It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate, or cause to be driven or operated, any limousine or taxicab upon or over any street or alley within the corporate limits of the city unless a taxicab license shall have been applied for and issued in accordance with the rules and regulations contained in this article.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-54; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.045)
Each application for a taxicab license shall be made in writing upon blanks to be furnished by the city, and shall be made by the owner or person in charge of the limousine or taxicab sought to be licensed. This application shall state the name of the owner or of the person by whom such license is desired and the names of persons financially interested, their street addresses, the type of motor vehicle to be used under the license, the factory number or motor number of such car, its seating capacity according to its trade rating, the name of any mortgagees or lienholders thereon, and such other relevant information as may be deemed advisable and necessary by the taxicab committee. Such application shall be subscribed and sworn to by the applicant, and, if the applicant be a corporation, then the application shall be made and executed by a duly authorized officer thereof, and shall state whether it is a foreign or domestic corporation, its address and principal place of business, the true names of all its officers and their correct residence and business addresses, and its correct corporation name under which it shall operate. If the applicant be a firm, association, partnership or society, such application shall be made by the trade name under which the limousine or taxicab will be operated, and shall state the names and correct addresses of all the partners, associates or members thereof. The application shall state the number of limousines or taxicabs that will be operated by the limousine or taxicab licensee and the license shall be limited to that number.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-55; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.046)
(a) 
The issuance of a taxicab license shall not be authorized by the taxicab committee, but authorization of such licenses shall rest solely in the discretion of the city council. No such license shall be authorized by the city council until notice and public hearing shall be held upon such application, the notice to be given by one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city at least five days before such hearing, and the expense of the publication of such notice shall be borne by the person making application for such license, the publication fee being payable in advance. The notice provided for herein shall notify all interested parties to appear at the next regular meeting of the city council to show cause why such taxicab license should not be issued. No taxicab license shall be issued at any meeting of the city council except a regular meeting.
(b) 
Before the city council shall give authority to issue any license for the operation of any limousine or taxicab, it shall first find and declare by resolution to the effect that a public convenience and necessity requires that the application be granted, and, in determining whether such public convenience and necessity exists, the city council shall take into consideration the number of taxicab licenses then in existence, the demand for the service of taxicabs, the increased traffic congestion likely to be caused upon the streets of the city, the safety of the streets of the city and such other relevant facts as may be deemed pertinent.
(c) 
If, in the opinion of the city council, the public convenience and necessity does not exist, or, although [if] there is a finding of such other relevant facts which require that the license be refused, then such application shall be denied; otherwise, the application shall be granted and the license issued forthwith.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-56; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.047)
It shall be the duty of every owner or operator of a limousine or taxicab licensed under this article and operated within the city to pay all ad valorem taxes assessed by the city against such vehicle owned or operated and all other equipment used in connection with such business, and a failure to pay such taxes upon demand after they become due shall be grounds for refusing a taxicab license or taxicab driver’s license under this article, and a failure to pay such taxes before they become delinquent shall operate as an automatic revocation of such license issued under this article.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-25; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.004)
At the time of the issuance of the taxicab license, the applicant therefor shall pay to the city secretary the sum set forth in the fee schedule; provided that, if such license is granted for less than the full year, the licensee shall pay to the city secretary an amount prorated according to the number of months for which the license is issued.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-57; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.048; Ordinance adopting Code)
The owner or holder of any taxicab license under this article who desires to have the same renewed after its term has expired shall file a written application for such renewal with the city secretary not less than 30 days prior to the expiration date of such license. Such application for renewal shall contain the same information required in section 4.07.072 and in addition thereto shall be accompanied by the receipt from the tax collector of the city showing that all ad valorem taxes assessed by the city against such limousine or taxicab and all equipment used in connection with such business have been paid.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-58; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.049)
Each taxicab license holder under this article shall file with the city secretary a statement in writing, under oath, signed by him, showing the make, model, motor number and state license number of each limousine or taxicab and the permanent license number assigned to each limousine and taxicab as provided in section 4.07.008 of this article. For each license granted for the operation of a limousine or taxicab in the city, such licensee shall furnish such information to the city secretary regarding each vehicle to be so operated under each license, and shall pay to the city secretary the fee prescribed in this article.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-59; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.050)
The inspector of taxicabs shall be appointed by the city manager and shall have the following duties:
(1) 
It shall be the duty of every owner to have every limousine or taxicab licensed hereunder inspected every six months by the inspector of taxicabs, who shall inspect each limousine and taxicab as to condition of lights, brakes, steering units, and general mechanical condition, and the inspector of taxicabs shall issue his certificate certifying that such vehicle has been tested showing the date thereof and the description of the vehicle and that the same is in good mechanical condition, and the certificate shall be filed with the city secretary.
