AuthorTaxicab and Limousine Division

To All Interested Parties:

Pursuant to the passage of Act 164 on November 4, 2016, the Philadelphia Parking Authority (“Authority”) is required to promulgate temporary regulations by February 6, 2017.  The temporary regulations must address certain issues relating to the regulation of taxicab and limousines providing service in Philadelphia (see Act 164 § 57B02).

On December 1, 2016, the Taxicab and Limousine Division (“TLD”) sent written notice seeking information and comment from the general public, taxicab and limousine industry members and prospective/current vendors of associated industry equipment concerning the temporary regulations.  Notice was also published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on December 10, 2016.

The notice further advised that the TLD will hold a public comment hearing concerning the temporary regulations on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Independence Visitors Center, Liberty View Ballroom, 2nd Floor, at 1 N. Independence Mall West, 6th and Market Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

The TLD again requests that all comments that are to be presented at the public comment hearing also be submitted in writing either before or at the hearing.  Otherwise, any other written comments shall be submitted no later than January 20, 2017.  All comments shall be submitted to the attention of Christine Kirlin, Esq., Administrative Counsel, at ckirlin@philapark.org or by mail to her attention at Philadelphia, Parking Authority, Taxicab and Limousine Division, 2415 S. Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148-4113.

A preliminary draft of the changes to existing TLD regulations for the temporary regulations is attached hereto for the public’s convenience (Download Draft Temp Regs here).  Also attached is the Authority’s Participation Policy concerning public participation at the Janaury 4, 2017 public comment hearing (Download Policy here).

The TLD very much appreciates your input concerning this important endeavor.  Thank you.

Michael Casey, Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
2415 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
T 215-683-9417
F 215-683-9437
MCaseyTLD@philapark.org

January 2017 Fuel Surcharge Notice

To All Taxicab Owners and Drivers:

On November 4, 2016, Governor Wolf signed Act 164 into law. This new law made many changes in the regulation of taxicabs. In particular to this message, Act 164 changes the selection process and requirements for taxicab inspections. Bi-annual mechanical safety inspections are no longer required and State and Emission inspections do not have to be solely administered by the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s (“Authority”) Taxicab and Limousine Division (“TLD”). Instead, and in compliance with Act 164, the TLD will only be selecting 25% of the taxicab fleet annually for a safety inspection. Taxicab owners must also be aware that while State inspection and Emission testing are no longer mandated to be done by the Authority, the TLD will, however, continue to offer this service. The fee for a regulatory safety inspection is $25.00, pass or fail. The fee for State and Emissions inspection is $33.65, pass or fail.

As a result of the changes to the inspection process, new TLD inspection stickers will be issued. Unlike the old stickers that indicated when a taxicab is next due for inspection, the new stickers will now indicate when the taxicab last passed an Authority inspection (sample attached here).  It is incumbent upon taxicab owners to keep their vehicles in compliance with State and Authority inspection standards at all times, including displaying valid State inspection stickers.

The TLD anticipates mailing out the first set of inspection notices by December 15, 2016 with implementation of this new process to start on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Any previously scheduled taxicab inspection is to be disregarded.

If you have any questions, please contact the TLD inspection garage supervisor at (215) 683-9447. Thank you.

William P. Schmid
Deputy Director of the TLD
The Philadelphia Parking Authority
2415 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148-4113
W: 215.683.9471
F: 215.683.9452
WSchmid@Philapark.org

To All Interested Parties:

The purpose of this notice is to address questions I have recently received from members of the taxicab industry relating to 2008 taxicabs reaching their retirement age of 8 model years on December 31, 2016.

On November 4, 2016, Governor Wolf signed Act 164 into law which, among other things, changed the TLD taxicab inspection process. Under Act 164, medallion taxicabs will no longer be subject to biannual inspections. Therefore, the last day on which a 2008 model year vehicle may be operated in taxicab service is December 31, 2016.

