§ 30.72. Standards for obtaining a taxi driver’s certificate.
(a) Application to Commission. To obtain a taxi driver’s certificate, an individual shall apply to the Commission at the designated office in Philadelphia.
(b) Required documentation and form of application. Upon applying for a taxi driver’s certificate, an individual shall present the following to a representative of the Commission:
(1) A current and valid driver’s license.
(2) One additional form of identification.
(3) A completed Taxi Driver’s Certificate Application, (Appendix A), signed by the applicant and acknowledged, consistent with section 2 of the Uniform Acknowledgments Act (21 P. S. § 291.2).
(4) A criminal history record information obtained from the State Police for the proposed driver dated within 60 days prior to the filing of the application.
(5) A driver history from the Department of Transportation or the equivalent from the jurisdiction in which the applicant is currently licensed dated within 60 days prior to the filing of the application.
(6) A training certificate issued by the Commission indicating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed driver training as prescribed by this subchapter.
(7) A certified check or United States Postal money order in the amount established for issuance of a taxi driver’s certificate under 66 Pa.C. S. § 2414 (relating to budget and fees).
(c) Current driver’s license required.
(1) A taxi driver’s certificate will not be issued to an individual who does not hold a current, valid driver’s license.
(2) The Commission may refuse to issue a taxi driver’s certificate to an individual previously convicted or who has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a violation of 75 Pa.C. S. (relating to the Vehicle Code), other than a summary offense, or similar vehicle codes in other jurisdictions which reflects recklessness or indifference to the public health, safety or welfare.
(d) Driver examination. To obtain a taxi driver’s certificate, an individual shall take and pass an examination to be administered by the Commission. Failure to successfully pass the examination within 90 days of the filing of the application shall render the application void. In that event, a new application with the required fee and records shall be filed before the individual may again take an examination. An applicant is permitted to take an unlimited number of scheduled examinations during the 90-day period. The examination shall include questions regarding the Commission’s driver and vehicle regulations contained in this chapter, the tariff governing rates and charges and the geography of the city and county of Philadelphia. Some examination instructions shall be presented verbally, in English. The assistance of interpreters will not be permitted.
(e) Driver training.
(1) Training program content. The driver training program will provide instruction to taxicab drivers in cities of the first class in the following areas:
(i) Commission regulations applicable to drivers in cities of the first class. This includes training in the following:
(A) Commission regulations governing taxi drivers.
(B) Commission regulations governing medallion holders.
(C) Commission regulations governing equipment.
(D) Penalties for violation of Commission regulations.
(E) An overview of the administrative process when a violation occurs.
(F) The identification and address of the Commission office responsible for administering 66 Pa.C.S. Chapter 24 (relating to taxi cabs in first class cities) (Medallion Act).
(ii) Customer service. This includes training in the following:
(A) Personal appearance of drivers.
(B) Driver courtesy.
(C) Assistance to elderly, infirm or disabled persons.
(iii) Customer and driver safety. This includes training in the following:
(A) Defensive driving techniques.
(B) Emergency aid.
(C) Vehicle and equipment inspections.
(D) Crime prevention.
(iv) Regional and geographical knowledge. This includes training in the following:
(A) Map reading.
(B) Overview of major street and traffic patterns.
(C) Identification and location of popular landmarks and locations.
(2) Driver training requirements.
(i) Driver training in the areas described in paragraph (1) is mandatory to obtain a taxi driver’s certificate.
(ii) Driver training consists of a minimum of 18 hours of instruction, subject to subparagraph (iv).
(iii) Driver training shall be received from the Commission or a program provider instructor designated by the Commission as provided at paragraph (3).
(iv) A taxi driver who has a driver’s certificate issued prior to implementation of the driver training requirement is required to complete training only in the areas of customer service and customer and driver safety. This is a minimum of 6 hours of training. Currently certificated drivers shall have until June 30, 1997, to complete training.
(v) A taxi driver who has completed driver training as required and whose taxi driver’s certificate has not expired or has not been suspended or cancelled is not required to repeat driver training at the time of biannual renewal of the certificate.
(3) Program provider requirements. The Commission will provide either all or part of the driver training or will designate program providers to provide the driver training. If the Commission designates a program provider to provide all or part of the training, that provider will be selected by the competitive bid process. The program provider shall notify the Commission, in writing, of those individuals who have satisfactorily completed training within 10 days of completion of the training. The Commission will issue a certificate to the individual stating that the individual has satisfied the driver training requirements.
(f) Disqualification by reason of felony conviction. A taxi driver’s certificate will not be issued to an individual convicted of a felony under the laws of the Commonwealth or under the laws of another jurisdiction and who is under the supervision of a court or correctional institution as a result of that conviction so long as a court or correctional institution maintains some form of supervision. The supervision may include incarceration, probation, parole and furlough.
(g) Disqualification for conviction of crime of moral turpitude. A taxi driver’s certificate will not be issued to an individual convicted of a crime of moral turpitude, whether a felony or misdemeanor, under the laws of the Commonwealth or another jurisdiction and who is under the supervision of a court or correctional institution as a result of that conviction so long as the court or correctional institution maintains some form of supervision. The supervision may include incarceration, probation, parole and furlough.
(h) Disqualification for failure to comply with application requirements. A taxi driver’s certificate will not be issued to an individual who fails to comply with this section.
(i) Disqualification for inability to speak English. A taxi driver’s certificate will not be issued to an individual who does not speak the English language sufficiently to communicate with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries and to make verifiable entries on reports and records.
(j) Disqualification for failure to be truthful on application. A taxi driver’s certificate will not be issued to an individual who knowingly makes any false statement on a driver’s certificate application.
(k) Suspension of taxi driver’s certificate. A taxi driver’s certificate will be immediately suspended and confiscated when the certificateholder’s driver’s license has been suspended or revoked, the certificateholder’s taxi driver’s certificate has expired, or the certificateholder made a false statement on the application which impacts upon the public health or safety. A hearing on the suspension will be held within 30 days of the date of suspension.
Authority The provisions of this § 30.72 amended under the Public Utility Code, 6 Pa.C.S. § § 501, 2404(a), 2409 and 2412.
Source The provisions of this § 30.72 amended December 29, 1995, effective February 28, 1996, 25 Pa.B. 6082; amended November 29, 1996, effective January 29, 1997, 26 Pa.B. 5816. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (205709) to (205711).
Cross References This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 30.73 (relating to expiration and renewal of certificate).
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