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-50-10-2.7 - Rules Regarding the Conduct of Business

A. A change of business address shall be reported to the Division within two (2) business days. Each certificate holder shall maintain and must provide a business address to the Division. Post Office boxes are not sufficient to satisfy this requirement. Vehicles must be registered to the business address and must be in the name of the certificate holder.

B. A certificate holder shall not have a cab registration transferred to a new or replacement cab without first notifying the Division, submitting all necessary documents and papers and obtaining Division approval. No cab, regardless of age, may be placed into service until it has received Division approval following a visual inspection. Bills of sale presented to the Division for new and replacement vehicles must indicate thereon the manufacturer's model name or number and year of manufacture.

C. An attempt by a certificate holder or applicant to conceal the identity of a principal in the business shall be grounds for the denial of an application seeking the issuance of a certificate, or revocation of an existing certificate.

D. All requests for change of corporate officers, stockholders or board of directors for corporations holding operating certificates are subject to Division approval.

E. Each cab shall have a roof light securely mounted to the vehicle roof which is capable of communicating the following messages:

F. Receipts shall be issued upon request of the passenger.

G. Every certificate holder must institute a system of frequent and regular inspections in order to keep equipment in proper repair and sanitary at all times. Cabs to be placed in service shall not be more than four (4) years old. Once in service, no cab shall operate beyond an odometer reading of 200,000 miles or eight (8) years of age, whichever is sooner, provided, however, that in cases involving vehicles in extraordinary condition, the certificate holder may petition the Administrator for an exemption from these provisions.. In order to be granted an exemption, the petitioner must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Administrator, that the vehicle to be used as a cab would be as acceptable to the public as the newer cabs mandated under this rule; that the vehicle has few, if any, of the interior and exterior wear signs concomitant with vehicles of that older vintage; and that the vehicle appears and functions in relatively "original" condition.

H. Cabs shall be maintained in a business appearance acceptable to the public. This includes, but is not limited to, a clean interior and exterior and the absence of dents, rust, ripped or stained upholstery and broken or cracked glass. The Division will place out of service, any cab that is substandard in appearance. A cab that has been placed out of service may not be driven for any reason, including private use, unless express written permission is obtained from the Division.

I. Within five (5) business days of withdrawing a vehicle from use as a cab, the certificate holder shall paint out all distinctive insignia or trade, association, company or certificate holder's name, assigned number, and remove the roof light prior to sale, unless the vehicle is to be sold for scrap. The Division will be notified within two (2) business days when a vehicle is withdrawn from use as a cab.

J. If a vehicle is out of service for thirty (30) calendar days or more, the vehicle registration must be canceled and the license plates must be returned to the Division of Motor Vehicles. The certificate holder may apply to the Division, within the thirty (30) days, for an exception to this rule. If an exception is granted it must be in writing and applies only to the specific taxi and the specific time period referenced in the writing.

K. No certificate holder will use any other business name than that listed on the certificate. Should a business name be changed, the certificate holder must first, if the business is not a corporation, register the name with the city or town in which the business is located. If a corporation, the business must first register the name with the Secretary of State's Office. After registration, all new business names must be filed with the Division. The Division will review the filing to determine whether the name could cause confusion with any existing business. If the Division rejects the name the certificate holder will be notified within five (5) business days of the filing.

L. A certificate holder must respond to any Division request for documents or information within ten (10) business days of the request unless the Division grants a written extension.

M. Cabs may be operated only by the certificate holder, an employee of the certificate holder or a lessee approved pursuant to section J of these rules. The certificate holder will follow all laws concerning their employees including tax and insurance withholdings and workers compensation.

N. Cabs may only be used as such and may not be used as personal vehicles. If a certificate holder wishes to convert a taxicab to personal use he or she must withdraw the vehicle from use as a cab by following the procedures in Rule G-10. When not in use all cabs must be stored at the certificate holder's business address on file with the Division. If a certificate holder wishes to store vehicles at an alternative address he or she must obtain written permission from the Division and provide the address at which the cabs will be stored.

O. When the Division suspends a certificate holder's operating certificate, the cabs authorized under that certificate may not be driven for any purpose, unless authorized by the Division. The certificate holder must deliver the plates to the Division where they will be maintained during the period of suspension and returned upon completion of the suspension.

P. All vehicles operated as cabs must be purchased by the certificate holder for use in the business. The certificate holder cannot require that the driver purchase the cab and turn it over to the certificate holder. A certificate holder may not register a vehicle as a cab unless he or she has paid fair market value for the vehicle. The consideration paid cannot be an agreement with a driver to allow the driver or others to operate the cab in accordance with the certificate.

Q. The Division may, from time to time, at such times as it deems appropriate, offer training of various types to certificate holders and/or hackney operator's licensees. The Division may require attendance at such training sessions in lieu of, or in addition to, other sanctions (such as fines or suspensions) imposed for violation(s) of these rules.