[Added 4-11-2017 by Ord. No. MC-5038]
As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BASE
A place of business from which City-licensed taxicabs are dispatched.
CONTRACT DISPATCH SERVICE PROVIDER
A dispatch service provider, not owned by the base, that provides its services - including via the use of dispatch devises - under an agreement with the base.
DISPATCH
A request made from a base to a City-licensed taxicab driver directing the driver to provide transportation to a passenger who has previously arranged for such transportation.
DISPATCH DEVICE
A publicly or privately-available electronic booking device or mobile telecommunications online-enabled technology application (e.g., without limitation, smartphone, cellphone or tablet-based) and related dispatch equipment and system (e.g., without limitation, antennas and computers).
DISPATCH SERVICE PROVIDER
Base dispatching, reserving, or referring of trips to City-licensed taxicab drivers for or on behalf of bases by services provided under common corporate ownership or by way of contract dispatch service providers using dispatch devices. Dispatch service includes a base dispatching or managing its fleet under the trade, business, or operating name the base has on file with the City using commercial dispatching software. Dispatch service shall also include a base dispatching through a dispatch device that uses the same name in its branding, operations, promotions, or advertisements as the trade, business, or operating name the base has on file with the City.
E-DISPATCH
A dispatch arranged through a licensed dispatch service provider through a dispatch device.
PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS
The place or location of the business within Camden where taxicabs are dispatched, stored and/or parked.
A. 
The City of Camden shall license all taxicab dispatch service providers and regulate their use of dispatch devices. All dispatch service providers operating or doing business within the boundaries of Camden shall obtain licenses from the City to operate their dispatch systems — including said dispatch devices — and shall comply with all City ordinances, rules, and policies governing how dispatch service providers manage customer interactions and dispatch to taxicab drivers and vehicles.
B. 
The City's creation of a licensing structure for all dispatch service providers and regulation of their use of dispatch devices accomplishes the following goals:
(1) 
Protect the travelling public. As taxicab companies take advantage of technological advances to offer taxicab services in Camden, the City wants to ensure that all taxicab bases and drivers adhere to important public safety, transparency, accountability, and availability principles in conducting their dispatch services.
(2) 
Protect bases and drivers. City-licensed taxicab bases providing dispatch services under common corporate ownership or by contract service providers using dispatch devices must all be accountable to the City. In particular, contract dispatch service providers can oftentimes cause taxicab bases or drivers to unintentionally violate City ordinances and rules; and the City's only recourse in these instances is to enforce against local taxicab bases and drivers, who may not have control over or knowledge of violations by contract dispatch service providers. Without the threat of a penalty, contract dispatch service providers have diminished interest in limiting bases' liability, creating a significant accountability gap. Licensing all dispatch service providers closes this gap. Furthermore, contract dispatch service providers based in other jurisdictions who choose to operate in Camden will not be able to "disappear," leaving taxicab bases and drivers with no legal recourse. Licensing creates an official relationship between all dispatch service providers and the City and will ensure they have a stake in keeping drivers and bases in compliance with City ordinances, rules and policies. Knowing that a licensed dispatch service provider has a stake in their compliance with City ordinances, all bases and drivers will be able to use contract dispatch service providers, not just those with the means to negotiate and enforce contracts.
(3) 
Provide uniform standards for passenger protection. All taxicab passengers are entitled to the same protections and notifications, regardless of how their vehicles were dispatched to them. Licensing all dispatch service providers, including those that utilize dispatch devices, ensures they are required to provide the same services that bases are required to provide.
This article shall apply to all owners of taxicabs, bases, and dispatch service providers operating, or to be operated, in the City of Camden as well as all taxicabs, bases and dispatch services to be so operated.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any taxicabs, base owners, dispatch service providers or other person, as defined in § 485-1 of the City Code, to engage in the activity identified and regulated by this article, without first having obtained a license therefor and paid the fee required for such license, both as provided in Chapter 485, Licenses and Business Regulations. Any person engaging in such activity who shall fail to comply with any provision of this article or of this Chapter 758 shall be in violation of the provisions of this article.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any base owner or dispatch service provider to transmit requests for taxicab transportation or dispatches or e-dispatches to any taxicab driver who does not have a valid City of Camden-issued taxicab license.
C. 
For the purposes of avoiding distracted driving, a taxicab driver is permitted to use dispatch device(s) provided that the device(s) is mounted in a fixed position and not hand-held and use of the dispatch device(s) is limited to either voice or one-touch preprogrammed buttons or keys while the vehicle is in motion.
A. 
All taxicabs, base owners and dispatch service providers shall file with the Division of Inspections all contact information made available to or offered to the public for purposes of pre-arranging taxicab service by use of dispatch service, including but not limited to telephone numbers, websites, smartphone applications, websites, and e-mail addresses of its dispatch service providers.
B. 
If the contact information made available to or offered to the public for purposes of taxicab service cannot be used to contact the taxicab, base or dispatch service provider for immediate trip-related customer service, a taxicab, base owner or dispatch service owner must file with the Division of Inspections a working customer service telephone number and/or e-mail address.
C. 
These telephone numbers, websites, smartphone applications, websites, e-mail addresses, and other contact information and methods of dispatch service providers can be used only with the name of the taxicabs, base owners and dispatch service providers or the aforesaid businesses' trade, business or operating name approved under Chapter 485, Licenses and Business Regulations.
All license applications and the administration thereof under this article shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 485, Licenses and Business Regulations that do not conflict with the provisions in this article. Additionally, licensees under this article shall comply with the following:
A. 
Applicants for licenses under this article shall swear (or affirm) that the information in the application is true, under penalty of perjury, to the Bureau of License and Inspections, and that the taxicab, base, dispatch service provider, or contract dispatch service provider, where applicable, will only dispatch to City of Camden-licensed taxicabs that operate in Camden (§ 485-9).
B. 
Applicants for licenses under this article submit with its license application to the Bureau of License and Inspections a list of all its dispatch service providers. The licensee must file with the Bureau of License and Inspections all updates to its list of dispatch service providers within five business days of entering into a new dispatch services agreement or terminating an existing agreement.
C. 
For the purposes of demonstrating to the Bureau of License and inspections how the particular dispatch device functions and can be safely used by taxicab drivers within their taxicabs, licensees shall provide the Bureau of License and Inspections with the current physical dispatch devices integrated to the taxicab, base or dispatch service provider's dispatch program (e.g., My Taxi Ride, Limosys, etc.), and written description of the make, model number, and software version of said dispatch device. Licensees shall provide an undated device to the Bureau of License and Inspections 10 days after Licensee's receipt of same.
D. 
The City and its Bureau of License and Inspections shall take all necessary steps to protect the privacy of individual drivers and passengers and their private information, as defined by state law, and follow all applicable state and federal privacy laws in this regard.
E. 
On a monthly basis, on the last day of each month, licensee shall e-mail to the Bureau of License and Inspections the licensee's receipts for its rental, licensing, or use of the dispatch device.
F. 
Licensee shall ensure that all confirmations of dispatched taxicab pickup to fare via e-dispatch, text, e-mail, or other electronic means, must include the pick-up vehicle's City of Camden taxicab license and license plates numbers.
G. 
Applicants for licenses under this article submit with its license application to the Bureau of License and Inspections its detailed policies and technical means by which other dispatch device users who are not licensed to operate a taxicab in Camden, or who operate personal or other commercial vehicles, will be blocked from receiving dispatch service calls within Camden.
H. 
Licensees shall collect and provide to the Bureau of License and Inspections a list of all City of Camden-licensed taxicabs they provide dispatches to.