Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 815 - Division of Public Utilities and Carriers
Chapter 50 - Common Carriers
Subchapter 10 - Motor Carriers of Passengers
Part 2 - Rules Governing Transportation of Passengers via Taxicabs and Limited Public Motor Vehicles (815-RICR-50-10-2)
Section 815-RICR-50-10-2.10 - Leasing

A. A certificate holder may lease a cab to another person only under the conditions found in these Rules and Regulations and R.I. Gen Laws § 39-14-9. The lease shall relate to the actual cab only (the vehicle itself) and shall in no way extend to the authority conferred through the certificate. Each lease relates to one specifically described cab and no other vehicle may be substituted for the described vehicle unless for periods of time required for normal maintenance and/or repair. Normal maintenance and repair means that the cab is substituted for no more than seven (7) days. For periods longer than seven (7) days the certificate holder must obtain express written permission from the Division. Each cab may be leased to only one individual for each twelve (12) hour period. The cab must be registered in the certificate holder's name to be eligible for lease. Under the lease agreement, the certificate holder shall remain bound by all of these rules in the same manner as if the certificate holder was operating the cab(s) being leased himself or herself or by an employee.

B. Only those vehicles that have been operating as taxicabs approved by the Division actively and continuously for twelve (12) months may be the subject matter of a lease. The twelve (12) month period will be determined by the Division by the registration date of the vehicle on file with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If a vehicle has not been operated actively and continuously as a Division approved taxicab for twelve (12) months it may only be used as a taxicab driven exclusively by the certificate holder and/or an employee of the certificate holder. For purposes of this rule, when a vehicle that is eligible to be leased to a driver is replaced by another vehicle, the replacement vehicle shall also be deemed eligible to be leased.

C. Parties to a lease must file with the Division a Leasing Disclosure Statement on a form which will be provided by the Division and which will indicate the names and addresses of the certificate holder and the lessees, the certificate number and license plate of the leased cab, date of execution the lease, the effective date and expiration date of the lease, the applicable term of the lease, including any and all charges, the responsibility for maintenance, the name of the insurance carrier providing statutory liability coverage, and the amount of any required security deposit. Any written documents concerning the lease must be attached to the Leasing Disclosure Statement and approved by the Division. No leasing arrangements are allowed other than those filed and approved by the Division.

D. In the event a security deposit is required under the terms of the lease approved by the Division, the certificate holder shall deposit same in an interest-bearing account in a bank or credit union within the State of Rhode Island and shall indicate on the Leasing Disclosure Statement the name and address of the bank or credit union in which such security has been deposited, and the applicable account number. Interest on such security deposit shall accrue to the benefit of the lessee furnishing the security.

E. All Leasing Disclosure Statements shall be filed with the Division and shall be signed by both the certificate holder and the lessee. No lease agreement shall become effective until approved by the Division. The Division shall approve or reject the proposed lease agreement in writing within ten (10) business days after the Leasing Disclosure Statement and all appurtenant papers have been filed. This time period may be extended for an additional thirty (30) days, at the discretion of the Division, with notice of the extension to the applicant. The Associate Administrator for the Motor Carriers Section or his or her designee will sign every lease that has been approved and return a copy to the certificate holder for its records.

F. If a lease is rejected, the Division will notify the certificate holder within ten (10) business days of the rejection and the reasons therefore. The Division will mail back to the certificate holder the original Leasing Disclosure Statement and all attachments stamped "denied" and signed by the Associate Administrator for the Motor Carriers Section or his or her designee.

G. Once an approved lease is on file with the Division for a particular vehicle, that vehicle cannot be sold, disposed of or transferred until such time as the approved lease terminates as of its own terms or the certificate holder submits to the Division a Lease Termination Statement, in a form provided by the Division, signed by both the lessor and the lessee. If the lessee refuses to sign or is unavailable to sign, the Lease Termination Statement shall be filed with the Division with the signature of the lessor and an explanation for the lack of signature by the lessee.

H. Once a vehicle is subject to an approved lease only the lessees may drive that vehicle. Neither the lessor nor lessees may make any arrangements to sublease the vehicle.

I. A copy of the approved lease must be kept in the cab at all times.