West Virginia Code 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:
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 17C-22-2
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(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 $20,000 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 $40,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of $10,000 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 $100,000 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 $300,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of $25,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident and insured for medical pay coverage of not less than $10,000;
(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.