Section 57A11 - Transportation network service accessibility

53 PA Cons Stat § 57A11 (2019) (N/A)
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(a) Accessibility of digital network.--By January 1, 2017, the digital network used by a transportation network company to connect drivers and passengers shall be accessible to customers who are blind, visually impaired, deaf and hard of hearing.

(b) Discrimination in service.--

(1) Where transportation network services are offered, a transportation network company must take reasonable steps to ensure that the service provided by each transportation network company driver who utilizes the digital network is offered in a nondiscriminatory manner. A transportation network company may not unlawfully discriminate against a prospective passenger or unlawfully refuse to provide service to a certain class of passengers or certain localities.

(2) Each licensed transportation network company must:

(i) Adopt a policy of nondiscrimination regarding individuals with disabilities in accordance with this subsection. The following information shall be provided on the transportation network company's publicly accessible Internet website:

(A) Notice of the nondiscrimination policy.

(B) Procedures to report a complaint to the commission or authority about a transportation network company driver's alleged violation of this subsection.

(ii) A transportation network company driver must transport a service animal when accompanying a passenger with a disability for no additional charge unless the transportation network company driver has a documented medical allergy on file with the transportation network company.

(iii) A transportation network company may not impose additional charges for service to an individual with a disability because of those disabilities.

(iv) A transportation network company shall provide passengers with disabilities requiring the use of mobility equipment an opportunity to indicate on its digital network whether they require a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. A transportation network company or an affiliated entity must facilitate transportation service for passengers who require a wheelchair-accessible vehicle by doing one of the following:

(A) connecting the passenger to an available transportation network company driver or other driver operating a wheelchair-accessible vehicle; or

(B) directing the passenger to an alternative provider with the authority and ability to dispatch a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to the passenger.

(c) Wheelchair-accessible vehicles.--

(1) A combined class, comprised of each transportation network company operating in the city, shall make an aggregated minimum of 70 wheelchair-accessible vehicles available in the city by June 30, 2017.

(2) Each transportation network company shall report to the authority, by December 31 of each calendar year, the programs and best practices the transportation network company has implemented to improve the accessibility of service to individuals with disabilities, including the availability and use of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. If, upon review of the report, the authority concludes that transportation network companies operating in the city are not collectively having a positive impact on the availability of wheelchair-accessible transportation services, the authority may, until December 31, 2022, require the combined class to add up to an aggregated 10 additional wheelchair-accessible vehicles per year.