[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Two
Rivers (Title 6, Ch. 6, of the 1981 Code). Amendments noted where
applicable.]
A.
License required. No taxicab shall be operated upon the streets of
the City for the purpose of transporting passengers to and from locations
within the boundaries of the City until a license has been obtained
from the City Council therefor.
B.
Taxicab defined. As used in this section, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated:
- TAXICAB
- Includes all vehicles carrying passengers for hire for which public patronage is solicited, excepting the municipal bus system.
C.
Application form. Applications for licenses for taxicabs shall be
made by the owner thereof upon blank forms to be furnished by the
City Clerk. Any such application shall contain the full name and address
of the owner, the make, model and year, engine number and the factory
number of the motor vehicle.
It shall be unlawful to operate a vehicle for the conveyance
of passengers for hire to and from locations within the boundaries
of the City or permit the same to be operated, nor shall any license
be issued hereunder, until and unless the applicant for a license
deposits with the City Clerk a certificate of liability insurance
to be acceptable and approved by the City Clerk and issued by a company
authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin, indemnifying
the applicant in the amount of $50,000 for damage to property and
$100,000 for injury to one person cause by the operation of said vehicles
in the City.
No vehicle shall be licensed until it has been annually examined
by the Chief of Police, or such person as he may designate, and found
to be in a thoroughly satisfactory and safe condition for the transportation
of passengers, clean, of good appearance and well-painted, and that
said vehicle complies with all the other provisions of this chapter.
If such examination and inspection shows that the vehicle does not
comply with any of the provisions of this section, no license shall
be issued. At the request of the Chief of Police, the taxicab owners
shall take their vehicles to a reputable garage for an independent
inspection at the owner's expense.
A.
Licenses nontransferable. Licenses issued or granted under this chapter
shall be nonassignable and nontransferable.
B.
Information card to be displayed. A card containing the name of the
owner, license number, the number of the vehicle, and rates of fare
printed thereon shall be placed and at all times kept in a conspicuous
place inside such vehicle.
C.
Liability of licensee. Any licensee shall be liable for any violations
of ordinances or statutes by any and all persons operating taxicabs
under its license.
D.
City Council may impose further restrictions. Any licensee hereunder
shall be subject to such further regulations and restrictions as may
be imposed at any time by the City Council.
Whenever a licensed taxicab shall for any cause become temporarily
unfit for use in said business, another automobile may be temporarily
used by the licensee as a substitute, but only upon the following
conditions:
A.
It shall not be so used unless the insurance policy required by this
chapter for licensed taxicabs affords like coverage for such substituted
automobile.
B.
The substituted vehicle shall be in a satisfactory and safe condition
for the transportation of passengers. If in use for more than 48 hours,
the inspection requirements of § 6-6-3 shall apply.
An annual fee is established and listed in Chapter 1-2, Fees,
of this Code.
A.
Revocation. Licenses granted under §§ 6-6-1 through
6-6-4 may be suspended or revoked at any time by the Chief of Police
for any violation of this chapter. When a taxicab license is revoked
or canceled as herein provided, the Chief of Police shall immediately
notify the owner to cease at once to operate the vehicle for which
the license has been revoked as a taxicab.
B.
Appeals. Any person who receives a revocation of license and objects
to all or part thereof may appeal to the City Council within seven
days of the receipt of the order, and the City Council shall hear
such appeal within 30 days of receipt of such written notice of the
appeal. After such hearing, the City Council may reverse, affirm or
modify the order or determination.
A.
License required. No person shall operate any vehicle for the transportation
of passengers for hire to and from locations within the boundaries
of the City until a license has been granted by the City Council.
B.
Temporary licenses. The Chief of Police may issue temporary drivers'
licenses to applicants who, in his opinion, meet the qualifications
set forth in this section. Such temporary drivers' licenses may
be issued at any time by the Chief of Police after an applicant has
filed an application and has deposited the fee required and shall
be in force and effect until the Council shall have approved or disapproved
of the applicant's application for a permanent driver's
license. The Chief of Police may revoke such temporary driver's
license at any time.
C.
License not granted. An operator's license shall not be granted
to any person who:
(1)
Is under the age of 18 years.
(2)
Does not have a valid vehicle driver's license.
(3)
Has pending against him or her or who has been convicted by a court
of competent jurisdiction of any offense the circumstances of which
substantially relate to the nature of taxicab operation, including
but not limited to driving a motor vehicle as a conveyance of persons
or baggage for hire while under the influence of intoxicants or controlled
substances, while said conviction remains on record and is not reversed;
provided, however, the City Council may grant a license to such convicted
person after the granting of any complete pardon and restoration of
civil rights, or provided the applicant is not prohibited from holding
an operator's license under § 343.06, Wis. Stats.
D.
Fees. License fees shall be as established and listed in Chapter
1-2, Fees, of this Code.
A.
Display of license. Each licensee, upon receiving a license and photograph
of driver, shall, under penalty of revocation of such license, constantly
and conspicuously display such license inside the taxicab while licensee
is engaged in his employment. Any driver loaning his license or permitting
another person to use the same shall be guilty of an offense.
B.
Driver's hours of operation limited. It shall be unlawful for
the operator of any public passenger vehicle for the conveyance of
passengers for hire to operate said vehicle more than 12 hours out
of 24. An operator shall be deemed to be operating a vehicle within
the terms of this subsection whenever he is in charge of such vehicle
and holding himself in readiness to convey passengers. Violation of
this subsection shall be assessed to both the operator and the company.
A.
An operator's license may be suspended or revoked at any time
for a violation of this chapter or for any cause deemed sufficient
by the Police Chief or the judge of any court in which such driver
is convicted of any offense, and the driver thereupon shall be deprived
of his license by the authority suspending or revoking his license.
B.
When the license is suspended or revoked by any official other than
the Police Chief, the driver's license and a record of such suspension
or revocation shall be forthwith forwarded to the Police Chief.
C.
If the penalty is suspension of license, the license shall be returned
to the driver at the expiration of the period for which the suspension
is made. A second suspension for the same reason or a third suspension
for any cause shall automatically revoke the driver's license.
D.
Where a license has been suspended or revoked by the court or a judge
thereof, the approval of such court or judge shall be necessary for
the restoration or reissue of such license.
E.
When a license is revoked, no other license shall be granted to such
person within one year of the date of its revocation nor shall any
part of the money paid for any license so revoked be refunded. The
Police Chief shall inform the operator of the revocation or suspension
and the reasons therefor in writing. Any suspension or revocation
imposed by the Police Chief may be appealed within 10 days of such
notice of revocation or suspension to the City Council. After holding
a hearing, the City Council shall make findings of facts and conclusions
of law and may modify or reverse the suspension or revocation imposed
by the Police Chief.
The requirements of this chapter shall not apply to any taxicab
operator or taxicab duly licensed to operate as such by the governing
body of any city, village or town in the State of Wisconsin, provided
a certified copy of such license is filed with the City Clerk, and
provided proof satisfactory to the City Clerk that such license remains
in full force and effect is filed with the City Clerk upon request.