Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 5B the following section:-

Section 5C. (a) As used in this section, the following terms shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Transportation network company”, a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or other entity that, for consideration, uses a digital network to connect riders to transportation network company drivers for the purpose of providing transportation but does not own, control, operate or manage the personal vehicles used by transportation network company drivers.

“Transportation network company driver” or “Driver”, an individual who uses his or her personal vehicle to provide transportation services to riders matched thorough a transportation network company’s digital network.  A transportation network company driver need not be considered an employee of a transportation network company.

(b) A motor vehicle used by a transportation network company driver for the purposes of providing services for the transportation network company with which he or she is affiliated shall be required to display a livery registration number plate and shall be subject to the same requirements as a motor vehicle registered for public livery pursuant to this chapter, any other general or special law, and applicable regulations; provided, however, that the motor vehicle shall be insured as a commercial vehicle. 

(c) A transportation network company shall implement a $1 surcharge upon each instance of transportation services provided by a transportation network company driver to a rider located in the cities of Boston or Cambridge at the time such transportation services are originated.  The transportation network company shall maintain such surcharges in a separate account and transfer the balance of that account to the state treasurer on the first day of every month.  Such amount shall then be credited to, and deposited by the state treasurer in, the Convention Center Fund established pursuant to section 10 of chapter 152 of the acts of 1997.