Washington Administrative Code

(1) An auto transportation company must notify the commission in writing within thirty days of a public transit agency purchasing or condemning all or a portion of the company's certificated authority.(2) Notice must include a cover letter identifying the company, the affected au…

(1) An auto transportation company may enter into an agreement to allow another certificated auto transportation company to operate in the first company's territory or over its route(s) when the first company holds exclusive authority in the territory or over the route(s) to be s…

(1) Cause for suspension. The commission may suspend a certificate for cause. Cause includes, but is not limited to:(a) Failure to maintain evidence of required liability insurance coverage for all areas of a passenger transportation company's operations;(b) Failure to file an an…

(1) The commission may reinstate a certificate canceled for cause under the provisions of WAC 480-30-171 if the company:(a) Corrects all conditions leading to the cancellation; and(b) Files an application to reinstate authority with the proper application fee within thirty days o…

(1) Interruptions in service.(a) An auto transportation company must file a written report with the commission and must post appropriate public notice of any interruption in regular service that is likely to continue for more than twenty-four hours.(i) The written report must con…

(1) Insurance coverage. A company must have bodily injury and property damage liability insurance covering each motor vehicle used to provide passenger transportation services under the authority of the company's certificate in Washington.(a) The insurance policy must be written …

If a company's insurance filing is canceled, and a new filing that provides continuous coverage is not filed before the cancellation effective date, the commission may:(1) Dismiss a company's certificate application or withhold issuance of a certificate;(2) Suspend or cancel a co…

(1) A company conducting interstate passenger transportation services that has qualified as a self-insurer under 49 U.S.C. § 13906 may be exempt from the bodily injury and property damage liability insurance filing provisions under these rules, provided the company files with the…

(1) Discrimination prohibited. All companies providing passenger transportation service under the provisions of this chapter must provide that service consistent with federal and Washington state nondiscrimination laws and rules.(2) Inspection of baggage and other materials passe…

(1) A passenger transportation company must ensure that all vehicles and drivers used to provide passenger transportation services under the authority of the company's certificate comply with all federal, state, local laws and rules, and commission orders, governing licensing, ve…

A company must ensure compliance with the requirements of this section for all vehicles with a capacity of eight or fewer passengers (including the driver) used to provide passenger transportation service under the authority of the company's certificate and for all drivers of tho…

(1) Department of licensing intrastate medical waiver. A passenger transportation company may use a driver that is not physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle under Title 49 C.F.R. Part 391.41, if the driver:(a) Only operates motor vehicles intrastate, wholly wit…

(1) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, a passenger transportation company must ensure that all motor vehicles used to provide passenger transportation services are clearly and easily identifiable as being operated under the authority of the company.(a) Each motor vehicle must di…

(1) A passenger transportation company operating a leased vehicle must have a physical or digital copy of the lease agreement with the owner of the vehicle.(2) It is the company's responsibility to ensure that:(a) A physical or digital copy of the lease is carried in each leased …

(1) The commission is authorized to administer and enforce laws and rules relating to passenger transportation companies. The commission may delegate authority to the commission staff to inspect equipment, drivers, records, files, accounts, books, and documents. The commission ma…

(1) A charter party carrier or excursion service carrier operating a party bus must be in compliance with the requirements of RCW 81.70.380.(2) A charter party carrier or excursion service carrier operating a party bus must be in compliance with Title 66 RCW.(3) A copy of the liq…

(1) Operating without a certificate - Auto transportation companies.(a) If a representative of the commission or other law enforcement agency observes a company operating as a passenger transportation company without a certificate from the commission, that company is subject to a…

The rules in Part 7 of this chapter relating to tariffs, time schedules, rates, and rate filings apply only to auto transportation companies. Charter and excursion carriers are not subject to the provisions of this part.[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040, 81.04.160, 81.12.050, 8…

(1) The commission interprets the provisions of 49 U.S.C. § 14501 as preempting the requirements of state laws and regulations relating to intrastate fares for the transportation of passengers by an interstate motor carrier of passengers operating over a regular route authorized …

Definitions of general terms and terms specific to driver and equipment safety are contained in WAC 480-30-036 and 480-30-216, respectively. Unless the language or context indicates that a different meaning is intended, the following definitions apply:"Charge" means a fare or rat…

(1) Tariffs and time schedules no longer subject to chapter 480-149 WAC. As of the effective date of these rules, those auto transportation companies that are required to file Washington intrastate tariffs and time schedules are no longer subject to tariff and time schedule provi…

(1) Tariffs. No auto transportation company subject to tariff filing requirements of Part 7 of this chapter will provide service until it files a tariff with the commission and the commission approves that tariff or allows it to become effective by operation of law.(2) Time sched…

(1) Tariffs. Except as authorized by the commission pursuant to WAC 480-30-420, no auto transportation company may assess rates that are higher, lower, or different from those contained in the company's filed tariff. Further, no auto transportation company may accept a payment fo…

