No vehicle shall be licensed as a Class A taxicab until it has
been thoroughly examined and inspected and found to comply with such
reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Police
Commissioner. Rules and regulations shall be promulgated by the Police
Commissioner to provide safe transportation and shall specify, among
other things, such safety equipment and other regulatory devices as
the Police Commissioner shall deem necessary therefor; and no vehicle
shall be licensed as a Class A taxicab or sightseeing bus until it
shall have been examined and inspected and found to comply with the
provisions of this chapter and the requirements of the Vehicle and
Traffic Law of the State of New York, and sightseeing buses shall
have been certified by the Public Service Commission of the State
of New York as being safe and properly equipped to operate.
Primarily, any motor vehicle to be licensed as a Class A taxicab
must conform to the provisions of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic
Law and to the following specifications:
A.
Doors. All bodies shall have four doors, two leading into the passenger
compartment and two leading into the driver's compartment, so
constructed that they may be opened from the inside and the outside.
The inside door-opening handles shall be so installed that doors may
be opened only by raising the handles.
B.
Heater. Every Class A taxicab shall be equipped with an adequate
heater of the type which will not permit the exhaust gases to enter
the interior of the vehicle.
C.
Rearview mirrors. Every vehicle licensed under this chapter shall
be equipped with two adjustable rearview mirrors, one in the driver's
compartment, so installed as to enable the driver to obtain a reasonably
clear view towards the rear, and one installed on the exterior of
the vehicle on the driver's side to enable the driver to obtain
a further clear view of the highway directly to the rear.
D.
Speedometer. Every Class A taxicab shall be equipped with a standard
speedometer properly installed and maintained in good working order.
No Class A taxicab shall be operated in public hiring service while
such speedometer is out of repair or disconnected.
E.
Tire chains. Every Class A taxicab shall be provided with a set of
two tire chains in good condition, and such chains shall be used on
the two rear wheels when pavement conditions are such as to require
their use for the safety of the driver, passengers and the general
public.
F.
Windshield wipers. Every Class A taxicab shall be equipped with dual
windshield wipers properly installed and maintained in good working
order and which shall be operated whenever weather conditions require.
G.
License-card frame. Every Class A taxicab shall be equipped with
a frame for the proper display of the owner's license card and
the driver's license card. The frame shall be affixed in a conspicuous
place in the interior of the Class A taxicab and equipped with a light
so as to be clearly discernible and readable by the passengers at
all times. This frame shall be covered with glass and be constructed
and provided with a suitable device which will preclude any possibility
of such cards being tampered with by the passengers or other persons
but must be made available to a member of the Police Department so
authorized to examine the same, upon demand.
H.
Upholstery and floor mats. When the original upholstery or floor
mats are found to be worn out or otherwise unsatisfactory for public
use, they shall be replaced with nonabsorbent washable material.
I.
Interior light. Every Class A taxicab shall be equipped with an interior
white light of sufficient candlepower to illuminate the interior of
said public vehicle after sundown, but in no case shall the bulb be
of less than six candlepower. Said light shall be so arranged as to
be automatically turned on by the opening of the right rear door of
said vehicle and shall also have a switch easily accessible to the
passengers.
J.
Safety glass. Wherever glass is used in body construction, it shall
be safety glass, clearly and permanently marked as such, and of a
type approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of New York State.
Glass in windows and doors shall be in good condition with regard
to air bubbles, cracks and fractures.
K.
Mudguards, fenders and running boards. Mudguards, fenders and running
boards must be rigid, tightly fastened, free from dents or mutilation
and so constructed as to allow the full opening of the doors. The
exterior of the vehicle must be well painted and the finish must be
in good condition.
L.
View of license unobstructed. The view of the state license plate
and the City vehicle license tag (medallion) shall at all times be
unobstructed.
M.
Roof light. All Class A taxicabs shall be equipped with roof lights
operated during the time running lights are required, to be automatically
controlled by the movement of the taximeter flag in such manner that
they shall be lighted when the flag is in a vacant position and extinguished
when the Class A taxicab is engaged.
N.
Identification. Every company, partnership, association or individual
operating one or more Class A taxicabs under license in this City
shall have the full name of the owner of each Class A taxicab for
which the license has been issued permanently painted on one door
on each side of the Class A taxicab in letters at least 2 1/2
inches high, and the word "Class A taxicab" shall also be painted
conspicuously upon the vehicle. For the accomplishment of this requirement,
a distinctive color scheme or emblem as hereinafter provided in this
article may be employed.
O.
Mechanically fit; age of vehicle.
(1)
All vehicles licensed under this chapter must be kept mechanically
fit, with brakes, lights and signaling devices in good working order.
(2)
Class A taxicabs over 10 years of age must be registered specially
with the Police Department's Hack Unit and pass New York State
inspection. The Hack Unit reserves the right to deem any Class A taxicab
over 10 years of age as unfit for driving.
P.
Insurance sticker. The sticker issued for the current month showing
that the vehicle is properly insured and bonded under the provisions
of the Vehicle and Traffic Law must be pasted on the inside lower
right corner of the windshield. No other paster or poster shall be
permitted to be displayed.
Q.
Radio. A radio, if there is one in the vehicle, except a radio used
by the operator in dispatching calls in connection with the business
of the operator, shall be played at the discretion of the passenger
and at no other time.
R.
Prohibited equipment. No Class A taxicab shall be equipped with any
equipment which is not, in the opinion of the Police Commissioner,
reasonably useful and necessary in the furnishing of safe, adequate
and convenient hiring service.
S.
Seat belts. All Class A taxicabs must contain working seat belts
for all passengers, in locations that are easy for passengers to find.
