Section 19-535. Extension of retirement periods for taxicabs

a. Definitions.
  For  the  purposes  of this section only, the following terms shall have
  the following meanings:
    1. "Accessible taxicab" shall mean any vehicle approved for use by the
  commission as a taxicab that meets the specifications  and  requirements
  for  accessible vehicles pursuant to the americans with disabilities act
  of 1990, as amended, and rules promulgated by the commission.
    2. "Level one clean air taxicab" shall mean any vehicle  approved  for
  use  by the commission as a taxicab that receives an air pollution score
  of 9.5 or higher from the United States environmental protection  agency
  or  its  successor  agency  and is estimated to emit 5.0 tons or less of
  equivalent carbon dioxide per year by the United  States  department  of
  energy or its successor agency; provided that such vehicle is powered by
  the  fuel for which such vehicle meets the above-specified standards. In
  the event the test  method  used  by  the  United  States  environmental
  protection  agency  or its successor agency for determining fuel economy
  is adjusted in a way that impacts United States department of energy  or
  its  successor  agency  estimates of equivalent carbon dioxide emissions
  for motor vehicles, the commission shall, for vehicles that fall  within
  the  affected  model years, modify by rule the equivalent carbon dioxide
  emissions estimate included herein so as to appropriately  reflect  such
  adjustment's impact consistent with the intent of this section.
    3.  "Level  two  clean air taxicab" shall mean any vehicle approved by
  the commission for use as a taxicab that receives an air pollution score
  of 9.0 or higher from the United States environmental protection  agency
  or  its  successor  agency  and is estimated to emit 6.4 tons or less of
  equivalent carbon dioxide per year by the United  States  department  of
  energy  or its successor agency and that does not meet the definition of
  a  level  one  clean  air  taxicab  pursuant  to  paragraph  2  of  this
  subdivision; provided that such vehicle is powered by the fuel for which
  such  vehicle meets the above-specified standards. In the event the test
  method used by the United States environmental protection agency or  its
  successor  agency for determining fuel economy is adjusted in a way that
  impacts United States department  of  energy  or  its  successor  agency
  estimates of equivalent carbon dioxide emissions for motor vehicles, the
  commission  shall,  for  vehicles  that  fall  within the affected model
  years, modify by rule the equivalent carbon dioxide  emissions  estimate
  included  herein so as to appropriately reflect such adjustment's impact
  consistent with the intent of this section.
    b. Extension of retirement period. 1. The retirement  period  for  any
  accessible  taxicab  or level one clean air taxicab shall be extended by
  two years beyond the applicable standard retirement period for  taxicabs
  established  pursuant  to  rule  of  the  commission;  provided that the
  retirement period for any such taxicab that must be retired and replaced
  pursuant to rules of the commission  no  later  than  thirty-six  months
  after the vehicle is hacked up, shall be extended by one year beyond the
  applicable  standard retirement period for taxicabs established pursuant
  to rule of the commission. The  two-year  extension  period  established
  pursuant to this paragraph shall also apply to any vehicle, as specified
  by rule of the commission, which is not a level one clean air taxicab as
  defined  in  this  section,  but  which  meets  or exceeds the standards
  established pursuant to paragraph 2 of subdivision a of this section.
    2. The retirement period for any level two clean air taxicab shall  be
  extended  by  one  year beyond the applicable standard retirement period
  for taxicabs established pursuant to rule of the commission.
    3.  The  commission  may  modify  the   extended   retirement   period
  established  pursuant  to  this  subdivision  for any taxicab where such
  vehicle  does  not  pass  two  of   the   inspections,   not   including

  reinspections,   conducted   at  the  commission's  inspection  facility
  pursuant to section 19-504 of this chapter in  the  twelve-month  period
  immediately  preceding the time at which such vehicle would otherwise be
  required to be retired pursuant to rule of the commission, or where such
  vehicle  does  not  pass  an  inspection  conducted  at the commission's
  inspection facility pursuant to section 19-504 of this chapter after the
  time at which such vehicle would otherwise be  required  to  be  retired
  pursuant to rule of the commission.
    c.  Nothing  contained  herein  shall  affect  the  authority  of  the
  commission pursuant to subdivision f of section 19-504 of  this  chapter
  to  order  an  owner  to  repair  or replace a licensed vehicle where it
  appears that such vehicle no longer meets the reasonable  standards  for
  safe operation prescribed by the commission.