[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Grand Chute 1-7-1997 as §§ 9.12 and 9.17 of the 1997 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 515.
No person shall for hire transport passengers or offer taxicab or similar transportation services to the public within the Town of Grand Chute nor shall any person solicit passengers to be transported for hire within the Town unless duly licensed to do so by the Town Board.
A. 
This chapter shall not apply to the following vehicles:
(1) 
Vehicles operated over a regular route or between fixed terminals.
(2) 
Vehicles operated solely as funeral cars.
(3) 
Vehicles operated pursuant to permit issued by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
(4) 
Buses, funeral cars, medical transport vehicles, or vehicles rented to be driven by renters, commonly referred to as "rent-a-cars."[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
B. 
Pursuant to § 349.24, taxicabs and limousines licensed in another municipality are not required to procure a license from the Town of Grand Chute.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
Application for license to convey passengers for hire shall be made in writing to the Town Clerk upon forms furnished by the Town Clerk giving the address from which the business is conducted and shall be signed by the owner of the vehicle. This application shall also state the number of vehicles proposed to be covered by such license, and each license number for the various vehicles shall be stated on the application.
A. 
Upon the filing of the application, the Town Clerk shall notify the applicant and all interested parties of the time and place set for a public hearing before the Town Board. At such time, the Town Board shall examine the public convenience and necessity of granting such license and shall determine whether the public convenience and necessity will be served by the granting of the application.
B. 
Thereafter, the Town Board shall, upon the basis of its determination gathered at said public hearing, grant or deny the license upon the basis or determination of public convenience and necessity. The Town Board may hold additional or further hearings as it may deem necessary or advisable regarding the question of this determination.
All licenses now or hereafter issued by the Town Board may be renewed from year to year upon the payment of the annual license fee and the deposit of a certification or policy of insurance as required by this chapter; provided, however, that if charges are filed with the Town Board against any license holder, such license shall not be renewed or shall not be granted until after a hearing is had and the Town Board makes determinations regarding the public convenience and necessity regarding the license.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
The application shall be accompanied by a license fee as prescribed in the Town Fee Schedule. Before a license is granted by the Town Board, the application shall be approved or disapproved after investigation by the Police Department and its presiding officer.
Each taxicab licensed under this chapter shall have painted in a prominent place on its exterior a number by which it may be easily identified. Said number shall be placed on licensed taxicabs according to specifications and under the direction of the Police Department.
No vehicle for the conveyance of passengers shall be operated or licensed hereunder until the applicant for license deposits with the Town Clerk a sufficient policy of insurance issued by an insurance company licensed to do business in the State of Wisconsin which shall provide that the insurance company shall be liable for damages in the minimum amount of $500,000, representing a combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage liability for any accident due to the negligent operation of such vehicle. The policy or contract is to be approved as to legal form by the Town's Attorney before it is filed and shall contain a provision that the same shall not be canceled before the expiration of the term except upon 30 days' written notice to the Town Clerk and shall include the Town of Grand Chute as an insured.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
The Police Department may inspect taxicabs at any time for the purpose of discovering defects that might make them unsafe for the transportation of passengers, and when defects are found, said taxicabs shall not be operated for the transportation of passengers until the same have been repaired and until said repairs have been approved by the Police Department. Any taxicabs added to the fleet after the application for a license shall be inspected by the Police Department prior to operation.
The fares that are established by any licensee for the transportation of passengers shall be printed in letters not less than 1/2 inch high and posted in a conspicuous place in all cabs.
A. 
A taxicab driver must be a person of at least 18 years of age and must make written application to the Town Clerk for a taxicab driver's license on forms furnished by the Town Clerk, giving the name, address and age and whether or not he or she has been convicted of a felony, the type of state driver's license that has been issued to him/her and also stating the experience and the number of the state driver's license. The application must be accompanied by the license fee as prescribed in the Town Fee Schedule, and after the applicant has been granted a license, he/she shall obtain a suitable badge or identification card from the Town Clerk which must be displayed on the licensee's person whenever he/she is driving or operating a taxicab. The cost of the driver's badge or card is to be borne by the licensee.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
B. 
No driver's license shall be issued to any applicant who is the holder of a state occupational driver's license.
C. 
The license of any applicant who makes a false statement in his/her application shall be void and the license shall be surrendered to the Chief of Police or any member of the Police Department upon demand.
D. 
Any taxicab driver licensed under this section who shall be found guilty or shall plead guilty to violations of the Traffic Code of the Town of Grand Chute[2] three times within any one year shall have his/her license automatically revoked.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 515, Vehicles and Traffic.
Before a license shall be issued under this chapter, the licensee must provide adequate off-street parking for the vehicles to be licensed. Such off-street parking shall be stated in the application for the license.
A. 
A first violation of any provision of this chapter shall be punished by a fine as prescribed in the Uniform Forfeiture and Bond Schedules, together with the costs of prosecution, and on default of the payment of any such fine and/or costs of prosecution such person shall be committed to the county jail of Outagamie County until such fine and costs are paid, but not to exceed 90 days.
B. 
Any person violating this chapter who shall previously have been convicted of a violation of this chapter shall, upon proof and conviction thereof, forfeit an amount as prescribed in the Uniform Forfeiture and Bond Schedules, together with the costs of prosecution, and on default of the payment of any such fine and costs of prosecution, or either of them, such convicted person shall be committed to and confined within the county jail of Outagamie County, Wisconsin, until such fine and costs of prosecution are paid, but not to exceed six months.
C. 
Each day of violation under this chapter shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).