City Cab Co. Dispatch is Closing — Important Notice
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:
The Taxicab and Limousine Division (TLD) was advised this week that City Cab Co. (City Cab) is ceasing all dispatching operations effective August 1, 2020.
Consequently, medallion owners currently affiliated with City Cab must take immediate action to stay in compliance with the regulations while affording the riding public and drivers with the required level of safety and customer service.
Therefore, medallion owners and drivers affiliated with City Cab must associate with a new PPA certified dispatcher immediately and make arrangements as follows:
—-Must take immediate steps to associate with a certified dispatcher. The list of certified dispatchers and the contact phone numbers is available on the TLD’s website at https://philapark.org/resources-and-forms/. A City Cab taxicab that properly associates with a certified dispatcher and completes a “chip change” with Curb/VTS (formerly Verifone) to allow for the receiving of two-way communications will be permitted to continue to operate pending new colors and markings (painting out) only until August 1, 2020. Therefore, no later than August 1, 2020, the vehicle shall be painted with the new dispatcher’s colors and markings scheme and completed a “chip change” in the taxicab’s meter equipment.
—-You must still submit a “Change of Dispatch” Form COVD-1. However, the signature of a City Cab representative is not required. It must be signed by a representative of the new dispatcher affiliation.
—-The week of July 20, 2020 to July 24, 2020 is reserved at the Curb/VTS shop located at 700 Packer Avenue for “chip changes” in taxicabs currently painted as City Cab.
Failure to associate with a certified dispatcher will result in the taxicab being placed out of service and the issuance of a penalty. If you have any questions concerning this notice, please contact the TLD’s Enforcement Department, William Schmid at wschmid@philapark.org. Thank you.
Christine A. Kirlin, Esq.
Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
Philadelphia Parking Authority
2415 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
T (215) 683-9653
F (215) 683-9568
ckirlin@philapark.org
Taxicab and Limousine Division Fee Schedule FY 2021
To All Interested Parties:
The Taxicab and Limousine Division’s Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2021, begins on July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, is attached for your reference (Download TLD FY 2021 Fee Schedule). The Fiscal Year 2021 Fee Schedule became effective on July 1, 2020. All applicable assessment notices will be sent to all certificate holders by email under separate cover.
Thank you,
Christine A. Kirlin, Esq.
Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
Taxicab and Limousine Division Reopening
The Philadelphia Parking Authority’s (Authority) Taxicab and Limousine Division (TLD) will reopen to the public on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. The TLD’s Office hours have changed pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-005 and was posted on the TLD’s website (see Notice Posted on 5/19/2020 https://philapark.org/2020/05/taxicab-and-limousine-division-change-to-office-hours-upon-reopening/). Please review this Order for the current office hours.
All inspections, driver training and testing and court hearings will be rescheduled in due course beginning in July 2020. Driver certificates that expired from March 18, 2020 through July 6, 2020 were automatically extended as advised through posting on the TLD’s website (see Notice Posted on 5/05/2020 https://philapark.org/2020/05/driver-certificates/).
For the safety of all Authority staff and the general public, all visitors to the TLD will be required to wear a mask upon entering the building. You are required to have and provide your own masks. Access Control personnel will be posted outside of the Customer Service Window and Garage Office to take the temperature of all visitors and limit the number of people inside the office at one time. If an individual refuses to wear a mask and/or refuses to have a temperature check, that visitor will be turned away and not permitted to enter the TLD. A visitor will not be permitted to enter the building if they have a temperature of 100.4 or higher.
If you are visiting the TLD for any reason other than the Garage Office or Customer Service Window, it must be by appointment only. To the greatest extent possible, please try to conduct business by telephone rather than appearing at the TLD. If you do not have a confirmed appointment with TLD staff, you will be asked to wait outside of the TLD’s Main Entrance for the TLD personnel to appear. For any visitor entering through the TLD’s Main Entrance for a scheduled visit, that visitor will be required to wear a mask (provided by the individual themselves) upon entering the building, have a temperature check and submit a completed Visitor Screening Form. If an individual refuses to comply with any of these procedures and/or fails the Visitor Screening, that visitor will be turned away and not permitted to enter the TLD.
