Real Interstate Driver Equity Act of 2002
PL 107-298 (H.R.2546), enacted 11/26/2002

116 STAT. 2342 
PUBLIC LAW 107-298—NOV. 26, 2002 
Public Law 107-298 
107th Congress 
An Act 
Nov. 26, 2002 
[H.R. 2546] 
Real Interstate 
Driver Equity 
Act of 2002. 
49 u s e 10101 
note. 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit States from requiring a license 
or fee on account of the fact that a motor vehicle is providing interstate pre-
arranged ground transportation service, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Real Interstate Driver Equity 
Act of 2002". 
SEC. 
2. REGULATION OF INTERSTATE PRE-ARRANGED GROUND 
TRANSPORTATION SERVICE. 
Section 14501 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
"(d) PRE-ARRANGED GROUND TRANSPORTATION.— 
"(1) IN GENERAL.—No State or political subdivision thereof 
and no interstate agency or other political agency of 2 or 
more States shall enact or enforce any law, rule, regulation, 
standard or other provision having the force and effect of law 
requiring a license or fee on account of the fact that a motor 
vehicle is providing pre-arranged ground transportation service 
if the motor carrier providing such service— 
"(A) meets all applicable registration requirements 
under chapter 139 for the interstate transportation of pas-
sengers; 
"(B) meets all applicable vehicle and intrastate pas-
senger licensing requirements of the State or States in 
which the motor carrier is domiciled or registered to do 
business; and 
"(C) is providing such service pursuant to a contract 
for— 
"(i) transportation by the motor carrier from one 
State, including intermediate stops, to a destination 
in another State; or 
"(ii) transportation by the motor carrier from one 
State, including intermediate stops in another State, 
to a destination in the original State. 
"(2) INTERMEDIATE STOP DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
'intermediate stop', with respect to transportation by a motor 
carrier, means a pause in the transportation in order for one 
or more passengers to engage in personal or business activity, 
but only if the driver providing the transportation to such 
passenger or passengers does not, before resuming the transpor-
tation of such passenger (or at least 1 of such passengers). 
PUBLIC LAW 107-298—NOV. 26, 2002 
116 STAT. 2343 
provide transportation to any other person not included among 
the passengers being transported when the pause began. 
"(3) MATTERS NOT COVERED.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed— 
"(A) as subjecting taxicab service to regulation under 
chapter 135 or section 31138; 
"(B) as prohibiting or restricting an airport, train, or 
bus terminal operator from contracting to provide pref-
erential access or facilities to one or more providers of 
pre-arranged ground transportation service; and 
"(C) as restricting the right of any State or political 
subdivision of a State to require, in a nondiscriminatory 
manner, that any individual operating a vehicle providing 
prearranged ground transportation service originating in 
the State or political subdivision have submitted to pre-
licensing drug testing or a criminal background investiga-
tion of the records of the State in which the operator 
is domiciled, by the State or political subdivision by which 
the operator is licensed to provide such service, or by 
the motor carrier providing such service, as a condition 
of providing such service.". 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 13102 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (17), (18), (19), (20), (21), 
and (22) as paragraphs (18), (19), (21), (22), (23), and (24), 
respectively; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (16) the following: 
"(17) 
PRE-ARRANGED GROUND TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.— 
The term 'pre-arranged ground transportation service' means 
transportation for a passenger (or a group of passengers) that 
is arranged in advance (or is operated on a regular route 
or between specified points) and is provided in a motor vehicle 
with a seating capacity not exceeding 15 passengers (including 
the driver)."; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (19) (as so redesignated) 
the following: 
"(20) TAXICAB SERVICE.—^The term 'taxicab service' means 
passenger transportation in a motor vehicle having a capacity 
of not more than 8 passengers (including the driver), not oper-
ated on a regular route or between specified places, and that— 
"(A) is licensed as a taxicab by a State or a local 
jurisdiction; or 
"(B) is offered by a person that— 
"(i) provides local transportation for a fare deter-
mined (except with respect to transportation to or from 
airports) primarily on the basis of the distance trav-
eled; and 
"(ii) does not primarily provide transportation to 
or from airports.". 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) MOTOR CARRIER TRANSPORTATION.—Section 13506(a)(2) 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
"(2) a motor vehicle providing taxicab service;". 
(2) 
MINIMUM 
FINANCIAL 
RESPONSIBILITY.—Section 
31138(e)(2) of such title is amended to read as follows: 
116 STAT. 2344 
PUBLIC LAW 107-298—NOV. 26, 2002 
"(2) providing taxicab service (as defined in section 13102);" 
Approved November 26, 2002. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2546: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 107-282 (Comm. on Transportation and Infrastucture). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 107-237 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 147 (2001): Nov. 13, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 148 (2002): Oct. 17, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Nov. 12, House concurred in Senate amendments.