(1) Tariffs. The tariff filed with the commission by an auto transportation company must show all rates it will impose on its customers, together with rules that govern how those rates will be assessed. The tariff must contain, but is not limited to the following sections:(a) A t…

An auto transportation company must maintain a copy of its filed tariff and its filed time schedule in the company's offices, each passenger facility, and the company's internet website, if the company maintains an internet website, and must make these documents available to cust…

(1) Tariffs must provide adult fares, stated in dollars and cents, per passenger, together with the names of the stations or stopping places to or from which those fares apply, arranged in a simple and systematic manner.(2) The tariff must clearly state whether fares apply "one w…

The commission will reject tariff or time schedule filings that:(1) Are not accompanied by the required transmittal letter;(2) Are not accompanied by all required documentation;(3) Do not contain all required information;(4) Do not comply with format rules;(5) Are not accompanied…

A company must provide at least one business-day notice to the commission for the following filings:(1) Initial tariff and time schedule filings that accompany applications for certificated authority;(2) Tariff and time schedule adoptions filed under the provisions of WAC 480-30-…

A company must provide at least one calendar day's notice to the commission for filings whose only purpose is to implement decreases in rates.[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. WSR 06-23-058 (Docket TC-060177, General Order No. R-539), § 480-30-306, filed 11/8/06,…

A company must provide at least thirty calendar days' notice to the commission for any filing that will result in an increase in rates to customers.[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040, 81.04.160, 81.12.050, 81.68.030, and 81.70.270. WSR 06-13-006 (General Order No. R-533, Docket …

(1) Notice. Each auto transportation company must provide notice to its customers at least thirty days prior to the stated effective date for any proposed tariff change that would increase recurring or prepaid rates or restrict access to services (e.g., rate increase, route reduc…

(1) Within five days of making a filing requiring posting of a customer notice under WAC 480-30-316, but no sooner than the date the filing is submitted to the commission, a company must file a statement with the commission's records center that the required notice has been poste…

(1) The commission may allow auto transportation company tariff or time schedule filings to become effective with less notice than is shown in WAC 480-30-306 and 480-30-311 when there is an emergency or when good cause is shown. This process is known as "less than statutory notic…

(1) An auto transportation company must file tariffs and time schedules that:(a) Are filed in loose-leaf format;(b) Are typed or mechanically printed (not handwritten) using at least ten-point type; and(c) Are printed on eight and one-half inch by eleven-inch paper, with margins …

Each change in rates, times of arrival and/or departure, routes, schedules, or rules must be clearly identified in filed tariffs and time schedules by using one of the following methods:(1) By printing the appropriate code symbol immediately to the left of the material being chan…

(1) Tariff. The title page of every auto transportation tariff filed with the commission must show at least the following:(a) The certificate name of the auto transportation company, its certificate number, and all trade names filed with the commission to which the tariff applies…

(1) Tariff. All pages in an auto transportation company's tariff, except the title page, must include the following:(a) A page header that includes:(i) The identifying number of the tariff and canceled number, if any;(ii) A page number and canceled number, if any;(iii) A revision…

An auto transportation company must file a map with its tariff that clearly identifies the company's entire certificated authority area. If an auto transportation company divides its authorized certificate area into service territories, areas, or zones the company must also file …

(1) Tariff rules must be stated in clear language and explicit terms, setting forth all standards and policies that will govern how the auto transportation company assesses rates to its customers.(2) All provisions contained in an auto transportation company's tariff must be clea…

Companies may change filed tariffs or time schedules by one of two methods:(1) Issuing revised pages to the tariff or time schedule. A revised page must have the same page number as the page it cancels. For example: "1st revised page 1" cancels "Original page 1."(2) Issuing a com…

(1) Auto transportation companies may issue supplements to filed tariffs or time schedules to reflect short-term situations.(2) Auto transportation companies may not issue tariff supplements to make general rate increases.(3) Supplements are subject to all applicable rules and pr…

(1) Discontinuance of service. When the commission grants permission for an auto transportation company to discontinue service, the company must file supplements to cancel tariffs and time schedules on file with the commission. If permission is granted to discontinue service to o…

(1) When an auto transportation company changes the name on its certificate, the company must file a tariff and time schedule in its new name or must adopt the existing filed tariff and time schedule.(2) When an auto transportation company leases, transfers, or acquires a portion…

(1) Method of filing. An auto transportation company may submit tariff and time schedule filings to the commission in person, electronically, by mail, or by fax. If an auto transportation company files by fax, the company must mail a hard copy on the same day as the fax transmiss…

Receipt by the commission of a tariff or time schedule filing does not mean that the provisions of the filing are approved. Companies may not implement provisions contained in filings until the commission approves the filing or until the commission allows the filed provisions to …

(1) An auto transportation company may enter into contracts or agreements with a second party for the sale of tickets or fares on behalf of the company, provided the form of such contracts or agreements has been previously approved by the commission.(2) The contract or agreement …

(1) No auto transportation company will charge, demand, collect, or receive a greater, lesser, or different compensation for transportation of persons, than the rates that are contained in that company's effective tariff filed with the commission. Further, no auto transportation …