As previously reported on Conduit Street, Governor Hogan signed legislation recently that would create a regulatory framework for transportation network operators (TNO) such as Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar. This legislation, SB 868, also authorizes local jurisdictions to impose an assessment on TNOs operating within the jurisdictions.
The Comptroller’s Office recently sent a letter to county budget and finance directors explaining the legislation and the process to be followed if a jurisdiction intends to impose an assessment. From the Comptroller’s letter:
Each county is permitted to impose an assessment of up to $0.25 on each trip that originates within the county. Starting July 1, 2015, the affected companies (Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar, etc.) must collect the assessments that have been imposed and remit them quarterly with reports to the Office of the Comptroller. The actions a county must take to impose the assessment depends upon when the assessment is imposed…
The letter continues to explain the process for each timeframe in which a fee can be imposed.
Under the bill, Baltimore City is authorized to impose a 25 cent per passenger, per ride assessment since that is the amount currently imposed on taxi cabs.