(1) The department, in conjunction with the Washington state patrol, shall regulate limousine carriers with respect to entry, safety of equipment, chauffeur qualifications, and operations. The department shall adopt rules and require such reports as are necessary to carry out this chapter. The department may develop penalties for failure to comply with this section.
(2) In addition, a port district in a county with a population of one million or more may regulate limousine carriers with respect to entry, safety of equipment, chauffeur qualifications, and operations. The county in which the port district is located may adopt ordinances and rules to assist the port district in enforcement of limousine regulations only at port facilities. In no event may this be construed to grant the county the authority to regulate limousines within its jurisdiction. The port district may not set limousine rates, but the limousine carriers shall file their rates and schedules with the port district if requested.
(3) The department, a port district in a county with a population of at least one million, or a county in which the port district is located may enter into cooperative agreements for the joint regulation of limousines.
(4) The department and a city with a population of five hundred thousand or more may enter into cooperative agreements as provided in RCW 46.72A.150, subject to the limitations set forth in RCW 46.72A.130.
(5) The Washington state patrol shall annually conduct a vehicle inspection of each limousine licensed under this chapter, except when a port district, or a city with a population of five hundred thousand or more, enforces limousine carrier regulations under subsection (2) or (4) of this section, that port district or county in which the port district is located, or a city with a population of five hundred thousand or more, may conduct the annual limousine vehicle inspection and random limousine vehicle inspections in conjunction with limousine regulation enforcement activities, provided that the inspection criteria and fees are substantially the same regardless of the authority conducting the inspection. Random limousine vehicle inspections may not be conducted while the limousine contains customers. The state patrol, the city, or the port district conducting the annual limousine vehicle inspection may impose an annual vehicle inspection fee and reinspection fee. A carrier must pay a reinspection fee if a limousine fails inspection for compliance with vehicle standards and is reinspected. If the limousine passes the first reinspection within thirty days of failing the original inspection, all of the reinspection fee must be refunded to the carrier. However, refunds are not available for subsequent reinspections. While a limousine is licensed by the department for commercial limousine use, failure to comply with vehicle inspection standards, established by the department by rule, is a class 3 civil infraction against the carrier, with monetary penalties against the carrier as specified in RCW 7.80.120, for each violation of a safety requirement. It is a class 4 civil infraction for each violation of other vehicle standards, with monetary penalties against the carrier as specified in RCW 7.80.120, and the limousine vehicle certificate must be summarily suspended until safety violations of vehicle standards are corrected and the limousine is reinspected.
[ 2011 c 374 § 3; 1996 c 87 § 6.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2011 c 374 §§ 1-12: See note following RCW 46.72A.010.
Report by internal work group on issuance of chauffeur licenses—2011 c 374: See note following RCW 46.72A.090.