(2) 
The inspector of taxicabs shall also attach a paper seal on the left side of the vehicle windshield above the state inspection sticker, and the seal shall state the date the vehicle was inspected and that the vehicle was approved by him. An inspection fee as set forth in the fee schedule shall be charged for the inspection of each vehicle. No limousine or taxicab shall be operated in the city without the approval seal of the inspector of taxicabs being attached thereto. If the inspector of taxicabs finds that the limousine or taxicab is in a defective condition, it is unsafe to be used as a limousine or taxicab until the defect is remedied. After the owner of the vehicle has remedied the defect, he shall again offer same for inspection, and if the inspector of taxicabs shall find the vehicle to be safe for public use he shall approve the vehicle as hereinbefore provided. If the vehicle is still in a defective condition, he shall order the same not to be used until it passes the inspection of the inspector. No additional fee for the inspection shall be charged. No limousine or taxicab found to be unsafe by the inspector of taxicabs shall be operated over the streets of the city. Nothing herein, however, shall prevent the inspector of taxicabs from inspecting any limousine or taxicab at any reasonable time that he sees fit, and upon finding it to be in a defective condition he shall order its use as a limousine or taxicab discontinued until same is approved. A complete record shall be kept by the inspector of all inspections made. Should the inspector of taxicabs find any limousine or taxicab in a defective condition and shall order its use as a limousine or taxicab discontinued, the owner of such limousine or taxicab shall have the right to appeal to the city council as hereinafter provided.
(3) 
The inspector of taxicabs shall also make regular inspections as to the cleanliness of limousine and taxicab drivers as provided in section 4.07.012.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-60; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; Ordinance 398 adopted 9/17/1991; 1995 Code, sec. 119.051; Ordinance adopting Code)
The taxicab committee shall have the right, power and authority to revoke or suspend any taxicab license issued under this article when, in its judgment, facts are found to exist which justify such revocation or suspension, and when revoking or suspending any taxicab license it shall bear in mind any reported violation of this article or any other provision of this code or ordinance of the city and the safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the city and shall consider the character and reputation of the owner or holder of such license, and in this connection shall have authority to investigate the record of all courts of this state, or of any other state, or of the United States, and of any city or town within the state or elsewhere. If the taxicab committee, after due consideration, revokes or suspends any taxicab license, the owner or holder of such license shall have the right to appeal to the city council by filing written notice with the city secretary within two days after such revocation or suspension. However, such appeal shall not supersede the revocation or suspension and the owner or holder of such license shall not operate or drive a limousine or taxicab in the city until the city council has reversed or modified the decision of the taxicab committee in such a way as to permit such operation. Within 30 days after the giving of notice of such appeal, the city council shall accord such appellant a hearing and shall have the power to reverse, affirm or modify the decision of the taxicab committee.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-61; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.052)
If any owner of any limousine or taxicab shall fail to operate such limousine or taxicab for a period of 30 consecutive days, except on the account of public calamity or act of God over which the licensee or owner has no control, the licenses issued under this article shall thereby become automatically revoked without notice and without further action on the part of the city.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-26; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.005)
The taxicab license issued under this article shall be considered as personal to the holder and shall not be transferable under any circumstances.
(1972 Code, sec. 25-65; Ordinance 318 adopted 2/1/1983; 1995 Code, sec. 119.056)