[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Reedsburg as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted as Sec. 12.11 of the former Municipal Codebook]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
TAXICAB
Includes all vehicles transporting passengers for remuneration for which patronage is solicited publicly. This definition shall not apply to:
A. 
Vehicles operating on established routes which are regulated by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin;
B. 
Vehicles rented to be driven by the renter or his agent, commonly known as "rent-a-cars";
C. 
Vehicles operated solely as funeral cars or ambulances.
No person shall for remuneration transport passengers in a taxicab within the City without first having obtained a taxicab license.
A. 
Application for taxicab license to operate one or more taxicabs or an application to operate additional taxicabs under an existing license shall be made, in writing, to the City Clerk-Treasurer upon forms furnished by him, giving the address from which the business is conducted and signed by the owner of the business or his duly authorized agent. The application must also state, for each vehicle to be operated, the make, model, and year of manufacture, the engine number, serial number and capacity for passengers, and the Wisconsin State certificate of title number and license number.
B. 
The application shall be submitted by the City Clerk-Treasurer to the Council, which shall set a date for a public hearing before the Council to examine the public convenience and necessity of granting such license. The City Clerk-Treasurer shall notify the applicant of the time and place set for the hearing. No license shall be granted until the Council shall by resolution have determined that the public convenience and necessity will be served by the service proposed in the application for license. The Council may hold such further hearings and procure such additional information as it may deem necessary or advisable in making such determination.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
The taxicab license fee shall be per year, or any fractional part thereof, for each vehicle operated by the same licensee, as set from time to time by the Common Council. The license year shall commence January 1 and end December 31. If less than six months remain of the license year, the license fee for the first taxicab shall be reduced one half.
A. 
No taxicab license shall be issued until the applicant deposits with the City Clerk-Treasurer a policy of liability insurance covering all vehicles to be included under the license. Such policy shall describe each vehicle by make, model and serial number, number of passengers capable of being accommodated therein at one time, and the number of the state motor vehicle license. Such insurance policy shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in the State of Wisconsin, and shall insure the licensee against loss from liability to the amount of $25,000 for the injury or death of more than one person in any one accident; and in the amount of $10,000 for damage to property of others for any one accident due to the negligent operation of such vehicle. Liability amounts may be revised from time to time by the Common Council.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
B. 
The policy of insurance shall be approved by the City Attorney as to legal form before it is filed and shall contain a provision that the same may not be canceled before the expiration of its term, except upon 10 days' written notice to the City.
C. 
The cancellation or other termination of any insurance policy issued in compliance with this section shall automatically revoke and terminate all licenses issued for the vehicles covered by such insurance policy, unless another policy shall have been filed and approved pursuant to this section, and shall be in effect at the time of such cancellation or termination.
After passage of the resolution of convenience and necessity and upon filing with the City Clerk-Treasurer a receipt of the City Clerk-Treasurer showing payment of the required license fees and the policy of insurance as hereinafter provided, the City Clerk-Treasurer shall issue to the applicant a taxicab license. Each license granted shall be numbered and shall show the owner's name and place of business and the number of vehicles which may be operated thereunder.
No taxicab license shall be transferable either from the vehicle described in the original application to another vehicle or from the original license to another person without formal permission from the Council.
Taxicab licenses may be renewed by the City Clerk-Treasurer upon the payment of the fees and filing of policies of insurance as required for the original license.
A taxicab license may be revoked at any time by the Council for violation of any provision of this section or for violation of any provision of Chs. 340 to 347, Wis. Stats., or of any such statutory provision incorporated in a municipal ordinance. Such revocation may be for all vehicles or any vehicle included under a license. When any taxicab license is revoked, the City Clerk-Treasurer shall immediately notify the licensee to cease immediately to operate the taxicab for which the license has been revoked.
A. 
The licensee shall keep each taxicab in a clean and sanitary condition, well-painted, and equipped and maintained as required by Chs. 340 to 347, Wis. Stats.
B. 
The Chief of Police shall inspect each taxicab to determine whether it is properly equipped and maintained before a license is issued. Said inspection to be made yearly between December 30 and December 31.
A. 
No person shall operate a taxicab unless he shall possess a taxi driver's license. The fee for such license shall be as set from time to time by Common Council.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
B. 
Each applicant shall submit, in writing, to the Chief of Police, on forms furnished by the Police Department, a statement of the applicant's full name, his present residence, his residence for three years past, his age, color, height, weight, color of eyes and hair, citizenship, place of last previous employment, marital status, Wisconsin State motor vehicle operator's license number, whether he has ever been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor, whether he has ever been previously licensed as a driver or chauffeur and, if so, when and by what authority, whether his license has ever been revoked or suspended and, if so, for what cause, and the name of the prospective employer. Applications shall be retained as Police Department records.
C. 
No license shall be granted to any person:
(1) 
Who is under 18 years of age;
(2) 
Who does not possess a valid Wisconsin State motor vehicle operator's license;
(3) 
Who has been convicted of a felony or who has been convicted of driving a vehicle upon the highway while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotics, unless two years have elapsed since his date of conviction or discharge from a penal institution, whichever is later.
D. 
A taxi driver's license shall expire on December 31 following its issuance. It may be renewed upon application to the Chief of Police on a form furnished by him entitled "Application for Renewal of Taxi Driver's License," which shall show the full name and address of the applicant, and the date upon which his original license was granted and the number thereof.
