[HISTORY: Adopted by the Municipal Council of the City of
Taunton as Rev. Ords. 1964, §§ 10-31, 10-32, 10-34
to 10-40, 10-42 and 10-45 to 10-51 (§§ 12-179 to 12-198
of the 2010 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 405.
[Amended 7-11-2000]
Every vehicle drawn or propelled, except motorbuses and jitneys
transporting passengers for hire as a business between fixed and regular
termini, used in the City for the conveyance for hire of persons or
property, and using the public ways of the City for solicitation of
business, shall be called a "public service vehicle," which term shall
include taxicabs and limousines, and shall be licensed by the Municipal
Council.
[Amended 11-5-1984; 7-11-2000]
The Municipal Council may grant to such persons, upon such terms
as it may deem expedient, licenses for public service vehicles upon
payment of a license fee of $50.
All permits, licenses, locations, stops and stands required
by ordinance, except when otherwise specifically provided by law,
shall be granted by the Municipal Council, and a copy sent to the
Chief of Police, and a record thereof kept by the City Clerk. Such
permits and licenses and the right to use such locations, stops and
stands shall expire on the first day of May next after the date thereof
and may be revoked and cancelled at any time at the discretion of
the Municipal Council. Petitions therefor shall be signed by the applicant
and shall contain the name and address of the owner, description of
the vehicle, the maximum number of seated passengers carried or maximum
freight capacity of the vehicle, the net weight of the vehicle, and
such other information as may be required by the licensing authority.
[Amended 1-4-1983]
Before the issuance of a license for a public service vehicle
and while such license is in effect, the owner of the license shall
have on file with the City Clerk a certificate of insurance as evidence
that the vehicle is then properly insured under the Massachusetts
Standard Liability Policy. In the case of such vehicle carrying passengers,
the certificate of insurance shall indicate that the owner of the
license is properly insured against damages for injuries to persons
transported in the vehicle licensed, and travelers upon the highway,
in the minimum sum of $25,000 for injury or death of one person and
$50,000 for injury or death of more than one person in the same accident.
In the case of such a vehicle carrying property, the certificate of
insurance shall indicate that the owner of the license is properly
insured in the sum of $5,000 against damage for loss or damage to
the property transported in the vehicle licensed. In lieu of such
certificate of insurance the licensee may have on file with the City
Clerk an indemnity bond in the respective sums mentioned in each case,
with ample surety or sureties, approved by the City Solicitor and
City Clerk, conditioned for the safe carriage of passengers or the
safe delivery of property to its destination, or both, as the case
may be, for the benefit of any persons damaged. Failure to have such
insurance certificate or bond on file with the City Clerk and in effect
shall be a revocation of the license.
[Amended 7-11-2000]
A.
The Municipal Council may determine the locations and boundaries
and descriptions in the public ways of the City of passenger zones,
private stands, bus stops and stands, taxi stands, express truck stands,
freight truck stands, and stands for other public service vehicles,
in such places and numbers as may be of benefit to the public. Such
stands and stopping places shall be designated by appropriate signs
and painted lines on the curb and surface of the ways under the supervision
of the Chief of Police, so that drivers of vehicles may be informed
thereof. Licenses therefor shall state the terms under which the license
is issued, the name and address of the licensee, a description of
the vehicle licensed, the boundaries and location of the stand, the
hours and times when such stands may be occupied, and such other conditions
and limitations as may be imposed, unless otherwise voted by the Municipal
Council.
B.
Stands not occupied or used by the licensee daily shall be deemed
to be abandoned and all rights thereto shall cease.
C.
The total number of such licenses shall not exceed one such license
for every 1,000 of the population of the City according to the most
recent federal census report. No person shall own or control in excess
of 25% of the total number of allowable stand licenses.
[Amended 7-11-2000]
The fee for the issuance of a license for a taxi stand shall
be $100. The name of the concern to which the license is given shall
appear on the public service vehicle plate.
Taxi stand licenses shall not be sold or transferred without
the consent of the Municipal Council.
No person in charge of or driving a motorbus, except in case
of emergency, or by direction of a police officer or official traffic
sign or signal, shall allow such vehicle to stop or remain stationary
at any place in the public ways of the City, except places officially
designated as stops and stands for such vehicles, and such vehicles
shall stop at officially designated stops only while passengers are
entering or leaving the vehicle and while no other vehicle or bus
occupies the stopping place.
No person in charge of or driving a cab, truck or job wagon
shall permit the same to stand, for the solicitation of business,
in the public ways of the City except at the officially designated
stands for each vehicle duly licensed to occupy the same, which license
shall be in the vehicle at all times.
Every owner or person conducting a taxicab business shall cause
all his/her drivers to be photographed and fingerprinted at police
headquarters. The owner or person conducting a taxicab business shall
furnish all drivers with a uniform cap equipped with a badge containing
a legible number together with the name of the concern. The owner
or person conducting a taxicab business shall also require the driver's
picture, name and number to be placed in a conspicuous place in the
cab while such vehicle is under the control of such driver.
No person to whom a taxi stand license has been granted by the
Municipal Council shall sublet the stand or any part thereof to another
individual or concern as a means of conducting a business either as
a partner or as a separate operator.
No more taxis will be allowed in any stand than the number called
for in the license granted by the Municipal Council.
Every taxi licensed under this chapter shall bear the designation
of its owner by means of an illuminated light placed on the top of
the vehicle.
All public service vehicles licensed under this chapter shall
be kept clean at all times and shall be inspected after each trip
for lost articles, which, if found, shall be immediately turned over
to the owner of such taxi or the person in charge of conducting the
business at the time and a report made to the Police Department.
No person liable for the payment of a fare to a licensee under
this chapter shall refuse to pay or attempt to evade payment of the
same.
The Board of License Commissioners, subject to the approval
of the Municipal Council, may establish, revise and amend maximum
rates of fares for the carriage of passengers for hire from place
to place in the City and maximum tariff rates for transportation of
property in the City. No person shall demand or receive for such service
a sum in excess of the rates so established.
[Amended 7-11-2000; 9-20-2005]
Every taxi shall contain a card showing the rate of fare, which
shall be set by ordinance, recorded with the City Clerk and approved
by the Municipal Council. Copies of such cards shall be on file at
police headquarters and also shall be displayed in taxicabs in clear
view of the passengers therein. Such rates shall be uniform for all
taxi concerns. Rates shall be as follows:
