DRAFT LADOT TAXI AND FOR-HIRE VEHICLE STUDY August 23, 2019 Sam Schwartz Engineering Los Angeles Department of Transportation Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Study Contents 0. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 11 1.A Objective ........................................................................................................................................... 11 1.B Guiding Principles ............................................................................................................................. 12 2. Existing System........................................................................................................................................ 14 2.A Review of City’s Franchise System .................................................................................................... 14 Overview of the Regulatory System in Los Angeles ............................................................................ 14 How is the Existing Regulatory Framework Contributing to LADOT’s Guiding Principles? ................ 20 2.B Transportation Network Companies and Bandit/Unlicensed Operations ........................................ 24 The Impact of TNCs on the Taxi Industry ............................................................................................ 24 Bandit Cabs ......................................................................................................................................... 28 Operating Requirements for Taxis Licensed in Other Jurisdictions .................................................... 29 2.C Peer City Review ............................................................................................................................... 31 2.D Reciprocity ........................................................................................................................................ 37 State Regulation of Taxicab Reciprocity in California ......................................................................... 37 Impact of Reciprocity with Neighboring Jurisdictions on the Los Angeles Taxi Market ..................... 38 3. Customer and Stakeholder Input ............................................................................................................ 39 3.A Summary of Stakeholder Meetings .................................................................................................. 39 Taxi Operators ..................................................................................................................................... 39 TNCs .................................................................................................................................................... 40 Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) ................................................................................................... 41 AccessLA Paratransit Services ............................................................................................................. 41 Los Angeles City Council ...................................................................................................................... 42 3.B Customer Survey Summary .............................................................................................................. 44 LADOT & Operator Data Collection..................................................................................................... 44 Curb Survey ......................................................................................................................................... 44 3.C Cost of Doing Nothing ....................................................................................................................... 47 4. Proposed Regulatory Framework ........................................................................................................... 48 4.A Functionality of Current and Potential Operating/Permitting Processes......................................... 48 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 48 Why Regulate? .................................................................................................................................... 48 1 Los Angeles Department of Transportation Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Study Regulating Market Entry ..................................................................................................................... 49 Vehicle Caps ........................................................................................................................................ 51 Ensuring Adequate Service Levels: The Optimal Number of Taxis ..................................................... 52 Recommendations .............................................................................................................................. 54 4.B For-Hire Vehicle Innovations ............................................................................................................ 55 The Future of Taxis and Public Transportation in an Automated Future ........................................... 58 4.C Incentive-based framework .............................................................................................................. 62 4.D Vision Zero ........................................................................................................................................ 70 Vision Zero Considerations for Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Regulation ................................................ 70 Applying an Incentives-based Framework to Support Vision Zero ..................................................... 70 4.E Congestion Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 71 Commute Mode Comparison .............................................................................................................. 71 Vehicles in Motion (VIM) Analysis ...................................................................................................... 71 TNC Trip Ratio ..................................................................................................................................... 75 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 76 4.F Agency Performance Measures ........................................................................................................ 77 Agency Resources ............................................................................................................................... 77 Performance Indicators ...................................................................................................................... 78 4.G Equity and Accessibility .................................................................................................................... 79 Independent Research ........................................................................................................................ 79 Equitable Service Provisions ............................................................................................................... 80 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................ 83 Methodologies for Measuring and Ensuring Equitable Service Standards ......................................... 84 4.H Staffing Implications ......................................................................................................................... 85 5. Specific Operating Issues ........................................................................................................................ 97 5.A Infrastructure Requirements ............................................................................................................ 97 Types of Taxi/FHV Infrastructure Today ............................................................................................. 97 Taxi/FHV Operations for High Demand Events ................................................................................... 98 Rogue Taxi Stands ............................................................................................................................. 100 Need for Taxi/FHV Data .................................................................................................................... 101 Addressing Taxi/FHV Congestion ...................................................................................................... 101 Vision Zero ........................................................................................................................................ 101 2 Los Angeles Department of Transportation Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Study Curb Access as a Performance Incentive .......................................................................................... 101 Digital Curb Management ................................................................................................................. 102 5.B Driver Employment Status .............................................................................................................