E. 
Upon presentation of the City Clerk-Treasurer's receipt for payment of the license fee, the Chief of Police shall deliver to each licensed taxi driver a license, of such form and style as the Chief of Police may prescribe, with the license number thereon and which must, under penalty of revocation of the license, be continuously and conspicuously displayed on the taxicab when he is engaged in his employment.
F. 
The Chief of Police shall revoke a taxicab driver's license if the licensee has, since the granting of the permit:
(1) 
Been convicted of a felony;
(2) 
Had his state motor vehicle operator's license revoked or suspended;
(3) 
Been convicted of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, or narcotics;
(4) 
Had, during any continuous six-month period, three or more convictions of any of the offenses set forth in the motor vehicle code of the Wisconsin Statutes, or of any such statutory provisions incorporated in a municipal ordinance;
(5) 
Demonstrated to the Chief of Police that, in the interest of the preservation of the public safety, welfare, morals, or good order, the licensee is unfit to drive a taxicab.
G. 
Written notice of such revocation or refusal to renew shall be given the licensee. Any person whose license shall have been revoked or renewal refused by the Chief of Police may, within 10 days thereof, appeal to the Council for a hearing thereon; and the Council may, after the hearing, affirm or reverse the action of the Chief of Police. If no appeal is taken within 10 days, the action of the Chief of Police shall be final.
H. 
The Chief of Police shall repossess each license which is revoked.
A taxi driver may not transfer from one taxicab driver licensee to another licensee until such transfer has been recorded, in writing, with the Chief of Police.
Every taxicab shall be conspicuously marked on the right and left side with the name of the licensee and the words "cab" or "taxicab." A card containing the name of the licensee, taxicab license number, and rates and fares printed thereon shall be kept in a conspicuous place inside of such vehicle at all times.
[Adopted as Ch. 30 of the former Municipal Codebook]
When authorized by the Common Council, the City Clerk-Treasurer shall advertise in the manner provided by law for proposals from private parties to provide taxi service for the City of Reedsburg under the Public Transportation Assistance Program established by §§ 85.20 and 85.23, Wis. Stats. A contract shall be prepared to comply with this article and Wisconsin transportation statutes.
[Amended 11-14-2011]
The minimum hours of operation shall be as follows:
Monday through Thursday
5:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
5:45 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.
Sunday
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
A. 
Taxi rates that apply to all destinations within the City limits of the City of Reedsburg:
[Amended 11-14-2011; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
(1) 
Fares within City boundaries shall be set as approved by Common Council and the Department of Transportation from time to time.
(2) 
Children under the age of five shall ride for no charge and shall be accompanied by an adult.
B. 
Fares outside of City limits. In addition to the fares set forth in Subsection A, there shall be a trip charge assessed at the rate of $2 per mile from the edge of the City limits to the destination point furthest from the City.
No changes in this fare schedule or the contract shall be made without prior approval of the City and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The operator shall be bound by any changes in this article upon publication of those changes as required by law. The operator shall be entitled to provide no less than 30 days' notification of intent to terminate this contract in the event of a change in the article.
The operator shall maintain true and accurate records of all gross revenues, depreciations, salaries, return on investments and all operating expenses as required by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and make books and records available to the City and subject to audit by the City and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation at any time.
The operator shall provide such financial statements as may be required by the City and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The operator and his/her employees shall comply with the Code of the City of Reedsburg and all applicable state and federal regulations.
A. 
The operator shall maintain two motor vehicles in good operating condition during service hours, and one additional motor vehicle shall be maintained in reserve that is in good operating condition. No vehicle shall be less than 10 years old on the anniversary date of the contract.
B. 
If the City provides any motor vehicle(s) for the operator, the operator shall enter into a lease agreement with the City.
A. 
The operator shall maintain daily operating logs showing for each trip the number of passengers, time, pickup point, destination and charge, and said log shall be subject to inspection by the City at any time.
B. 
The operator shall keep maintenance and repair records for each motor vehicle used to provide transportation services, and the City shall have the right to inspect each taxicab and the maintenance and repair record at any time.
In the event that the City provides a City-owned facility for the operator to utilize as an office for the cab service, the operator shall enter into a lease agreement with the City.
The operator must provide radio dispatch services during all service hours. Operator shall comply with all applicable state and federal licensing requirements for operation of his/her radio.
Operator shall maintain bodily injury liability insurance coverage with a solvent and reputable insurance company approved by the City in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and for property damage in an amount not less than $100,000 per occurrence, and the said policy shall name the City of Reedsburg as an additional insured.
When required by the City, the operator shall maintain a performance bond in the amount of $10,000 during the life of the contract and any of its renewals.
A. 
In the event of a violation of any state or federal law, the Code of the City of Reedsburg, or the terms of the contract, the Common Council shall, after notice and hearing, be entitled to either suspend or revoke the operator's licensing privileges granted under the terms of this article.
B. 
Driving in violation of § 346.63, Wis. Stats., as amended, shall be grounds for immediate suspension of any operator's license as granted by the contract. A hearing on that suspension shall be held no later than 10 days from the date of violation of the above statute or the date on which the City is advised of the violation (whichever is later).