Prohibited contracts and referrals

(a)(1)(A) No transportation referral service or transportation referral service provider subject to this part shall contract with, utilize, or refer individuals or entities to limousine carriers that are not properly licensed by this state or are not properly insured under state law. (B) No ride share network service subject to this part shall contract with, utilize, or refer individuals or entities to ride share drivers who are not properly licensed by this state or are not properly insured under state law. 136 40-1-194 IDENTIFICATION & REGULATION 40-1-195 (2) No transportation referral service or transportation referral service provider subject to this part shall contract with, utilize, or refer individuals or entities to taxi services that are not registered with the department and properly licensed by the applicable political subdivision of this state, are not properly insured under local law, or use drivers that are not properly licensed under state and local law to carry passengers for hire. (b)(1)(A) No person who is not licensed under the laws of this state to provide limousine services shall contract with or accept referrals from a transportation referral service, transportation referral service provider, or ride share network service for transportation services. This paragraph shall not apply to passengers. (B) No ride share driver who does not have an appropriate driver’s license and either a for-hire endorsement or current private background check certification pursuant to Code Section 40-5-39 shall contract with or accept referrals from a transportation referral service, transportation referral service provider, or ride share network service for transportation services. (2) No person who does not have the licensing required by the appropriate local government of this state to provide taxi services shall contract with or accept referrals from a transportation referral service or transportation referral service provider for transportation services. This paragraph shall not apply to passengers. (c)(1) A transportation referral service that violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (2) A transportation referral service provider or ride share network service that violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and additionally shall be subject to having such provider’s or service’s registration suspended or revoked by the department. (d) A person who violates subsection (b) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and additionally may be subject to a suspension for one year or revocation of such person’s driver’s license. History. Code 1981, § 40-1-194, enacted by Ga. L. 2015, p. 1262, § 3/HB 225. 40-1-195. Inclusion of license number in advertising; display of signage or emblem. (a) Each taxi service, transportation referral service, transportation referral service provider, and ride share network service doing busi137 40-1-195 MOTOR VEHICLES & TRAFFIC 40-1-196 ness, operating, or providing transportation services in this state shall include its license number issued by the department in any advertising in this state; provided, however, that this Code section shall not apply to Internet advertisements. Limousine carriers which register as transportation referral service providers under this part shall be subject to the advertising requirements of this Code section and not the provisions of Code Section 40-1-165. Failure to provide such license number shall result in the imposition of a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.00 for each violation. (b) Each ride share driver shall display a consistent and distinctive signage or emblem that is approved by the Department of Public Safety on such ride share driver’s vehicle at all times while the ride share driver is active on the ride share network service’s digital network. The signage or emblem shall be: (1) Sufficiently large and color contrasted to be readable during daylight hours from a distance of at least 50 feet; (2) Reflective, illuminated, or otherwise visible in darkness; and (3) Sufficient to identify a vehicle as being associated with the ride share network service with which the ride share driver is affiliated. Any person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. History. Code 1981, § 40-1-195, enacted by Ga. L. 2015, p. 1262, § 3/HB 225; Ga. L. 2016, p. 864, § 40/HB 737. 40-1-196. Rates charged.