July 7, 2023
Nyasha Smith, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Secretary Smith:
Today, along with Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau, I am introducing the “Department of For-Hire
Vehicles Delivery Vehicle Traffic Enforcement Expansion Amendment Act of 2023.” Please find
enclosed a signed copy of the legislation.
As traffic deaths have continued to rise over the last several years, Councilmembers have frequently
heard concerns from residents about food and parcel delivery vehicles parking in crosswalks,
obstructing bike lines and driveways, double parking on the street, or otherwise endangering the
public. These vehicles are hired through the same mobile applications as public and private vehicles-
for-hire that transport passengers. Under current law, the Department of For-Hire Vehicles (“DFHV”)
previously could only issue citations for traffic violations by public and private vehicles-for-hire, but
not when those vehicles effectively turned off their dome lights and became food and parcel delivery
vehicles. The Council, in emergency and temporary legislation enacted in Council Period 24, provided
DFHV with the statutory authority to issue citations to drivers making food, beverage, or parcel
deliveries and expanded its enforcement capabilities. DFHV has since used its new authority 495
times. This legislation would enact the emergency and temporary provisions on a permanent basis.
Please feel free to reach out to me or my Legislative Director, Antonio Nunes, with any questions or
for additional information.
Sincerely,
Charles Allen, Ward 6 Councilmember
Chairperson, Committee on Transportation & the Environment
Vice Chair, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
1
 1 _____________________________ _____________________________
2 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Charles Allen
3
4
5
6 A BILL
7
8 _______
9
10
11 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
12
13 ____________________
14
15
16 To amend the Department of For-Hire Vehicles Establishment Act of 1985 to authorize the
17 Department of For-Hire Vehicles to enforce traffic laws against carrier-for-hire vehicles.
18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
19 act may be cited as the “Department of For-Hire Vehicles Delivery Vehicle Traffic Enforcement
20 Expansion Amendment Act of 2023”.
21 Sec. 2. The Department of For-Hire Vehicles Establishment Act of 1985, effective March
22 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code § 50-301.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:
23 (a) Section 4 (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.03) is amended as follows:
24 (1) A new paragraph (3A) is added to read as follows:
25 “(3A) “Carrier-for-hire” means a class of transportation service by which a
26 network of private operators, couriers, or carriers provide transportation of parcels, food, or
27 beverages in the District for compensation.”.
28 (2) Paragraph (30B) is amended as follows:
29 (A) Strike the phrase “regulations governing public and private vehicle-
30 for-hire service” and insert the phrase “regulations governing public and private vehicle-for-hire
31 and carrier-for-hire service” in its place.
1
32 (B) Strike the phrase “traffic stops of public and private vehicles-for-hire,
33 pursuant to protocol prescribed” and insert the phrase “traffic stops of public and private
34 vehicles-for-hire and carrier-for-hire vehicles, pursuant to protocol prescribed in its place.
35 (b) Section 8 (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.07) is amended as follows:
36 (1) Subsection (b-1) is amended as follows:
37 (A) The existing language is designated as paragraph (1).
38 (B) A new paragraph (2) is added to read as follows:
39 “(2) The vehicle inspection officers described in paragraph (1) of this subsection
40 may make traffic stops of a carrier-for-hire vehicle, pursuant to protocol prescribed by the
41 DFHV.”.
42 (2) Subsection (c) is amended as follows:
43 (A) Paragraph (19) is amended by striking the phrase "; and" and inserting
44 a semicolon in its place.
45 (B) A new paragraph (19A) is added to read as follows:
46 “(19A) Establish rules relating to the enforcement of traffic regulations
47 against carrier-for-hire vehicles; and”.
48 (c) Section 20k(a) (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.30(a)) is amended as follows:
49 (1) Strike the phrase “shall undergo training on the rules and regulations
50 governing private and public vehicles-for-hire and undergo” and insert the phrase “shall undergo
51 training on the rules and regulations governing private and public vehicles-for-hire and carrier-
52 for-hire vehicles and undergo” in its place.
53 (2) Strike the phrase “inspection officers shall be prohibited from making traffic
54 stops of on-duty private or public vehicles-for-hire in the act of transporting a fare, unless there
2
55 is reasonable suspicion of a violation” and insert the phrase “inspection officers shall be
56 prohibited from making traffic stops of on-duty private or public vehicles-for-hire in the act of
57 transporting a fare, or a carrier-for-hire vehicle in the act of transporting a parcel, food, or
58 beverage, unless there is reasonable suspicion of a violation” in its place.
59 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
60 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
61 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
62 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § l-301.47a).
63 Sec. 4. Effective date.
64 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
65 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
66 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
67 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
68 Columbia Register.
3