However, on December 1, 2016, the TLD issued an Order extending the deadline for medallion taxicab certificate holders to replace model year 2008 taxicab vehicles to April 1, 2017. Therefore, all 2008 model year medallion taxicab vehicles operating in Philadelphia must be replaced by April 1, 2017. (Download Order No. P-16-11-10 Here)

Michael Casey
Director
Taxicab & Limousine Division
Philadelphia Parking Authority
2415 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
T 215-683-9417
F 215-683-9437
mcaseytld@philapark.org

Rights Applications Completed – November 2016

Notice To All Interested Parties:

On July 9, 2016, notice was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin (46 Pa.B. 3776) of the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s Board Order No. 16-001 (“Authority Order”) directing the Taxicab and Limousine Division (“TLD”) to administer the sale of 41 Philadelphia taxicab medallions, each of which are designated as wheelchair accessible vehicle (“WAV”) taxicab medallions. This notice included the date, time and location of the bid openings for each of these WAV medallions. To date, the Authority has sold five (5) medallions. The remaining WAV medallions were listed to be sold as follows:

Scheduled Sale Dates & Medallion Nos.
November 30, 2016: WP-1622, WP-1623, WP-1626, WP-1628, WP-1632, WP-1633, WP-1634, WP-1635, WP-1636, WP-1637, WP-1638, WP-1639, WP-1640, WP-1641, WP-1642, WP-1643, WP-1644, WP-1647, WP-1648, WP-1649, WP-1651, WP-1652, WP-1653, WP-1654, WP-1655 & WP-1656

December 7, 2016: WP-1657, WP-1658, WP-1661, WP-1665, WP-1666, WP-1667, WP-1668, WP-1669, WP-1670, & WP-1671

However, pursuant to Authority Order under Paragraph No. 10, the TLD Director exercised his discretion to remove the remaining aforementioned 36 WAV medallions from being sold as scheduled on the bid opening dates of November 30, 2016 and December 7, 2016. The TLD will request that the Authority Board cancel these sales until such time that the TLD Director, at his discretion, places any of the aforementioned medallions before the Authority for a new sale authorization, pursuant to such terms and conditions as the Authority may then impose.

Michael Casey, Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
Philadelphia Parking Authority
2415 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
T (215) 683-9417
F (215) 683-9437
mcaseyTLD@philapark.org

To All Interested Parties:

However, pursuant to the Authority Order under Paragraph No. 10, TLD Director Michael Casey exercised his discretion to remove certain medallions from the scheduled bid opening dates as follows: October 5, 2016, October 12, 2016, October 26, 2016 and November 16, 2016. Additionally, there was a lack of participation of responsive bids for certain WAV medallions scheduled to be sold on November 2, 2016 and November 10, 2016. The TLD Director has rescheduled those sales pursuant to Paragraphs Nos. 12 and 13. Therefore, an updated schedule is as follows:

Scheduled Sale Dates & Medallion Nos.
November 30, 2016: WP-1622, WP-1623, WP-1626, WP-1628, WP-1632, WP-1633, WP-1634, WP-1635, WP-1636, WP-1637, WP-1638, WP-1639, WP-1640, WP-1641, WP-1642, WP-1643, WP-1644, WP-1647, WP-1648, WP-1649, WP-1651, WP-1652, WP-1653, WP-1654, WP-1655 & WP-1656

December 7, 2016: WP-1657, WP-1658, WP-1661, WP-1665, WP-1666, WP-1667, WP-1668, WP-1669, WP-1670, & WP-1671

Lastly, each bid submission must be accompanied by a “Bid Submission Form” and each bidder must have an authorized representative present at the bid opening and present a notice of appearance for the bid. Attached here are both forms (Download Bid Submission Form ; Download Bid Notice of Appearance).

Michael Casey, Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
Philadelphia Parking Authority
2415 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
T (215) 683-9417
F (215) 683-9437
mcaseyTLD@philapark.org

The Taxicab and Limousine Division held a public sealed bid openings on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 and Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at 2415 South Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148 for the sale of wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) medallions. Attached is the winning bid information for each medallion sale: Download

Executive Order No. 16-011