving, or driving on a

 

suspended or revoked license.

 

     (i) That each transportation network company driver's vehicle

 

has undergone a safety inspection conducted annually by a mechanic

 

licensed by this state before being used to provide transportation

 

services. Each transportation network company driver shall provide

 

to the transportation network company documentation of the

 

inspection required by this subdivision showing that all of the

 

following vehicle components were inspected:

 

     (i) Foot brakes.

 

     (ii) Parking brakes.

 

     (iii) Steering mechanism.

 

     (iv) Windshield.

 

     (v) Rear window and other glass.

 

     (vi) Windshield wipers.

 

     (vii) Headlights.

 

     (viii) Taillights.

 

     (ix) Brake lights.

 

     (x) Front seat adjustment mechanism.

 

     (xi) Doors.

 

     (xii) Turn signal lights.

 

     (xiii) Horn.

 

     (xiv) Speedometer.

 

     (xv) Bumpers.

 

     (xvi) Muffler and exhaust system.

 

     (xvii) Tires, including tread depth.

 


     (xviii) Interior and exterior mirrors.

 

     (xix) Safety belts.

 

     Sec. 5. (1) A personal vehicle shall display a consistent and

 

distinctive signage or emblem that is approved by the department at

 

all times while the transportation network company driver is

 

engaged in a prearranged ride. The signage or emblem shall satisfy

 

all of the following:

 

     (a) The signage or emblem shall be sufficiently large and

 

color-contrasted to be readable during daylight hours from a

 

distance of at least 50 feet.

 

     (b) The signage or emblem shall be reflective, illuminated, or

 

otherwise visible in darkness.

 

     (c) The signage or emblem shall sufficiently identify a

 

vehicle as being associated with the transportation network company

 

for which the vehicle is transporting passengers.

 

     (2) A transportation network company shall do all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Provide a customer support telephone number and electronic

 

mail address on its digital network or website for rider inquiries.

 

     (b) Refrain from disclosing to a third party any personal

 

information regarding a user of the transportation network

 

company's digital network without the user's consent.

 

     (c) Provide all of the following to passengers:

 

     (i) The transportation network company driver's first name.

 

     (ii) Make and model of the transportation network company

 

driver's vehicle.

 

     (iii) Method by which the transportation network company

 


calculates fares or the applicable rate being charged.

 

     (iv) The option to receive an estimated fare.

 

     (d) Provide a receipt through electronic mail or text message

 

to a passenger upon completion of a prearranged ride.

 

     (3) A transportation network company or a transportation

 

network company driver shall not do any of the following:

 

     (a) Solicit passengers or service through a street hail.

 

     (b) Pick up or discharge a passenger at a designated taxicab

 

stand, no stopping or standing zone, or other restricted area.

 

     (4) A transportation network company driver may refuse to

 

transport a passenger if the passenger is acting in an unlawful,

 

disorderly, or endangering manner.

 

     (5) A transportation network company driver shall do all of

 

the following:

 

     (a) Permit a service animal to accompany a passenger on a

 

prearranged ride.

 

     (b) Take the most direct route to the passenger's destination

 

unless otherwise authorized by the passenger.

 

     (c) If an accident involving a personal vehicle occurs while

 

the vehicle is being used to provide transportation network company

 

services, the transportation network company driver shall do all of

 

the following:

 

     (i) Provide proof of insurance information to the other party

 

involved in the accident.

 

     (ii) Notify the transportation network company of the accident.

 

     (6) Both of the following apply to an insurance policy

 

described in section 3(a) to (d):

 


     (a) The insurance policy may be placed with an insurer

 

licensed under chapter 4 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA

 

218, MCL 500.402 to 500.480, or a surplus lines insurer eligible

 

under chapter 19 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL

 

500.1901 to 500.1955.

 

     (b) The insurance policy satisfies the financial

 

responsibility requirement described in chapter V of the Michigan

 

vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.501 to 257.532.

 

     Sec. 7. (1) The department shall issue a permit to allow a

 

transportation network company to operate in this state if the

 

transportation network company meets all requirements of this act

 

and pays a fee determined by the department.

 

     (2) A transportation network company shall maintain a roster

 

of transportation network company drivers, categorized by

 

geographic location, used by the transportation network company and

 

make the roster available upon request to the department.

 

     (3) After providing notice and the opportunity for a hearing,

 

the department may impose a fine or revoke a permit issued under

 

this act if a transportation network company fails to comply with

 

this act.

 

     Sec. 9. A transportation network company shall not be

 

considered to own, control, operate, or manage a personal vehicle

 

operated by a transportation network company driver providing

 

transportation services to passengers matched through the

 

transportation network company digital network.

 

     Sec. 11. A local unit of government shall not enact or enforce

 

an ordinance regulating a transportation network company.

 


     Enacting section 1. The limousine transportation act, 1990 PA

 

271, MCL 257.1901 to 257.1939, is repealed.