9-499.18. Transportation safety zones; passenger convenience areas; definitions

A. A city or town may adopt a resolution or ordinance establishing passenger convenience areas and vehicle for hire lanes within a transportation safety zone. The governing body of a city or town may adopt resolutions or ordinances establishing hours of operation and procedures for the use of passenger convenience areas and vehicle for hire lanes.

B. The governing body of a city or town may establish, by resolution or ordinance, a transportation safety zone, if the governing body finds that a transportation safety zone is necessary to preserve the public health, safety and general welfare. A resolution or ordinance adopted pursuant to this subsection must include a map establishing the boundaries of the zone and traffic safety data used to justify the establishment of the zone. Each transportation safety zone must be no greater than three square miles, and a city or town may not create more than two transportation safety zones within its corporate boundaries. A transportation safety zone may not include any portion of a state highway or state route.

C. On establishment of a transportation safety zone, the city or town may place and maintain permanently affixed signs located in a visible manner at the public vehicular access points leading into the zone for the purpose of delineating the boundaries of the zone.

D. A city or town with a transportation safety zone may require a vehicle that is self-propelled entirely or partially by pedals operated by the passengers to operate pursuant to public safety and traffic ordinances.

E. Except in the event of a public safety emergency, a city or town may not prescribe the order in which a vehicle may load or unload passengers in a transportation safety zone. This subsection does not interfere with or restrict the ability of a city or town to regulate the flow of traffic or enforce any state law.

F. This section does not impose or authorize additional regulation, permitting or licensing requirements beyond those required by this section and title 28, chapter 30.

G. Drivers shall not leave vehicles unattended in a passenger convenience area.

H. For the purposes of this section:

1. " Passenger cart" means any motorized vehicle, except a bus, that is used to transport passengers on a public roadway in exchange for any form of payment or gratuity and that is not a vehicle for hire as defined in section 28-9501.

2. " Passenger convenience area" means an area designated by a city or town where taxis, passenger carts, livery vehicles or limousines may enter for the purpose of the loading and unloading of passengers.

3. " Vehicle for hire lane" means a designated traffic lane for use exclusively by vehicles picking up or dropping off passengers in exchange for any form of payment, including a fee, fare, donation or gratuity.