Fiscal Note
No appropriation is required.
Title
Amending Sections 11.06(3) and (9)(a), creating Section 11.06(9)(g), and renumbering Sections 11.06(9)(g) through (p) to Sections 11.06(9)(h) through (q), respectively, to allow meter and zone taxicabs to use an app to book fares and to establish a special rate when fares are booked through an app.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: These revisions will permit meter and zone taxicabs to use an “app” to book fares and will establish a special rate schedule when rides are booked through an app. A downtown zone will be established with a set rate of $8.00 and any fare that begins or ends outside of that zone will be $2.50/mile if booked through an app.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
1. Subsection (3) entitled “Definitions” of Section 11.06 entitled “Licensing and Regulating Public Passenger Vehicles, For Hire” of the Madison General Ordinances is amended by creating therein the following:
““Application” or “App” means a self-contained, specialized program or piece of software, usually downloaded onto a mobile device and designed to fulfill a specific purpose.”
2. Subdivision (a) of Subsection (9) entitled “Rates of Fares” of Section 11.06 entitled “Licensing and Regulating Public Passenger Vehicles, For Hire” of the Madison General Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
“(a) No license granted under Subsection (4) of this ordinance shall have any force or effect unless the licensee files with the City Clerk a schedule of rates of fares. Licensees may charge fares measured according to zones, according to meters, or according to GPS-enabled devices, or if using an app to book rides, according to City-established rates, except that horse-drawn vehicle and pedal-cab vehicle licensees shall charge fares according to subs. (m) and (n) below. It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator to charge or permit to be charged any other or different rates of fares than those listed on such schedule. Any discounts or special fares shall be included in the rates of fares filed with the City Clerk. A schedule of rates of fares must be on file with the City Clerk for 28 days before the rates are effective, except that promotional discounts or coupons may be implemented if the City Traffic Engineer is notified at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance. Any duly established rate other than the said promotional discounts shall remain in effect for a minimum duration of six months. In the case of extreme changes in conditions, the owner of a licensed company may petition the Transit and Parking Commission to review a schedule of rate change within a shorter period of time. After reviewing the request the Transit and Parking Commission may approve a rate change effective within the six-month period but may not approve such a rate change unless the current rates of fares have been in effect for at least ninety (90) days. The rates of fares authorized to be established by this ordinance shall not vary with time of day.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time during the first twelve (12) months from the effective date of the accessible taxicab requirement, the owner of a licensed company may modify its schedule of rates of fares provided such modification is solely due to the cost of compliance with the accessible taxicab ordinance. The schedule of rates of fares so modified must be on file with the City Clerk for twenty-eight (28) days before the rates are effective.”
3. New Subdivision (g) entitled “City-Established Rates” of Subsection (9) entitled “Rates of Fares” of Section 11.06 entitled “Licensing and Regulating Public Passenger Vehicles, For Hire” of the Madison General Ordinances is created to read as follows:
“(g) City-Established Rates.
1. Any meter or zone taxicab may, at any time, opt to use an application or “app” to book fares. Any taxicab company that opts to use an app to book fares shall file with the City Clerk a rate schedule that includes their plan to utilize this option.
2. There shall be established a special “downtown zone.” For the purposes of this section, the downtown zone shall be defined as the area bordered by Brearly Street, then to a point on the shore of Lake Mendota immediately north of the end of Brearly Street, then along the shore of Lake Mendota to a point immediately north of the intersection of Babcock Drive and Kronshage Drive, thence along Babcock Drive to Campus Drive, then west on Campus Drive to old University Avenue and the intersection with Breese Terrace, then south on Breese Terrace to Regent Street, then east on Regent Street, Proudfit Street and North Shore Drive to the intersection with John Nolen Drive, then from a point on the shore of Lake Monona immediately east of the intersection of North Shore Drive and John Nolen Drive, then along the shore of Lake Monona to a point immediately south of the end of Brearly Street.
3. For any rides booked using an app in the downtown zone, a rate of $8 shall apply, regardless of the number of passengers.
4. Any rides booked using an app that either begin or end outside of the downtown zone shall be set at $2.50/mile, regardless of the number of passengers. This rate shall be based on distance only.”
4. Current Subdivisions (g) through (p) of Subsection (9) entitled “Rates of Fares” of Section 11.06 entitled “Licensing and Regulating Public Passenger Vehicles, For Hire” of the Madison General Ordinances are hereby renumbered to Subdivisions (h) through (q), respectively.