SB 538 — An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in transportation network service, further providing for rates and forms of compensation.

PRINTER'S NO.   524

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                             SENATE BILL
                             No. 538
                                                    Session of
                                                      2025

     INTRODUCED BY TARTAGLIONE, KEARNEY, FONTANA, COLLETT AND KANE,
        APRIL 2, 2025

     REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
        APRIL 2, 2025


                                         AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in transportation network service,
 3      further providing for rates and forms of compensation.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.         Section 2607 of Title 66 of the Pennsylvania
 7   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding subsections to read:
 8   § 2607.    Rates and forms of compensation.
 9      * * *
10      (g)    Study.--
11             (1)   The Joint State Government Commission shall conduct
12      a study on:
13                   (i)    Income that drivers derive from operating
14             personal vehicles for a transportation network company.
15                   (ii)    Traffic congestion throughout the service area
16             of a transportation network company and the extent to
17             which a company's vehicles contribute to the congestion.
18                   (iii)    Traffic safety.
 1              (iv)    Vehicle utilization rates.
 2              (v)    Access to the transportation network service in
 3        different geographic areas of this Commonwealth.
 4              (vi)    The number of hours that drivers make
 5        themselves available to accept dispatches from a
 6        transportation network company by day or week.
 7              (vii)    Driver incomes and well-being.
 8              (viii)       Other topics that the Joint State Government
 9        Commission deems appropriate.
10        (2)   The Joint State Government Commission may require a
11    transportation network company to provide the following data:
12              (i)    For each prearranged ride that is provided
13        through the transportation network company:
14                     (A)    The driver's license number of the driver.
15                     (B)    The license plate number of the vehicle that
16              fulfilled the prearranged ride request.
17                     (C)    The location where a passenger is picked up
18              and subsequently dropped off.
19                     (D)    The total number of passengers picked up and
20              dropped off from the location referenced in clause
21              (C).
22                     (E)    The date and time a passenger is picked up
23              and dropped off.
24                     (F)    The total ride mileage of a prearranged
25              ride.
26                     (G)    The date and time a prearranged ride request
27              was made by a passenger.
28                     (H)    The itemized fare for each prearranged ride,
29              including the amount of the fare, tolls, surcharges,
30              rates, other deductions, gratuity and a breakdown of

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 1                the amount a passenger paid for the prearranged ride.
 2                       (I)   The payment that a driver received for a
 3                prearranged ride or the hourly rate paid.
 4                (ii)    The total amount of time that a vehicle is
 5          connected to the electronic platform of a transportation
 6          network company each day.
 7                (iii)    The amount of time spent each day by a driver:
 8                       (A)   Providing transportation network services.
 9                       (B)   On the way to a passenger.
10                       (C)   Between prearranged rides but not on the way
11                to a passenger.
12                (iv)    Additional information that the Joint State
13          Government Commission requires to conduct the study.
14          (3)   Within 12 months of the effective date of this
15    paragraph, the Joint State Government Commission shall submit
16    a report on the study to the following entities:
17                (i)    The chairperson of the Pennsylvania Public
18          Utility Commission.
19                (ii)    The Secretary of Transportation.
20                (iii)    The chairperson and minority chairperson of
21          the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
22          Committee of the Senate.
23                (iv)    The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
24          Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee
25          of the House of Representatives.
26                (v)    The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
27          Transportation Committee of the Senate.
28                (vi)    The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
29          Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives.
30    (h)   Minimum payments to drivers.--

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 1          (1)   Within six months of the issuance of the report
 2    under subsection (g), the commission shall by rule or order
 3    establish a method for determining the minimum payment that
 4    shall be paid to a transportation network company driver for
 5    a prearranged ride. In establishing a minimum payment method,
 6    the commission shall consider:
 7                (i)    The duration and distance of the prearranged
 8          ride.
 9                (ii)    The expenses of operation to the driver.
10                (iii)    Applicable vehicle utilization standard.
11                (iv)    Rates of fares.
12                (v)    The adequacy of a driver's income considered in
13          relation to a driver's expenses.
14          (2)   A rule promulgated by the commission under this
15    subsection shall not prevent payments to transportation
16    network company drivers from being calculated on an hourly or
17    weekly basis, or by another method, provided that the actual
18    payments made to drivers are no less than the minimum
19    payments determined in accordance with the method established
20    by the commission under this subsection.
21    (i)   Minimum rates of fares.--
22          (1)   Following issuance of the report under subsection
23    (g), the commission shall determine if the establishment of a
24    minimum rate of fare charged by a transportation network
25    company would substantially alleviate problems identified in
26    the study.
27          (2)   If the commission determines that a minimum rate of
28    fare would substantially alleviate problems identified in the
29    study, the commission shall, by rule or order, establish a
30    minimum rate of fare for transportation network company

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 1    services.
 2        (3)     In setting a minimum rate of fare, the commission
 3    may consider:
 4              (i)    The category of vehicle.
 5              (ii)    The type of prearranged ride, including
 6        prearranged rides in which the vehicle is available for
 7        the transportation of two or more passengers.
 8              (iii)    The rates of fare for other categories of
 9        vehicles carrying passengers for hire, including
10        taxicabs.
11              (iv)    The location of the prearranged ride.
12              (v)    Other factors that the commission determines to
13        be appropriate to achieve the intended result.
14        (4)     A minimum rate of fare may not include taxes, fees
15    or surcharges imposed on prearranged rides made by a
16    transportation network company.
17        (5)     If the commission establishes a minimum rate of fare
18    under paragraph (2), the commission shall, on a periodic
19    basis, but not less than once annually, review minimum rates
20    of fare to determine whether an amendment of the minimum
21    rates of fare are warranted or necessary to achieve the
22    intended result.
23    Section 2.      This act shall take effect immediately.




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