Taxicab agents

Taxi agent misrepresentation, fraud or unlawful act

An agent must not make a material misrepresentation or omission or commit a fraudulent or unlawful act while acting as an agent, licensed or not. Examples in the rule: presenting a cab with the wrong VIN, operating with an altered VIN, giving TLC false insurance papers, or bribing TLC staff.

Fine (published)

$1,000–$10,000 and/or revocation (for 63-08(a)(1)–(4)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent gave TLC a false insurance document

One of the listed acts of fraud for taxicab agents: presenting TLC with a document that falsely says the insurance requirements for a taxicab have been met.

Fine (published)

$1,000–$10,000 and/or revocation (for 63-08(a)(1)–(4)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(a)(3)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Fraud, misrepresentation or theft by a taxi agent

While acting as a licensed agent, the agent must not commit or attempt any act of fraud, misrepresentation or theft, for example toward drivers or medallion owners.

Fine (published)

$1,000–$5,000. Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(b)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent deliberately acted against the public interest

While acting as a licensed agent, the agent must not deliberately do, or try to do, anything against the best interests of the public, even if no specific rule mentions it.

Fine (published)

$1,000–$5,000. Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(d)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent did not cooperate with TLC

A taxicab agent (a TLC-licensed business that manages yellow medallion cabs for their owners) must truthfully answer all questions and follow all communications, directives and summonses from TLC, its representatives or the NYC Department of Investigation, and must open its business premises, books and records for inspection when TLC asks.

Fine (published)

$500–$1,500 and suspension until compliance (current). The 2011 rule book listed $500–$1,500. Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(e)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent did not answer or obey a TLC directive

A taxicab agent (a TLC-licensed business that manages yellow medallion cabs for their owners) must truthfully answer all questions and comply with all communications, directives and summonses issued by TLC, its representatives or the NYC Department of Investigation. This summons usually follows an ignored request or order.

Fine (published)

$500–$1,500 and suspension until compliance (for 63-08(e)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(e)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent threatened, harassed or abused someone

While acting as a licensed agent, the agent must not threaten, harass or abuse any person, such as a driver, owner or TLC employee.

Fine (published)

$100–$350 and/or suspension up to 30 days. Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(f)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent used or threatened physical force

While acting as a licensed agent, the agent must not use or attempt to use physical force against anyone.

Fine (published)

$100–$350 and/or suspension up to 30 days. Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-08(g)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent business premises violation

Section 63-10 says an agent that runs cabs returned at the end of each shift must keep properly zoned business premises with enough off-street parking, office space for records, regular weekday business hours, a business address and phone on file, and a posted Driver's Bill of Rights. This summons cites the section without a subsection.

Fine (published)

$500–$1,000 and suspension until compliance for (a)–(d); $250 if you plead guilty before a hearing or $500 if found guilty for (e).

35 RCNY §63-10TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent lacks required off-street parking

An agent whose cabs are returned at the end of a shift must have enough off-street parking at or near its business premises to store the lesser of 25 vehicles, or 50% of cabs leased daily or by shift plus 5% of cabs leased for longer.

Fine (published)

$500–$1,000 and suspension until compliance (for 63-10(a)–(d)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-10(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent lacks off-street parking (25-vehicle standard)

Paragraph (1) of the agent parking rule: the required off-street parking near the business premises is measured as space for 25 vehicles, when that is less than the percentage standard in paragraph (2).

Fine (published)

$500–$1,000 and suspension until compliance (for 63-10(a)–(d)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-10(a)(1)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent lacks office space for business and records

An agent must have enough office space to conduct business and keep all records TLC requires, including trip sheets and driver records.

Fine (published)

$500–$1,000 and suspension until compliance (for 63-10(a)–(d)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-10(b)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent not open regular business hours

An agent must keep regular business hours, including 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday except legal holidays.

Fine (published)

$500–$1,000 and suspension until compliance (for 63-10(a)–(d)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-10(c)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent business address or phone not on file with TLC

An agent must keep a business address and telephone number on file with TLC.

Fine (published)

$500–$1,000 and suspension until compliance (for 63-10(a)–(d)). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-10(d)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Driver's Bill of Rights sign not posted at taxi agent's office

An agent must post the TLC "Driver's Bill of Rights" sign in the form TLC prescribes, in a conspicuous place where drivers do business (such as next to a payment window), with no other signs right around it.

Fine (published)

$250 if you plead guilty before a hearing; $500 if found guilty following a hearing. Appearance not required.

35 RCNY §63-10(e)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Driver's Bill of Rights sign not in TLC's prescribed form

Item (i) of the agent sign rule says TLC posts the required form and format of the "Driver's Bill of Rights" sign on its website. A summons citing it usually means the agent's sign was missing or not in the TLC format.

35 RCNY §63-10(e)(i)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Driver's Bill of Rights sign not conspicuously posted

Item (ii) of the agent sign rule requires the "Driver's Bill of Rights" sign to be posted conspicuously where drivers regularly do business, such as next to a payment window, and kept free of other signs nearby.

Fine (published)

$250 if you plead guilty before a hearing; $500 if found guilty following a hearing (for 63-10(e)). Appearance not required.

35 RCNY §63-10(e)(ii)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent did not give TLC a list of the cabs it operates

A taxicab agent (a TLC-licensed business that manages yellow medallion cabs for their owners) must give TLC a list of all taxicabs it operates, every year and whenever TLC asks.

Fine (published)

$250 and suspension until compliance. Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-11(a)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents)

Taxi agent let a driver without valid licenses drive a cab

When these summonses were written (2016), §63-11(c)(2) said an agent must not authorize or allow anyone to drive a taxicab unless the driver has a valid chauffeur's license and a valid TLC driver license. In the current rule book, (c)(2) is instead the narrow exception for moving a cab with the roof light off and the driver logged out.

Fine (published)

$500–$2,000 and/or suspension up to 30 days (2017 rule book). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-11(c)(2)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents), February 2017 archive copy

Taxi agent let a driver without valid licenses drive a cab (2011 rule)

In the 2011 rule book (these summonses date from 2013–2014), §63-11(d)(2) said an agent must not authorize or allow anyone to drive a taxicab unless the driver has a valid driver's license and a valid TLC taxicab driver's license. The same duty is now in §63-11(c).

Replaced by §63-11(c)(1)

Fine (published)

$500–$2,000 and/or suspension up to 30 days (2011 rule book). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-11(d)(2)TLC Rule Book (2011), Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents), archive copy

Taxi agent did not pass on taxes and surcharges collected for owner

A taxicab agent (a TLC-licensed business that manages yellow medallion cabs for their owners) must pay to the right party all taxes and surcharges it collects on behalf of a medallion owner (for example the MTA tax and improvement surcharges on fares), for the periods it manages that medallion. This is the most common agent charge in OATH data; it usually means surcharge or tax money was collected but not remitted.

Fine (published)

$1,000 and suspension until compliance; appearance not required (2017 rule book). Current rule book: $1,000–$10,000 and suspension until compliance or revocation; restitution to the owner may be ordered.

35 RCNY §63-11(g)TLC Rule Book, Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents), February 2017 archive copy

Taxi agent charged drivers more than 5% on card fares (former rule)

In the 2011 rule book, an agent acting as a "merchant" for credit and debit card fares could charge a driver a mark-up of at most 5% of the card charges in the driver's shift. This subdivision no longer appears in later versions of Chapter 63.

Fine (published)

First violation $200; second $300; third $500; the judge may also order restitution of the excess to the driver (2011 rule book). Appearance required.

35 RCNY §63-14(f)TLC Rule Book (2011), Chapter 63 (Taxicab Agents), archive copy