T.
Air conditioning. All Class A taxicabs must have an air-conditioning
system and must provide air conditioning to the back seat of the vehicle
upon the passenger's request.
U.
Partition. As required by New York State Law, all Class A taxicabs
must be fitted with a partition between the front and rear seats.
V.
"Yonkers Taxi" marking. All Class A taxicabs must say "Yonkers Taxi"
in letters at least 2 1/2 inches high on both rear doors.
W.
Bills of rights.
[Amended 10-28-2014 by G.O. No. 13-2014]
(1)
All Class A taxicabs must display, where they can be readily seen by the riding public, and in a format and location approved by the Police Department, copies of the following Class A Taxicab Passenger's Bill of Rights and Class A Taxicab Driver's Bill of Rights, described in Subsection W(2) and (3) below. A Spanish translation of each must also be similarly posted.
(2)
The Class A Taxicab Passenger's Bill of Rights will read as
follows: "A Class A taxicab passenger has the right to:
(a)
The exclusive use of any Class A taxicab, except in the event
of severe weather, public disasters or large mass gatherings or during
emergencies.
(c)
The taxicab license must be displayed at all times.
(d)
Report violations to the Yonkers Police Department.
(e)
Go to any destination in the City of Yonkers.
(f)
A safe and courteous driver who obeys all traffic laws; hazardous
or imprudent driving is prohibited.
(g)
A knowledgeable driver who knows the geography of Yonkers and/or
has installed a working GPS system.
(h)
Air conditioning or heating is to be provided to the rear of
the vehicle upon request.
(i)
A noise-free trip: no unnecessary horn honking or radio.
(j)
Clean air: smoke and scent free.
(k)
Working seatbelts for all passengers.
(l)
A clean taxicab, including the interior, exterior and partition,
if any.
(m)
Be accompanied by a guide dog or service animal.
(n)
A driver who does not use a cell phone while driving a taxicab
unless he/she is using a hands-free device for taxicab business only
(radio dispatch is acceptable).
(o)
A receipt with the correct cab company information upon request.
(p)
Decline to tip for poor service.
(q)
Personal property left in the taxicab must be returned to the
Police Department within 24 hours.
(r)
In the case of emergency involving the health, safety or welfare
of the passenger, the driver must call 911 for assistance or may transport
the passenger to the nearest police station or hospital.
(s)
A taximeter located on the front dash of the Class A taxicab
that displays the fare and which is fully operational."
(3)
The Class A Taxicab Driver's Bill of Rights will read as follows:
"A Class A taxicab driver has the following rights:
(a)
Customers must be courteous, orderly and obey all laws, or service
may be refused. In the event a passenger refused service requires
medical assistance, the driver shall call 911.
(b)
Customers must refrain from smoking.
(c)
Drinking and eating are not allowed in the taxicab.
(d)
Customers will not distract or otherwise prevent the taxicab
driver from focusing on driving the taxicab.
(e)
In the event the driver reasonably believes that his or the
passenger's health, safety or welfare is in danger due to the
requested destination, the driver has the right to refuse transport
to that destination.
(f)
The driver will be paid the fare when the taxicab has reached
the destination. Should the passenger dispute the fare, he/she should
talk to the driver first and then request to speak to the local dispatcher/manager;
the driver may then call the police for assistance.
(g)
If a passenger leaves trash or bodily fluids in the taxicab,
a fee of $50 to clean the vehicle may be automatically added to the
fare and will appear as a separate charge on the receipt."
The Police Commissioner is hereby empowered and authorized to
grant to any owner or association of owners, upon proper application
therefor, the exclusive right to use one or more distinctive color
schemes and/or emblems or other identifying designs to be displayed
on all or part of the vehicle of the applicant. The application must
include colored sketches of the proposed color scheme and/or emblems
or designs, together with such other and further information as the
Police Commissioner may require. The color scheme and/or emblem or
design shall not be changed or altered in any way after having been
approved, except upon written permission of the Police Commissioner.
Except if the Police Commissioner approves a color scheme and/or emblem
or design, all Class A taxicabs must be painted yellow, in a shade
approved by the Police Commissioner, on or before January 1, 1998.
The name of the owner shall be printed on one door on each side
of every Class A taxicab as hereinbefore prescribed, except that,
in lieu of the owner's name, a monogram, emblem or identifying
symbols of a bona fide organization, recognized in the Class A taxicab
industry of which the owner is a member in good standing, may be substituted
therefor.
An owner who drives his or her own Class A taxicab exclusively
may place the words "owner-driven" on the outer side of the front
doors, immediately below the windows, in letters not less than 2 1/2
inches high. However, Class A taxicabs so marked must be operated
only by the licensed owner, under penalty of having the license suspended
or revoked.
Any vehicle licensed under this chapter shall be permitted to
have no more than two advertisements in the interior thereof, no one
of which shall be larger than 12 inches, and no more than three advertisements
on the exterior thereof, no one of which shall be larger than 15 inches
by 18 inches.
No Class A taxicab licensed hereunder shall be operated from
the same place of business or from the same telephone of any other
business. The purpose and intent of this section is to separate the
operation of a Class A taxicab business from any other type of business
legally operated in the City of Yonkers. No Class A taxicab licensed
hereunder shall be operated from the same place of business or from
the same telephone of any other business. The purpose and intent of
this section is to separate the operation of a Class A taxicab business
from any other type of business legally operated in the City of Yonkers.
The Police Department shall make available decals or stickers,
which drivers may, at their option, affix to the rear driver's
side window of the Class A taxicab, authorizing a member of the Police
Department to stop and search the vehicle at any time.
