NRS706.8825. Taxicab Authority Fund: Creation; deposits; use; petty cash account.

      1.  All fees collected pursuant to NRS 706.881 to 706.885, inclusive, must be deposited by the Administrator to the credit of the Taxicab Authority Fund, which is hereby created as a special revenue fund. The transactions for each county subject to those sections must be accounted for separately within the Fund.

      2.  The interest and income earned on the money in the Fund, after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the Fund.

      3.  The revenues received pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 706.8826 are hereby appropriated to defray the cost of regulating taxicabs in the county or the city, respectively, making the deposit under that subsection.

      4.  The fees received pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS 706.8826, NRS 706.8827, 706.8841, 706.8848, 706.8849 and 706.885 are hereby appropriated to defray the cost of regulating taxicabs in the county in which the certificate holder operates a taxicab business. The technology fees received pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 3 of NRS 706.8826 must be used to implement technological improvements in safety, reliability and efficiency, including, without limitation, the implementation of a computerized real-time data system to assist with the regulation of the taxicabs in the county in which the certificate holder operates a taxicab business. A computerized real-time data system implemented pursuant to this subsection must, at a minimum, satisfy the following criteria:

      (a) While a taxicab is in service within the jurisdiction of the Taxicab Authority, the system must be capable of collecting in real-time from the onboard computer of the taxicab, by wireless access through the onboard diagnostic port or other means, the vehicle identification number and operating and telemetric data for the vehicle.

      (b) While a taxicab is in service within the jurisdiction of the Taxicab Authority, the system must be capable of collecting in real-time, from an onboard diagnostic device capable of using a global positioning system that is installed in the taxicab or any other onboard computer software system capable of using a global positioning system that is installed in the taxicab, the location of the taxicab by latitude and longitude, a record of the time at which the taxicab is at that location and operating and telemetric data for the vehicle.

      (c) The system must be capable of allowing the driver of a taxicab, while the taxicab is in service within the jurisdiction of the Taxicab Authority, to register in the system, at the beginning and end of each shift, his or her identity and the number of his or her driver’s permit.

      (d) The system must be capable of allowing, in a manner prescribed by the Taxicab Authority, a certificate holder to digitally associate a taxicab with a temporary or permanent medallion for the purpose of verifying the validity of a temporary or permanent medallion pursuant to NRS 706.88183. As used in this paragraph, “medallion” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 706.88183.

      (e) The system must be capable of presenting, in real-time to the Taxicab Authority, searchable histories, in both a format that displays the information and data in tables and a digital map format that displays streets and highways, of:

             (1) The information and data described in this subsection; and

             (2) The information described in NRS 706.8844.

      (f) The system must be capable of presenting to a passenger, through an application on a mobile device or on an interactive, digital display or other onboard system in the taxicab, sufficient information for the passenger to select and direct the driver to the passenger’s desired destination by the passenger’s desired route. The information must include, without limitation, sufficient information for the passenger to:

             (1) Select the shortest route by time or distance to the passenger’s desired destination;

             (2) Select a multi-segment trip directed by the passenger;

             (3) Select the least expensive route to the passenger’s desired destination; and

             (4) Make a digital record of the passenger’s selection that is accessible during and after the trip by the passenger, the Taxicab Authority, the driver and the certificate holder.

      (g) The system must be capable of presenting to the driver, through an application on a mobile device or an interactive, digital display or other onboard system in the taxicab, sufficient information for the driver to:

             (1) Determine the shortest route by time or distance to the passenger’s desired destination and the least expensive route to the passenger’s desired destination;

             (2) Follow a multi-segment, passenger-directed trip by the least expensive route to the passenger’s desired destination; and

             (3) Allow the passenger to make a digital record of a selection of a desired route to the passenger’s destination that is accessible during and after the trip by the passenger, the Taxicab Authority, the driver and the certificate holder.

      (h) The system must be capable of allowing passengers to register comments and complaints with the Taxicab Authority, the driver and the certificate holder, through an application on a mobile device or an interactive digital display screen or other onboard system in the taxicab.

      (i) The system must be capable of assisting the Taxicab Authority in the development of additional preventive measures to detect, investigate and deter the practice of transporting a passenger to a selected destination by a route that is more expensive than necessary under the circumstances of the trip.

      (j) The system must be capable of providing to the Taxicab Authority reliable real-time and historic information concerning service demands, market data, vehicle usage, wait times and customer complaints and comments for use by the Taxicab Authority to make decisions concerning the allocation of medallions pursuant to 706.88237, 706.8824 and 706.88245.

      (k) The system must be capable of allowing certificate holders to use the system to provide cooperative dispatch and electronic hailing services to the public pursuant to NRS 706.88184.

      5.  The Taxicab Authority shall not use the information and data collected pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection 4 for any purpose other than the purposes set forth in those paragraphs unless the Authority has adopted regulations governing the additional use.

      6.  The Taxicab Authority may operate the computerized real-time data system implemented pursuant to subsection 4 or enter into an agreement for the provision of such service. If the Taxicab Authority enters into such an agreement, the Taxicab Authority shall ensure that all the information and data collected by the computerized real-time data system is under the control of the Taxicab Authority.

      7.  Any balance remaining in the Fund does not revert to the State General Fund. The Administrator may transfer to the Aging and Disability Services Division of the Department of Health and Human Services any balance over $200,000 and any interest earned on the Fund, within the limits of legislative authorization for each fiscal year, to subsidize transportation for elderly persons and persons with permanent disabilities in taxicabs. The money transferred to the Aging and Disability Services Division must be administered in accordance with regulations adopted by the Administrator of the Aging and Disability Services Division pursuant to NRS 427A.070.

      8.  The Administrator may establish an account for petty cash not to exceed $2,000 for the support of undercover investigation, and if the account is created, the Administrator shall reimburse the account from the Taxicab Authority Fund in the same manner as other claims against the State are paid.

      9.  As used in this section, “real time” means the transmission of information at a rate no longer than once every 6 seconds, unless the Taxicab Authority authorizes a longer rate while a taxicab is experiencing a low volume of trips.

      (Added to NRS by 1969, 1241; A 1977, 747; 1981, 2053; 1983, 648, 1590; 1987, 938; 1989, 1066, 1786; 1991, 1961; 1995, 852; 2001, 2930; 2003, 1404; 2013, 2539)