Public Utilities Commission: Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act: complaint registration and resolution mechanism.

Charter-party carriers of passengers, including transportation network companies, are subject to the jurisdiction and control of the Public Utilities Commission under the Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act. This bill would require the commission to establish a telephone communications service, with a designated telephone number, that would be available to members of the public to communicate to the commission any concerns, or register complaints, regarding service provided by charter-party carriers of passengers, including transportation network companies. The bill would require each charter-party carrier of passengers to include the telephone number designated by the commission on all contracts for service made after January 1, 2018, and for a transportation network company or other charter-party carrier of passengers that arranges for transportation utilizing application software, commonly termed an app, the bill would require that the customer be notified of the existence of, and purpose for, the telephone number as part of the electronic transaction. The bill would require the commission to maintain a record of all concerns and complaints communicated to the commission and to establish rules or guidelines as to what concerns and complaints do or do not raise matters of serious concern. As to those concerns and complaints that do not raise a matter of serious concern, the commission staff would be required to diligently attempt to informally resolve the concern or complaint. The bill would require the commission to investigate each concern or complaint that raises a matter of serious concern and initiate and conclude appropriate enforcement action with respect to any violation of the act or a rule adopted by the commission pursuant to the act. Under existing law, a violation of the Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act or an order or direction of the commission pursuant to the act is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill are within the act and require action by the commission to implement its requirements, a violation of these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.