Department:

City of Seattle

Department of Finance and Administrative Services Rule No:

FOR-HIRE TRANSPORTATION-18-2024

Supersedes:

Clerk File 321966

Publication:

7/26/2024

Effective:

9/20/2024

Subject:

Wheelchair Accessible Services Surcharge for Transportation Network Companies

Code and Section Reference(s):

SMC 6.310.175

SMC 6.310.140 (rulemaking authority)

Approved:

Division Director

Business Unit Officer

Kiersten Grove, Acting Department Director

Date

Date

Date

City of Seattle For-Hire Transportation Rules

________________________________________

City of Seattle Director's Rule FOR-HIRE TRANSPORTATION-18-2024 Wheelchair Accessible Services Surcharge for Transportation Network Companies

Revision of Prior Administrative Rule

This rule supersedes Clerk File 321966, Wheelchair Accessible Services Surcharge.

Wheelchair Accessible Services Fund. All Wheelchair Accessible Services (WAS) surcharges will be deposited into the Wheelchair Accessible Services Fund. This fund is a self-supporting fund that shall be used to offset the higher operational costs of wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Responsibility of Transportation Network Companies. Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) must collect WAS surcharges from all affiliated vehicles, file the authorized forms and complete trip records with the Director, and remit the surcharges to the City of Seattle. Inability to collect the surcharge does not release the owner or company's obligation to pay the WAS surcharge.

Amount of WAS Surcharge. SMC 6.310.175 requires a surcharge of 10 cents/trip to be paid.

Authorized Forms. Complete trip records shall be made upon forms authorized by the Director of FAS or his or her designee (the Department Director). Forms provided by the Department Director will be available to all TNCs prior to the due date of the fee. The Department Director may reject a report made on a form not authorized by the Director.

Trip. A trip is defined as transporting a passenger from one place to another for compensation.

Trip Reporting Method. The TNC will collect and report revenue trip documentation for all affiliated vehicles and remit the 10-cents-per-trip surcharge to CPD.

Reporting Frequency. The fee imposed by SMC 6.310.175 shall be reported and paid in quarterly installments by TNCs, unless, at the Department Director's discretion, companies or owners are assigned to a monthly or annual reporting period.

Payment with Trip Record Required. The Department Director may refuse to accept any trip record that is not accompanied by a remittance of the WAS surcharge payment shown to be due thereon, or any payment which is not accompanied by a trip report form, and if not accepted, the company shall be deemed to have failed to file a report and shall be subject to penalties.

Completing the Trip Record. All trip records shall be signed by a responsible officer or agent of the TNC. The individual signing the form will certify or declare, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington, that the information contained in the trip report is true and correct.

Audits and Penalties. If any TNC fails to timely submit payment, the City of Seattle may issue a license suspension notice.

The City of Seattle may periodically audit trip records, dispatch records, application records, or other records as required of TNCs to ensure accurate and complete reporting of revenue trips.

Appeals. A TNC may appeal any license suspension within ten days of the license suspension, per SMC 6.310.