Policy Order O-18

WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge has a long history of supporting local businesses, such as taxicabs, which are motor vehicles licensed by the City of Cambridge to provide safe transportation; and

WHEREAS: Such vehicles are expected to meet all standards established by the City of Cambridge License Commission Taxicab Rules and Regulations; and

WHEREAS: According to Article II, Rule 1 of the City of Cambridge License Commission's Taxicab Rules and Regulations, "Every party, whether an individual, corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship, intending to do business as a taxicab for hire in the City of Cambridge shall obtain a medallion issued and authorized by the License Commission;" and

WHEREAS: Article I, Rule 1 of the City of Cambridge License Commission's Taxicab Rules states that, "Only the driver of a licensedCambridge taxicab may pick up passengers for hire in Cambridge taxicabs stands designated by the Cambridge Director of Traffic, Parking and Transportation or those private stands designated by the License Commission; only the driver of a licensed Cambridge taxicab may pick up a passenger on the public way who has hailed said taxicab; an out-of-town taxicab shall not respond to a street hail (unless it is a public safety situation) or park in a Cambridge taxi stand, but may respond to a telephone call or  other pre-arrangement;" and

WHEREAS: Prior to being a licensed taxicab driver in Cambridge, all applicants are required to attend the Cambridge Taxi School and pass the written hackney exam; applicants are issued a probationary taxicab driver's license for a 60-day period upon completion of both training and exam; after the probationary period, a hackney driver may apply for a 1-year license; following said one-year period, the taxicab driver may renew his or her license either for another one-year period or a three-year period with a new background check conducted during the license renewal period at the taxicab driver's personal expense; and

WHEREAS: For many years, Cambridge Taxicabs have supported fees, trainings and regulations to ensure the highest levels of public safety; and

WHEREAS: The attitude towards the taxicab industry has begun to shift both locally and globally in favor of what are currently city-fee-exempted and training-exempted ridesharing services such as, Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar; and

WHEREAS: State Government currently is in the process of reviewing several proposals to regulate hail ride or ridesharing services; however, there is not a definite timeline for implementation or enactment of regulations; and

WHEREAS: The recent strike by Cambridge taxicabs has highlighted the economic struggle of Taxicab Drivers and their families; and

WHEREAS: It is imperative to begin the process of leveling the playing field with hail ride or ridesharing services by immediately helping to ease the financial burden faced by Taxicab Drivers struggling to compete with a societal shift to smart technology transportation services;

WHEREAS: Cambridge Taxicab Drivers are subject to fees and fines that are not imposed upon or required of hail riding service providers; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby confer with the appropriate City Departments about the feasibility of placing an immediate moratorium on any fees paid by the Taxicab industry to the City of Cambridge until: 1) the State has enacted ridesharing regulations; and/or 2) action is taken by the City to deregulate the Taxicab industry following the Mayor's Roundtable on this matter; and be it further

ORDERED: That the City Manager and Mayor be and hereby are requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.