Sight Seeing Carrier

Type of Operation:

Sight Seeing Carrier

Description:

A person who transports the general public to and from points of interest in Virginia primarily for the passengers' experience and enjoyment and/or to promote tourism.

Authority Document:

Certificate

Operating Requirements:

• This certificate authorizes your operations only in Virginia.
• You must provide services to the general public without discrimination.
• You may not refuse service without good cause.
• You are limited to:
  • operating only on the routes listed on the certificate and
  • operating only on the time schedule on file with the Virginia DMV
  • charging no more for your services than the rates on file with the Virginia DMV, and
  • operating only on a round-trip basis
• You must have written approval from the Virginia DMV to:
  • discontinue operating on any or all of the service routes, or
  • transfer your authority to operate over any or all of the service routes.
• Before you can change your rates, you must:
  • make the changes available for public inspection, and
  • notify the Virginia DMV at least 30 days before you wish to make the change, and
  • receive written approval from the Virginia DMV.
• You must issue a ticket that must display the points of interest and the round-trip fare.
• Before you can change your time schedule, you must:
  • notify the Virginia DMV that you wish to make the change, and
  • receive approval from the Virginia DMV.
• You may occasionally deviate from your routes after you request and receive written approval from the Virginia DMV for each occasion.
• You or your agent may publish a joint tariff with another carrier(s) if a power of attorney or notice of concurrence is filed with the Virginia DMV. You must send writen notification to DMV, at least 60 days in advance, before you can revoke the power of attorney or notice of concurrence.
• You must notify the Virginia DMV of all interruptions of service that may last more than 24 hours. Interruptions due to an act of God need not be reported for 72 hours. All interruptions must be promptly reported to your agents on the affected routes.
• The number of this certificate must appear in any advertisement for this service.
• Advertisements for your services may not contain untrue, misleading or deceptive information.

Tariff and Time Schedule Requirements:

Tariff: You must file a tariff that includes all of your rates and any rules, policies or guidelines you will impose on your customers (example: refund policy).

Time Schedule: You are also required to file a time schedule.

See form OA451, Sample Tariff and Time Schedule for Sight Seeing Carriers.

Insurance Requirements:

Bodily Injury and Property Damage:
$350,000 - 1 to 6 passengers (including driver)
$1,500,000 - 7 to 15 passengers (including driver)
$5,000,000 - 16 or more passengers (including driver)

Bond Requirements:

You must keep a $25,000 surety bond or letter of credit on file with DMV's Motor Carrier Services for three years from the date your operating authority certificate is issued. (See Passenger Carrier and Passenger Broker Bond, form OA435 or the passenger irrevocable letter of credit, form OA447.)

Registration and License Plate Requirements:

License Plates: For-Hire license plates

Vehicle Registration: Must be registered as for-hire

Operating Authority Registration:

IRP Vehicles - Obtain operating authority decals as proof of operating authority registration

All Other Vehicles - The operating authority information will be displayed on the vehicle registration card when the for-hire license plates are issued.

Fees:

$50 filing fee
$3 Operating Authority Registration fee per vehicle
$3 for a duplicate certificate

Miscellaneous Requirements:

Address Change - You must report any new address to DMV's Motor Carriers Services within 30 days.

Discontinuing Service - If you go out of business or stop providing the service authorized, you must notify DMV in writing within 30 days.