Chapter 615: Vehicles For Hire

Section 615.010 Taxicab Business License — Required.

[CC 1989 §12-91]

No person shall engage in the business of carrying passengers for hire in motor vehicles over irregular routes of the City, such business being commonly known as the taxicab business, until such person shall have first obtained a license from the City authorizing him/her to engage in such business.

Section 615.020 Taxicab Business License — Annual License Fee — When License Fee Payable.

[CC 1989 §12-92]

Each person engaged in the taxicab business shall pay an annual license fee as set forth in Section 605.140, for each vehicle used by him/her as a taxicab.

Section 615.030 Application For Taxicab Business License.

[CC 1989 §12-93]

Any person desiring to engage in the taxicab business shall file with the City Council his/her written application setting out in full the ownership, the equipment to be used and the rates proposed to be changed. The City Clerk shall present such application to the City Council at the next succeeding meeting thereafter for action thereon.

Section 615.040 Implied Agreement of Applicants For Licenses — Right of City Council To Fix Rates, Suspend or Revoke Licenses.

[CC 1989 §12-94]

Each applicant for a taxicab business license, by applying for such license or qualifying under this Article, shall be considered to have expressly agreed to comply with all the provisions of this Article or any other ordinance regulating the taxicab business, and to have agreed that the City shall have the right and authority to determine and fix reasonable rates to be charged for the services to be rendered by the holders of licenses under this Article, and to have further agreed that any violation of any provision of this Article shall render any license issued hereunder cancelable or revocable by the City Council at its discretion.

Section 615.050 Insurance Policies.

[CC 1989 §12-95; Ord. No. 10-027 §1, 12-13-2010]

Each applicant for a taxicab business license or renewal of such license under this Article shall file with the City Clerk an insurance policy, to the satisfaction of the City Clerk and the Chief of Police, providing insurance coverage for each taxicab owned, operated or leased by the applicant and shall bind the obligor thereof to make compensation for injuries and/or death to persons and loss of or damage to personal property resulting from the negligent, lawful or unlawful operation of any vehicle operating at any time under the applicant's permit, whether such vehicle is licensed or not, in a combined sum of not less than three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) per occurrence.

Every insurance policy required hereunder shall extend for a period covered by the license or renewal thereof applied for, and the insurer shall be obliged to give not less than thirty (30) days' written notice to the City Council and to the insured before cancellation or termination thereof earlier than its expiration date, and the cancellation or other termination of any such policy shall automatically revoke and terminate the license issued for the taxicab business covered by such policy, unless another insurance policy complying with the provisions of this Section shall be provided and be in effect at the time of such cancellation or termination.

Section 615.060 Taxicab Vehicle Licenses — Required — Condition Precedent — Restriction On Number and When Excess Allowed.

[CC 1989 §12-96]

No motor vehicle shall be placed in service as a taxicab until it has been licensed as a taxicab and until the owner or lessee thereof shall have been issued a taxicab business license by the City Council, and the number of vehicle licenses issued each year shall not exceed eighteen (18), provided that additional taxicab vehicle licenses may be issued upon a petition and application therefor presented to the City Council, when upon a hearing thereon a majority of the Council finds that the public convenience and necessity requires or will require such additional taxicab vehicle licenses to be issued.

Section 615.070 Taxicab Vehicle License — Contents of Application — Safety Inspection of Vehicles — Leased Vehicles — Liability of Licensee.

[CC 1989 §12-97]

Each operator of a taxicab business shall file an application with the City Council showing the year, model, make, style, motor number and serial number of each vehicle proposed to be placed in service as a taxicab and showing from whom each vehicle was purchased and a list of all encumbrances or liens thereon; and he/she shall make each vehicle available to the Chief of Police to make an inspection to determine if it is a fit and safe vehicle to be placed in public service.

A taxicab business licensee may obtain a taxicab vehicle license in his/her name to operate a vehicle not owned by him/her if he/she presents with his/her application a copy of a written lease, duly filed with the City Clerk, between the owner of such vehicle and himself/herself by the terms of which the owner shall deliver unto him/her full and complete control and right of possession of such vehicle, and the taxicab business licensee shall assume full and complete responsibility and liability for any personal injuries, death or property damage due to the unlawful or negligent operation of such vehicle at any time during the term of such lease, which shall be irrevocable during the term of which such license is issued.

Section 615.080 Taxicab Vehicle License — Action By Chief of Police — Issuance of Vehicle License — How Taxicab To Be Marked.

[CC 1989 §12-98]

If the Chief of Police, upon inspection of any vehicle, rejects it as unsafe, no license shall be issued therefor, but if he/she approves it, he/she shall endorse his/her approval on the application, and the taxicab business operator shall present the application to the City Clerk, together with the license fee required by this Article, and the City Clerk shall assign a license number to such vehicle and the licensee shall cause to be painted on each front door of such vehicle in letters and figures the following:

	LICENSED CAB NO.
	__________________ (Insert License No. Here)
	______________________________________ (Insert the Name of Operating Company Owner)

	The letters shall not be smaller than three (3) inches in height and the figures not be less than four (4) inches in height.

Section 615.090 Taxicab Vehicle License — Transfer of License Number — Fees Not Refundable.

[CC 1989 §12-99]

A license number assigned to a vehicle taken out of service may be reassigned to a different vehicle placed in service by the same licensee, and the license issued for the vehicle taken out of service may be transferred to such other vehicle owned or leased by the same licensee, upon application made in the same manner as for the original license, but in no event will any license fee be refunded.

Section 615.100 Transferability of Licenses.

[CC 1989 §12-100]

Licenses issued under this Article shall not be assignable or transferable, except as provided in this Article for the transfer of vehicle license numbers.

Section 615.110 Suspension or Revocation of License Upon Notice and Hearing.

[CC 1989 §12-101]

All licenses issued under this Article may be suspended or revoked by the City Council for the violation of any of the provisions of this Article or any other ordinance regulating the taxicab business, after reasonable notice and hearing before the City Council, or if at any time the City Council shall find the operator or licensee no longer possesses the qualifications to retain such license.

Section 615.120 Taxi Stands.

[CC 1989 §12-102]

No taxicab business license shall establish or maintain a parking place or stand on the streets of the City except by express authority of the City Council.