(1) The Passenger Charter-party Carriers’ Act defines a transportation network company as an organization, whether a corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, or other form, operating in California that provides prearranged transportation services for compensation using an online-enabled platform to connect passengers with drivers using their personal vehicles. Existing law requires a transportation network company, among other things, to conduct, or have a 3rd party conduct, a local and national criminal background check for each participating driver, as specified, and prohibits a transportation network company from contracting with, employing, or retaining a driver
if he or she, among other things, is currently registered on the United States Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Web site, has been convicted of any of certain terrorism-related felonies or a violent felony, or, within the previous 7 years, has been convicted of misdemeanor assault or battery, any domestic violence offense, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or any of a specified list of felonies.
A violation of the act is a crime.
The bill would additionally require a transportation network company to provide information about the transportation network company driver to the passenger on its online-enabled application or platform at the time that the passenger is matched to that driver, including the transportation
network company driver’s first name and a picture of the driver, an image of the make and model of the driver’s vehicle, and the license plate number of the vehicle.
(2) Because a violation of the act is a crime and this bill would expand the scope of the act, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.