The City Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to determine
the location of passenger and freight curb loading zones and shall
place and maintain appropriate signs indicating the same and stating
the hours during which the provisions of this article are applicable.
The City Traffic Engineer shall not hereafter designate or sign
any curb loading zone upon special request of any person unless such
person makes application for a permit for such zone and for two signs
to indicate the ends of each such zone. The City Traffic Engineer,
upon granting a permit and issuing such signs, shall collect from
the applicant and deposit in the City treasury a service fee of $15
per year or fraction thereof and may by general regulations impose
conditions upon the use of such signs and for reimbursement of the
City for the value thereof in the event of their loss or damage and
their return in the event of misuse or upon expiration of permit.
Every such permit shall expire at the end of one year.
No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle for any purpose
or period of time other than for the expeditious loading or unloading
of passengers in any place marked as a passenger curb loading zone
during hours when the regulations applicable to such curb loading
zone are effective, and then only for a period not to exceed three
minutes.
No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle for any purpose
or length of time other than for the expeditious unloading and delivery
or pick-up and loading of materials in any place marked as a freight
curb loading zone during hours when the provisions applicable to such
zone are in effect. In no case shall the stop for loading and unloading
of materials exceed 30 minutes.
The City Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized and required
to establish bus stops, bus stands, taxicab stands and stands for
other passenger common-carrier motor vehicles on such public streets,
in such places and in such number as he shall determine to be of the
greatest benefit and convenience to the public, and every such bus
stop, bus stand, taxicab stand, or other stand shall be designated
by appropriate signs.
(A)
The operator of a bus shall not stand or park such vehicle upon any
street at any place other than a bus stand so designated as provided
herein.
(B)
The operator of a bus shall not stop such vehicle upon any street
at any place for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers or
their baggage other than at a bus stop, bus stand, or passenger loading
zone so designated as provided herein, except in case of an emergency.
(C)
The operator of a bus shall enter a bus stop, bus stand, or passenger
loading zone on a public street in such a manner that the bus, when
stopped to load or unload passengers or baggage, shall be in a position
with the right front wheel of such vehicle not further than 18 inches
from the curb and the bus approximately parallel to the curb so as
not to unduly impede the movement of other vehicular traffic.
(D)
The operator of a taxicab shall not stand or park such vehicle upon
any street at any place other than in a taxicab stand so designated
as provided herein. This provision shall not prevent the operator
of a taxicab from temporarily stopping in accordance with other stopping
or parking regulations at any place for the purpose of and while actually
engaged in the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers.
No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle other than a
bus in a bus stop, or other than a taxicab in a taxicab stand when
any such stop or stand has been officially designated and appropriately
signed, except that the driver of a passenger vehicle may temporarily
stop therein for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading
or unloading passengers when such stopping does not interfere with
any bus or taxicab waiting to enter or about to enter such zone.
[Added 1-9-2024 by Ord. No. 1-2024]
(A)
APPLICATION
APPROVAL
BUS
CHIEF OF POLICE
REGULARLY SCHEDULED SERVICE
UNSCHEDULED BUS STOP
Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, as used in this
section, shall have the following meanings ascribed to them unless
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
A request for approval to make a bus stop in the City of
Hometown meeting all of the requirements of this section.
A written notice or permit signed by the Chief of Police
approving an application submitted in accordance with this section.
Any type of motor vehicle that is designed to carry, or is
actually carrying, more than seven individuals.
The Chief of Police of the City of Hometown Police Department.
A bus service that operates trips involving the loading and
unloading of passengers in the City of Hometown on a predictable and
recurring basis, following a schedule that is published in advance
and available to the general public, and provides service in exchange
for paying a fare.
A location in the City of Hometown where individuals are
dropped off by a bus that originated from a location outside of Cook
County, Illinois that is not providing regularly scheduled service
and not operating pursuant to an approved application and plan from
the Chief of Police.
(B)
Application. The owner, operator, or driver of any bus that is not
providing regularly scheduled service that is desirous of making a
stop to unload passengers in the City of Hometown shall file an application
with the Chief of Police for authority therefor. A complete application
(including all required information) shall be submitted to the Chief
of Police at least five calendar days' prior to the proposed
arrival date. The application shall include the following information:
(1)
The full names, addresses, and telephone numbers (including
mobile telephones) of the owner, operator, and driver of the bus;
(2)
The full name of all persons that are proposed to be unloaded
in the City of Hometown, including copies of IDs for said persons
to the extent IDs exist or are in possession of the passengers;
(3)
The address of the location in the City of Hometown where the
applicant will unload its passengers;
(4)
The exact date and time the applicant will unload its passengers
in the City of Hometown;
(5)
The full names, addresses, mobile and landline phone numbers
of the individuals who shall be present in the City of Hometown to
meet the bus and receive the passengers; and,
(6)
A detailed plan identifying how the passengers will be temporarily
cared for, housed, and fed after arrival in the City of Hometown.
The plan shall include full names, addresses, mobile and landline
phone numbers for all persons that will be present at the time and
date of the unloading that will be responsible for the care, housing
and feeding of the passengers.
(C)
Application review and approval. Upon receipt of an application,
the Chief of Police shall review the same to ensure all information
is present and to verify the truth and veracity of the same. The Chief
of Police shall advise the applicant, in writing, if any information
is missing, or if any other deficiencies are present on the face or
from his/her investigation. The Chief of Police shall inform the applicant
that the application is approved no later than four calendar days
after receiving a completed and verified application. The Chief of
Police shall further provide a telephone number to the applicant or
driver to coordinate the arrival of the bus in the City of Hometown.
(D)
Violations. It shall be unlawful for any owner, operator, or driver
of any bus to:
(1)
Make an unscheduled bus stop for the purpose of unloading passengers
in the City of Hometown;
(2)
Make a bus stop for the purpose of unloading passengers in the
City of Hometown at a location different from that identified or not
identified in the approved application;
(3)
Make a bus stop for the purpose of unloading passengers in the
City of Hometown outside the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday, and excluding holidays, and at a time that is more
than 15 minutes before or more than 30 minutes after the dropoff time
identified in the approved application;
(4)
Make a bus stop for the purpose of unloading any passenger(s)
not identified on the passenger manifest in the approved application;
(5)
Unload any passenger at a time or location where those individuals
identified in the approved application that are to be responsible
for meeting the bus and receiving the passengers are not present;
(6)
Fail to provide for the immediate and adequate care, feeding,
or housing of any passenger unloaded in the City of Hometown; or
(7)
Fail to implement or perform all of the terms and conditions
of the plan approved in an application.
(E)
Penalties. Any person or entity violating any provision of this section
shall be fined in an amount not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000
for each passenger transported on a bus being operated in violation
of this section. Each day a violation occurs or is permitted to continue
shall constitute a new and separate offense.
(F)
Administration. Violations of this section may be administered through the provisions of Chapter 19, Miscellaneous Offenses, Article 6, Administrative Adjudication of Nonvehicular Code Violations, of the Municipal Code of Hometown. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit the remedies or penalties available to City of Hometown.
(G)
Seizure and impoundment. Whenever a police officer or other authorized
officer has reason to believe that a violation of this section has
occurred, he shall cause the seizure and impoundment of the bus to
a facility controlled by the City of Hometown or its agents provided
such seizure and impoundment is otherwise reasonable under the circumstances.
The impounded bus will be released to the owner of record upon payment
of the towing and storage costs.
