{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-949.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-949.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-949.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-949.html"}],"law_id":57767,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57767,"structure_id":15166,"section_number":"15.2-949","catch_line":"Shared ride taxi systems, etc.; nonprofit vanpools","history":"1976, c. 303, \u00a7 15.1-37.3:3; 1988, c. 109; 1997, c. 587; 2002, c. 337.","full_text":"As used herein, “shared ride taxi system” means a transportation system which employs taxicab-type vehicles or other motor vehicles which can carry no more than six passengers, and which attempts to arrange for use of such vehicles by more than one passenger per trip.\n\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any locality which is a member of any transportation district may, with the concurrence of the transportation district commission that there is a need for a shared ride taxi system and the unavailability of adequate existing public transportation or public transportation proposed to be available within a reasonable period of time, construct, finance, purchase, operate, maintain or contract for a shared ride taxi system to be operated in such locality for the health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Such system may be financed from general revenues or funds received from the United States government, from the Commonwealth or any other source. Such system or the equipment and property needed for such system may also be constructed or purchased from proceeds of bonds which may be issued pursuant to the Public Finance Act (\u00a7 15.2-2600 et seq.). Rates may be charged for the use of the system in such amount as the governing body of the locality deems reasonable, and different rates may be charged to different reasonable classifications of users.\n\t\tThe need for a shared ride taxi system and the unavailability of adequate existing or proposed public transportation may be based on the lack of such system or on the lack of such system at such user rates as will promote the health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Contracts may be made with existing or proposed shared ride taxi systems, both publicly and privately owned, for the subsidy of all users or groups of users.\n\t\tIn the administration of this section, private carriers are preferred over public ownership or operation; therefore, before any such locality undertakes to establish and operate its own transportation system which uses taxis or other similar vehicles, it shall first make a bona fide attempt to enter into contracts with existing privately owned taxi businesses. If such locality cannot reach a reasonable agreement within an equitable period of time, then it may by ordinance proceed to establish and operate its own system.\n\t\tIn lieu of establishing a shared ride taxi system, such a locality may provide financial subsidies, low-interest or interest-free loans, or tax incentives to assist with the capital costs involved in the establishment of nonprofit vanpools meeting the definition of ridesharing arrangements set forth in \u00a7 46.2-1400.\n\t\tAny such locality shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out any of the foregoing powers.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":211578,"text":"As used herein, “shared ride taxi system” means a transportation system which employs taxicab-type vehicles or other motor vehicles which can carry no more than six passengers, and which attempts to arrange for use of such vehicles by more than one passenger per trip.\n\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any locality which is a member of any transportation district may, with the concurrence of the transportation district commission that there is a need for a shared ride taxi system and the unavailability of adequate existing public transportation or public transportation proposed to be available within a reasonable period of time, construct, finance, purchase, operate, maintain or contract for a shared ride taxi system to be operated in such locality for the health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Such system may be financed from general revenues or funds received from the United States government, from the Commonwealth or any other source. Such system or the equipment and property needed for such system may also be constructed or purchased from proceeds of bonds which may be issued pursuant to the Public Finance Act (\u00a7 15.2-2600 et seq.). Rates may be charged for the use of the system in such amount as the governing body of the locality deems reasonable, and different rates may be charged to different reasonable classifications of users.\n\t\tThe need for a shared ride taxi system and the unavailability of adequate existing or proposed public transportation may be based on the lack of such system or on the lack of such system at such user rates as will promote the health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Contracts may be made with existing or proposed shared ride taxi systems, both publicly and privately owned, for the subsidy of all users or groups of users.\n\t\tIn the administration of this section, private carriers are preferred over public ownership or operation; therefore, before any such locality undertakes to establish and operate its own transportation system which uses taxis or other similar vehicles, it shall first make a bona fide attempt to enter into contracts with existing privately owned taxi businesses. If such locality cannot reach a reasonable agreement within an equitable period of time, then it may by ordinance proceed to establish and operate its own system.\n\t\tIn lieu of establishing a shared ride taxi system, such a locality may provide financial subsidies, low-interest or interest-free loans, or tax incentives to assist with the capital costs involved in the establishment of nonprofit vanpools meeting the definition of ridesharing arrangements set forth in \u00a7 46.2-1400.\n\t\tAny such locality shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out any of the foregoing powers.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15166,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Transportation","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13058,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:52:39","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:52:39","permalink":{"id":156659,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15166,"identifier":"4","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/4","url":"\/15.2\/II\/9\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13058,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Powers of Local Governments","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","permalink":{"id":156357,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13058,"identifier":"9","token":"15.2\/II\/9","url":"\/15.2\/II\/9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":152369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12733,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62026,"structure_id":15166,"section_number":"15.2-947","catch_line":"Systems of public transportation for certain counties or cities","url":"\/15.2-947\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/4\/15.2-947","metadata":false},{"id":85825,"structure_id":15166,"section_number":"15.2-948","catch_line":"Locality may designate continuing source of revenue for mass transit","url":"\/15.2-948\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/4\/15.2-948","metadata":false},{"id":57767,"structure_id":15166,"section_number":"15.2-949","catch_line":"Shared ride taxi systems, etc.; nonprofit vanpools","url":"\/15.2-949\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/4\/15.2-949","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":85825,"structure_id":15166,"section_number":"15.2-948","catch_line":"Locality may designate continuing source of revenue for mass transit","url":"\/15.2-948\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/4\/15.2-948","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-949\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1976. