(a) Upon
presentation of the certificate within 30 days of its date and satisfactory
evidence that all rent fees have been paid to the city and that such
other fees and taxes, including ad valorem taxes, as may be required
by law, have been fully paid, the mayor, under the attest of the city
secretary, shall issue to the applicant a license for each and every
vehicle specified in such certificate, provided, however, that any
certificate issued under this article shall be effective until cancelled,
and no additional certificate or certificates shall be required for
the purpose of obtaining a license so long as the original certificate
remains in effect and the applicant strictly complies with all the
requirements and provisions of this article, and provided further
that such owner or operator of a public vehicle for hire shall be
strictly limited to the character and type of operation as evidenced
by such application and as specified in such certificate and license.
(b) No
license for the operation of a public vehicle shall be issued, nor
shall any public vehicle be operated within the city, unless and until
the city council has issued a certificate under the terms and provisions
of this section that public convenience and necessity requires the
operation thereof.
[Code 1984, ch. 4, § 1(G)]
The city council shall from time to time cause to be made an
inspection of public vehicles, and if any vehicle shall be found unfit
or unsafe for operation, notice shall be given to the holder of the
certificate and license thereof, and such vehicle shall not be operated
thereafter until such vehicle has been put in a safe and fit condition.
[Code 1984, ch. 4, § 1(H)]
It shall be unlawful for any public vehicle to stand, waiting
employment upon any public street or public property within the corporate
limits of the city, but it must stand and remain, except while in
the immediate act of discharging or taking on passengers, upon and
within private depots and grounds upon private premises.
[Code 1984, ch. 4, § 1(I)]
No owner, employee or other person in behalf of the owner or
operator of any public vehicle shall solicit by word, signal or otherwise,
patronage for such public vehicle on any public street or public property
or sidewalks of the city and public vehicles are prohibited from cruising,
seeking employment or in any manner soliciting by word, signal or
otherwise, patronage for such vehicles while in operation or in use
upon any public street or public property.
[Code 1984, ch. 4, § 1(J)]
No person shall use the term, "taxi" or "taxicab" or "for hire
automobile" or "for hire car" or "auto rental" or in any way advertise
or hold themselves out as a taxicab or for hire automobile company
or operator or represent themselves to be such by means of advertisements,
signs, trade names or otherwise unless they have previously thereto
complied with the conditions, regulations and restrictions prescribed
by this article.
[Code 1984, ch. 4, § 1(K)]
The owner or operator of public vehicles shall keep a daily
record of the transportation or trips of each vehicle, and such record
shall show in detail the hour and place of departure and return of
each trip, its destination and the name of the operator of the vehicle.
[Code 1984, ch. 4, § 1(L)]