‹ Back  |   Print

§17C-22-1. Ridesharing arrangement defined.
"Ridesharing arrangement" means the transportation of persons in a motor vehicle where such transportation is incidental to another purpose of the driver and is not for profit, or is by nonprofit community organizations and nonprofit corporations for senior citizens or handicapped persons. The term shall include but not be limited to ridesharing arrangements known as carpools, vanpools and buspools.

§17C-22-2. Common carrier laws do not apply to ridesharing; requiring liability insurance.
The following laws and regulations of this state shall not apply to any ridesharing arrangement using a motor vehicle with a seating capacity for not more than fifteen persons, including the driver:

(a) Chapter twenty-four-a of this code pertaining to the regulation of common carriers of any kind or description by the public service commission;

(b) Laws and regulations containing insurance requirements that are specifically applicable to common carriers or commercial vehicles: Provided, That with respect to any private or individually owned motor vehicle designed for a normal passenger capacity, including the driver thereof, of no more than six persons, prior to, and continuing during the term of such use, the use of any such motor vehicle for any ridesharing arrangement under the provisions of this article, such motor vehicle shall be insured for liability arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use thereof in the amount of twenty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to said limit for one person, in the amount of forty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of ten thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident, and in the case of any other motor vehicle to be used for any ridesharing arrangement under the provisions of this article, all such motor vehicles prior to such use, and continuing during the term of such use, shall be insured for liability arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use thereof in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to said limit for one person, in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of twenty five thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident and insured for medical pay coverage of not less than ten thousand dollars;

(c) Laws imposing a greater standard of care on common carriers or commercial vehicles than that imposed on other drivers or owners of motor vehicles;

(d) Laws and regulations with equipment requirements and special accident reporting requirements that are specifically applicable to common carriers or commercial vehicles; and

(e) Laws imposing a tax on fuel purchased in another state by a common carrier or road use taxes on commercial buses.

§17C-22-3. Workers' compensation law does not apply to ridesharing; exceptions thereto.

Chapter twenty-three of this code providing compensation for workers injured during the course of their employment shall not apply to a person injured while participating in a ridesharing arrangement between his or her place of residence and place of employment or termini near such places: Provided, That if the employer owns, leases or contracts for the motor vehicle used in such arrangement, chapter twenty-three shall apply.

§17C-22-4. Liability of employer.
(a) An employer shall not be liable for injuries to passengers and other persons resulting from the operation or use of a motor vehicle, not owned, leased or contracted for by the employer, in a ridesharing arrangement.

(b) An employer shall not be liable for injuries to passengers and other persons because he provides information, incentives or otherwise encourages his employees to participate in ridesharing arrangements.

§17C-22-5. County or municipal licenses and taxes.
No county or municipal corporation may impose a tax on, or require a license for, a ridesharing arrangement using a motor vehicle with a seating capacity for not more than fifteen persons, including the driver.

§17C-22-6. Overtime compensation and minimum wage law.
The mere fact that an employee participates in any kind of ridesharing arrangement shall not result in the application of chapter twenty-one of this code, requiring payment of a minimum wage, overtime pay or otherwise regulating the hours a person may work.

§17C-22-7. Certain ridesharing vehicles are not commercial vehicles or buses; exemption from registration; driver not chauffeur.
(a) A motor vehicle used in a ridesharing arrangement that has a seating capacity for not more than fifteen persons, including the driver, shall not be a "bus" for purposes of equipment requirements or rules of the road.

(b) A motor vehicle used in a ridesharing arrangement that has a seating capacity for not more than fifteen persons, including the driver, shall not be a "bus" or other motor vehicle operated as a common carrier or contract carrier under the provisions of section one, article ten, chapter seventeen-a of this code relating to registration.

(c) The driver of a passenger car, motor vehicle that has a seating capacity for not more than fifteen persons, including the driver, used in a ridesharing arrangement is not a "chauffeur" nor is he transporting persons for compensation under the driver licensing provisions of this code.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session