A. 
All vehicle-for-hire operators shall be required to hold a valid Town of Greenfield vehicle-for-hire operator's license issued by the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police of the Town shall have the authority, subject to the approval of the Board of License Commissioners, to grant vehicle-for-hire operator's licenses. Written application shall be made under penalty of perjury to the Chief of Police on a form provided by the Chief of Police. No application shall be processed until all required information is provided to the Chief of Police. Any license so granted may be suspended or revoked by the Chief of Police at any time for cause.
B. 
Each taxi business will be allowed three licensed operators for each licensed taxi. Additional licenses will be considered as a case-by-case request.
Application for a vehicle-for-hire operator's license shall be made at the office of the Chief of Police. All applicants shall set forth, under the penalties of perjury, such information as the Chief of Police may require, including the following:
A. 
Name of applicant.
B. 
The applicant's residence, date of birth, place of birth, father's name, mother's name, height, weight, complexion, color of hair and of eyes, and social security number.
C. 
The number of the applicant's license to operate motor vehicles in the commonwealth and the date of expiration of such license; said license shall be displayed at the time of making application.
D. 
Any convictions, admission to sufficient facts, or pleas of nolo contendere with regard to felony or misdemeanor offenses, stating the courts in which such matters were heard, and the date of such offenses.
E. 
Any traffic violations for which there was a finding of responsibility for a period of three years prior to the date of the application for the license or for such additional time as the Chief of Police shall require.
F. 
Any civil or criminal court restraining orders currently in effect against the applicant.
An applicant must:
A. 
Be at least 18 years of age.
B. 
Be the bearer of a valid Massachusetts operator's license issued in accordance with the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90.
C. 
Provide a copy of the applicant's Massachusetts operator's license.
D. 
Provide a letter from the vehicle-for-hire business licensee by whom the applicant is to be employed requesting such services.
E. 
Provide a one-inch-by-one-inch size photograph of the applicant.
F. 
Provide a copy of the applicant's driving record from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
G. 
Authorize the Chief of Police to obtain a criminal history background check from the Criminal History Systems Board.
H. 
Obtain thumbprints from the Police Department to be included in the application and license.
The Chief of Police may reject an application for a vehicle-for-hire operator's license, or suspend, revoke, or fail to renew an existing license if the operator fails to comply with these regulations or commits any moving traffic violations. Further, when considering whether to issue or deny an application, or to suspend, revoke, or fail to renew an existing license, the Chief of Police will give significant consideration and appropriate weight to any felony or misdemeanor conviction, admission to sufficient facts, or entrance of a plea of nolo contendere, taking into account all factors, including the nature and gravity of the offense (including whether the crime is a felony or a misdemeanor, a violent crime, a crime that poses a substantial degree of dangerousness to minors and/or other vulnerable populations, or a crime for which a person has been finally classified as having a high risk of re-offense), the time that has passed since the conviction, admission or entrance of a plea of nolo contendere, and the sensitive nature of serving the public as an operator of a vehicle-for-hire.
The decision to approve or reject an application for a vehicle-for-hire operator's license shall be made within 30 days after filing of the application with the Chief of Police. If the application is rejected, the applicant shall be informed in writing of the specific reasons for the rejection and of the opportunity for a hearing before the Board to review the decision. Any person aggrieved by the refusal of the Chief of Police to grant a license may file a written appeal to the Board of License Commissioners containing a complete statement of the reasons why said refusal is unreasonable within 10 calendar days of the denial. If the Board of License Commissioners finds that said refusal is unreasonable, it may request the Chief of Police to grant the license. The Board's failure to act within 30 days constitutes a disapproval of the application.
[Amended 2-15-2012 by Order No. FY 12-085]
No vehicle-for-hire shall be operated unless the vehicle-for-hire operator's license is conspicuously posted within the vehicle. Vehicle-for-hire operators shall have in their possession a copy of these regulations, which shall be exhibited to a passenger or police officer on demand.
The Chief of Police may suspend or revoke a license at any time for violation of the law or these regulations or as the public health and safety so require. The Chief of Police shall, as soon as is practicable, provide the licensee with written notice of the revocation or suspension and inform the licensee of the right to a hearing before the Board. A request for a hearing must be made in writing within 10 days of receipt of the notice. At the hearing, the licensee will have the opportunity to present testimony and other evidence and to be represented by a person of his/her choice. Upon suspension or revocation, said license shall be immediately surrendered to the Chief of Police. A request for a hearing shall not delay any suspension or revocation. A revoked license shall not be reinstated or reissued until the licensee has reapplied for a license as outlined in §§ 538-26 and 538-27 and the Board finds that the licensee meets all the requirements for a license.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended during codification.
When the holder of a vehicle-for-hire operator's license changes his/her home address or place of employment, the holder shall notify the Chief of Police in writing within five days.
Written notice shall be given to the Chief of Police by a vehicle-for-hire business license holder when a licensed vehicle-for-hire operator ceases to be employed by the business. This notice shall be given within five days of such termination.
A vehicle-for-hire operator's license shall be valid from the date of issue until December 31 and then renewable on an annual basis, unless sooner revoked or suspended. On payment of the prescribed fee, a licensee shall be issued a new license unless the license has been previously revoked or suspended or the licensee is otherwise in violation of these regulations. If said license is under suspension, the license may be renewed upon the expiration of the suspension, provided that the licensee makes payment of the prescribed fee and meets the other requirements of these regulations. New applications for licenses may be filed with the Chief of Police at any time, but applications for renewal of a license already in force shall be filed with the Chief of Police annually, on or before November 15. Any applications received after November 15 will be considered after January 1.
The annual fee for the issuance or renewal of a vehicle-for-hire operator's license shall be $25, which amount shall include the administration fee. The fee for a duplicate or amended vehicle-for-hire operator's license, or to reinstate a suspended operator's license, shall be $15.