If you have any questions concerning this notice, please contact TLD Director Christine Kirlin at ckirlin@philapark.org. For all other questions, please contact the TLD’s Customer Service at TLDAdmin@philapark.org.
Thank you for your continued cooperation.
Christine A. Kirlin, Esq.
Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
Philadelphia Parking Authority
2415 S. Swanson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
Taxicab and Limousine Division — Change to Office Hours Upon Reopening
The Authority’s Executive Director Scott Petri issued the following Order, No. 20-005, changing the Taxicab and Limousine Division’s (TLD) office hours upon the reopening of the TLD offices pursuant to the directives of Gov. Tom Wolf and Mayor Jim Kenny. This Order will be effective upon the reopening of the TLD, which has not yet been determined.
Download Executive Order No. 20-005 Here
REMINDER OF HEALTH SAFETY MEASURES CONCERNING FOR-HIRE VEHICLES & TRANSPORTATION
Notice to All Taxicab, Limousine and Transportation Network Company Industry Members, Owners and Drivers:
As you are aware, on March 6, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf proclaimed the existence of a disaster emergency throughout the Commonwealth concerning the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”). On March 19, 2020, Gov. Wolf issued an Order (“Order”) concerning the closure of all business that are not life sustaining, which also included a list of those businesses that are life sustaining and may continue with operations.[1] Taxicabs, limousines and other ground transportation of passengers are deemed life sustaining businesses.
The Order directed operational life sustaining businesses that they “must follow, at a minimum, measures defined by the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) to protect workers and patrons.” The CDC issued guidelines specific for taxicabs, limousines, rideshare (transportation network companies “TNCs”) and other passenger drivers-for-hire.[2] Additionally, on April 15, 2020, Dr. Rachel Levine, Secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Health, also issued an Order directing public safety measures for businesses permitted to maintain operations.[3]
Therefore, this is a REMINDER that all owners of taxicabs, limousines, TNCs and all drivers of those services operating in Philadelphia shall be adhering to the following, at minimum, when providing service:
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Stay at home if you are sick;
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Drivers must wear a face mask while providing service;
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Avoid pooled rides and tell passengers to sit in the back seat;
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Clean and disinfect the vehicle; at a minimum, clean and disinfect frequently touched services in the vehicle at the beginning and end of each shift and between transporting passengers;
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Ask passengers to wear a mask; and
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Practice frequent personal hygiene to clean your hands as much as possible and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
There are current laws and regulations that govern the requirements of drivers and vehicles concerning cleanliness.[4] Failure to follow and adhere to Gov. Wolf’s Order along with Dr. Levine’s Order may result in the issuance of a penalty and possibly being placed out of service. The TLD will also investigate any complaint it receives concerning a failure to follow these requirements.
If you have any questions concerning this notice, please contact the Taxicab and Limousine Division at TLD@philapark.org. Thank you.
Christine A. Kirlin, Esq.
Director
Taxicab and Limousine Division
Philadelphia Parking Authority
[1] See https://www.governor.pa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200319-TWW-COVID-19-business-closure-order.pdf.
[2] See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/rideshare-drivers-for-hire.html.
[3] See https://www.governor.pa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200415-SOH-worker-safety-order.pdf.
[4] See 53 Pa.C.S. 57A16 (m) (relating to operating regulations); 53 Pa.C.S. 57B01 (c)(7) (relating to regulation of taxicabs and limousines). See also 52 Pa. Code §§ 1017.5 (b)(11) (relating to basic vehicle standards), 1021.11 (b) (relating to driver requirements), 1055.4 (b)(8) (relating to basic vehicle standards) and 1057.10 (d) (relating to driver requirements).
Driver Certificates
As previously noticed on March 26, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all driver certificates are automatically being extended during the closure of the Taxicab and Limousine Division (TLD), which began on March 18, 2020.
Therefore, the new expiration dates are as follows. If your driver certificate:
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Expired between 3/18/2020 through 5/04/2020, the driver certificate expiration date will be extended to expire on 7/01/2020;
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Expired between 5/05/2020 through 6/05/2020, the driver certificate expiration date will be extended to expire on 8/01/2020;
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Expired between 6/06/2020 through 7/06/2020, the driver certificate expiration date will be extended to expire on 9/01/2020.