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 303 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1976 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1988, chapter 109; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 337<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":82731,"section_number":"15.2-2600","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2600\/"},{"id":67501,"section_number":"46.2-1400","catch_line":"\"Ridesharing arrangement\" defined","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1400\/"}],"permalink":{"id":156669,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57767,"identifier":"15.2-949","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/4\/15.2-949","url":"\/15.2-949\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-949\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/4\/15.2-949","dublin_core":{"Title":"Shared ride taxi systems, etc.; nonprofit vanpools","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-949","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used herein, “shared ride taxi system” means a transportation system which employs taxicab-type vehicles or other motor vehicles which can carry no more than six passengers, and which attempts to arrange for use of such vehicles by more than one passenger per trip.\n\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law<\/span> to the contrary, any locality<\/span> which is a member of any transportation district may, with the concurrence of the transportation district commission that there is a need for a shared ride taxi system and the unavailability of adequate existing public transportation or public transportation proposed to be available within a reasonable period of time, construct, finance, purchase, operate, maintain or contract<\/span> for a shared ride taxi system to be operated in such locality<\/span> for the health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Such system may be financed from general revenues or funds received from the United States government, from the Commonwealth or any other source. Such system or the equipment and property needed for such system may also be constructed or purchased from proceeds of bonds<\/span> which may be issued pursuant to the Public Finance Act (\u00a7 15.2-2600<\/a> et seq.). Rates may be charged for the use of the system in such amount as the governing body<\/span> of the locality<\/span> deems reasonable, and different rates may be charged to different reasonable classifications of users.\n\t\tThe need for a shared ride taxi system and the unavailability of adequate existing or proposed public transportation may be based on the lack of such system or on the lack of such system at such user rates as will promote the health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Contracts<\/span> may be made with existing or proposed shared ride taxi systems, both publicly and privately owned, for the subsidy of all users or groups of users.\n\t\tIn the administration of this section, private carriers are preferred over public ownership or operation; therefore, before any such locality<\/span> undertakes to establish and operate its own transportation system which uses taxis or other similar vehicles, it shall first make a bona fide attempt to enter into contracts<\/span> with existing privately owned taxi businesses. If such locality<\/span> cannot reach a reasonable agreement within an equitable<\/span> period of time, then it may by ordinance<\/span> proceed to establish and operate its own system.\n\t\tIn lieu of establishing a shared ride taxi system, such a locality<\/span> may provide financial subsidies, low-interest or interest-free loans, or tax incentives to assist with the capital costs involved in the establishment of nonprofit vanpools meeting the definition of ridesharing arrangements set forth in \u00a7 46.2-1400<\/a>.\n\t\tAny such locality<\/span> shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out any of the foregoing powers.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSHARED RIDE TAXI SYSTEMS, ETC.; NONPROFIT VANPOOLS (\u00a7 15.2-949)\n\nAs used herein, “shared ride taxi system” means a transportation\nsystem which employs taxicab-type vehicles or other motor vehicles which can\ncarry no more than six passengers, and which attempts to arrange for use of such\nvehicles by more than one passenger per trip.\n\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any locality which\nis a member of any transportation district may, with the concurrence of the\ntransportation district commission that there is a need for a shared ride taxi\nsystem and the unavailability of adequate existing public transportation or\npublic transportation proposed to be available within a reasonable period of\ntime, construct, finance, purchase, operate, maintain or contract for a shared\nride taxi system to be operated in such locality for the health, safety,\nwelfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Such system may be financed from\ngeneral revenues or funds received from the United States government, from the\nCommonwealth or any other source. Such system or the equipment and property\nneeded for such system may also be constructed or purchased from proceeds of\nbonds which may be issued pursuant to the Public Finance Act (\u00a7 15.2-2600 et\nseq.). Rates may be charged for the use of the system in such amount as the\ngoverning body of the locality deems reasonable, and different rates may be\ncharged to different reasonable classifications of users.\n\t\tThe need for a shared ride taxi system and the unavailability of adequate\nexisting or proposed public transportation may be based on the lack of such\nsystem or on the lack of such system at such user rates as will promote the\nhealth, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the public. Contracts may be\nmade with existing or proposed shared ride taxi systems, both publicly and\nprivately owned, for the subsidy of all users or groups of users.\n\t\tIn the administration of this section, private carriers are preferred over\npublic ownership or operation; therefore, before any such locality undertakes to\nestablish and operate its own transportation system which uses taxis or other\nsimilar vehicles, it shall first make a bona fide attempt to enter into\ncontracts with existing privately owned taxi businesses. If such locality cannot\nreach a reasonable agreement within an equitable period of time, then it may by\nordinance proceed to establish and operate its own system.\n\t\tIn lieu of establishing a shared ride taxi system, such a locality may provide\nfinancial subsidies, low-interest or interest-free loans, or tax incentives to\nassist with the capital costs involved in the establishment of nonprofit\nvanpools meeting the definition of ridesharing arrangements set forth in \u00a7\n46.2-1400.\n\t\tAny such locality shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out\nany of the foregoing powers.\n\nHISTORY: 1976, c. 303, \u00a7 15.1-37.3:3; 1988, c. 109; 1997, c. 587; 2002, c. 337.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}