In Assembly Bill 2687, the California legislature lowered the blood alcohol limit for Californian “passenger for hire” drivers in an effort to protect riders. Starting July 1, 2018, paid drivers cannot have a blood alcohol level of .04 percent or more. The bill amends Vehicle Code sections 23152(e) and 23153(e).
“Passenger for hire” is a passenger who pays for transportation to get from one location to the other. This means your taxicab, limousine, party-bus, ride-share (Uber and Lyft), or horse-carriage drivers now must have a blood alcohol content level less than half the current legal limit (.08) when they have a passenger in their vehicles.
Violators of this provision suffer the same criminal penalties as other California drivers who violate California’s DUI laws, including $390 – $1,000.00 fine, license suspension, and up to six (6) months of county jail time for first offenders.
