Modesto, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: TNC Pickup Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Curb marking
- Yellow on white, 'Taxicab' or 'App Ride/TNC Zone' sign
- Reserved for
- Taxicabs and TNC vehicles awaiting hire
- Dwell time
- Only as long as needed to load/unload
- Joint-use option
- TNC pickup allowed in loading zones off-hours
- Ordinance
- No. 3716-C.S., eff. 3-12-20
Summary
Modesto marks dedicated curb space for taxicabs and transportation network company (TNC) vehicles awaiting hire, painted yellow on white and signed 'Taxicab' or 'App Ride/TNC Zone.' Drivers may not park there longer than needed to pick up or drop off passengers, and the City can also open commercial loading zones to TNC pickups during non-commercial hours.
"Taxicab or TNC zone" means the spaces adjacent to a curb reserved exclusively for the legal parking of taxicabs and transportation network companies while awaiting hire. All such zones shall be indicated by painting the curb yellow on white with a legend "Taxicab" or "App Ride/TNC Zone" thereon and a sign posted indicating the same. ... No owner or driver of any taxicab or TNC vehicle shall park or stand the same upon any public highway or the street for a period of time longer than is necessary to discharge or receive passengers then occupying or then waiting for such taxicab or TNC vehicle. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to install signage within commercial loading zone spaces permitting the active loading and unloading of passengers from taxicab and TNC vehicles during non-commercial loading hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 71).
Full Breakdown
120 defines a transportation network company as a business providing application dispatch service, meaning the smartphone-based technology that connects drivers with riders for hire, and then sets the operating rule: no owner or driver of a taxicab or TNC vehicle may park or stand on a public highway or street longer than is necessary to discharge or pick up the passengers then occupying, or waiting for, that vehicle. The City Traffic Engineer also has authority to install signage inside commercial loading zone spaces that opens those spaces to active taxicab and TNC passenger loading during hours when the space is not needed for commercial loading; once that signage is posted, the space cannot be used by other vehicles for stopping or standing. These sections sit in the Vehicle and Traffic Code adopted by Ordinance No. , effective March 12, 2020.
Violations & Fines
A private vehicle parked in a marked Taxicab/TNC zone, or a taxicab or TNC driver who lingers past the time needed to load or unload passengers, is subject to a parking citation issued by a Police Officer or a Parking Enforcement Officer authorized under Section 3-2.114.1. Civil parking penalties are set by City Council resolution under Section 3-2.202, with late fees, collection fees and any state-mandated surcharges added to the base fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my personal car in a marked TNC pickup zone in Modesto?
How long can an Uber or Lyft driver wait at a TNC zone?
Can TNC drivers use regular commercial loading zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Modesto
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