For the purpose of this chapter, unless it is plainly evident
from the context that a different meaning is intended, certain terms
used in this chapter are defined as follows:
"Driver"
means and includes every person driving, operating or in
charge of any taxicab within the City.
"Driver's permit"
means a permit issued by the City Manager to any person to
operate or drive a taxicab within the City.
"Owner"
means any person owning a taxicab operated within the City.
For the purposes of this chapter, a person leasing and operating a
taxicab is an owner.
"Taxicab"
means and includes every vehicle for the public transportation
of passengers over the streets of the City, but not over defined routes
and irrespective of whether the operations extend beyond the boundary
limits of the City, and such vehicles routed under the direction of
such passenger or passengers or of such persons hiring the same. "Taxicab"
does not include such vehicles operated by the City or other governmental
agencies or public entities pursuant to an agreement with the City.
(Prior code Art. 660; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
A. Any
owner of a taxicab to be operated within the City shall obtain a permit
from the City Manager.
B. The
application shall be on a form provided by the City Manager.
C. The
application shall be accompanied by a non-refundable permit investigation
fee of $25.00.
(Prior code Art. 661; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
Before any application is acted upon, the City Manager shall
cause an investigation to be made and the City Manager shall not issue
a permit if he or she finds as a result of his or her investigation
that:
A. The
applicant or any person mentioned in the application is not a person
of good moral character;
B. Any
vehicle proposed to be operated is inadequate or insufficient for
the purpose intended or is insufficiently equipped with reasonable
safety devices;
C. The
applicant proposes to engage in the business under a fictitious name
which, in the opinion of the City Manager, imitates or so closely
resembles the fictitious or real name of any person, firm or corporation
already engaged in the same business in the City as may tend to deceive
the public, or the applicant proposes to use upon his or her vehicles
a peculiar or distinguishing color scheme or design which, in the
opinion of the City Manager, imitates or so closely resembles a color
scheme or a design already used upon the vehicles of any other person,
firm, or corporation engaged in the same business that it may tend
to deceive the public.
(Prior code § 6611; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
Before any owner's permit for any public transportation vehicle
is issued, the owner thereof shall file with the City evidence satisfactory
to the City Manager of compliance with
Vehicle Code Section 16500.
(Prior code § 6611; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
No owner's permit shall be sold, transferred, assigned, mortgaged
or otherwise conveyed unless the provisions of this chapter for the
issuance of a new owner's permit have been followed.
(Prior code § 6612; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
An owner of a taxicab must renew the permit required by this
chapter by filing a new application. The permit application fee shall
be $25.00.
(Prior code Art. 662; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
No person shall drive a taxicab upon the streets of the City
and no owner of such vehicle shall permit it to be so driven unless
the driver of such vehicle first obtains and has then in force a driver's
permit issued under the provisions of this chapter. The City Manager,
however, may waive and grant exceptions to this requirement in the
case of a driver who has a current, similar permit issued by another
governmental agency following substantially the same procedure as
this City in the issuance of such permits.
(Prior code Art. 6613; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
Any person, upon payment of a permit investigation fee of $25.00,
may apply for a permit to operate a taxicab by filing with the City
Manager in such form as may be prescribed by the City Manager an application
therefor. The applicant shall also file with his or her application
two recent photographs one and one-half inch by one and one-half inch
in size, one to be filed with his or her application and one to be
permanently attached to his or her driver's permit when issued, which
permit shall be posted in a place conspicuous from the passenger's
compartment of the vehicle while the driver is operating same. An
owner driving his or her own vehicle is exempt from the payment of
this permit investigation fee.
(Prior code Art. 664; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
A. Upon
receipt of the application the City Manager shall conduct an investigation
of each applicant for a driver's permit and on the basis of this investigation,
the City Manager shall approve or reject the application.
B. No driver's
permit shall be issued to any of the following persons:
1. Any
person under the age of 18 years;
2. Any
person who has been convicted of a felony or any offense involving
moral turpitude;
3. Any
person who has been convicted of driving a vehicle recklessly or while
under the influence of intoxicating liquors within a period of three
years prior to the date of application;
4. Any
person who has been convicted of driving a vehicle while under the
influence of narcotics;
5. Any
person not possessing a valid Class III driver's license issued by
the State of California;
6. Any
person possessing either physical or moral deficiencies which, in
the sound discretion of the City Manager, would render such applicant
not a competent person to operate a public transportation vehicle.
(Prior code § 6641; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; prior code Am. No. 75
§ 24, 1970; Ord. 430 §
13, 1978; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
At the time of filing the written application for a driver's
permit, the applicant may apply for a temporary permit. The issuance
of such temporary permit shall be within the discretion of the City
Manager and shall not be issued or valid for a period to exceed 30
days; and if, upon investigation by the City Manager, he or she ascertains
that the applicant for a temporary driver's permit does not qualify
for a permanent driver's permit, he or she shall forthwith revoke
the temporary permit.
(Prior code § 6642; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 304 § 1, 1972; Ord. 587 §
1, 1982)
The City Manager may revoke any driver's permit issued by him
or her or the permission for any driver to operate up-on the streets
of the City any public transportation vehicle where the City Manager
finds any one or more of the following causes to exist:
A. The
driver has been convicted of or has formal charges pending against
him or her in any court for the commission of a felony; reckless driving;
pandering, offering, prostitution; the use, sale, possession or transportation
of narcotics or illicit intoxicating liquors; or for assault or battery;
B. The
driver has committed repeated infractions of traffic laws;
C. The
driver has charged rates in excess of those scheduled and authorized
by the driver's employer;
D. The
driver has within or outside the City driven the transportation vehicle
while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, or any drug or narcotic;
E. The
existence of any state of facts which would have been good reason
to deny issuance of the driver's permit when applied for, regardless
when such state of facts arose;
F. The
driver's conduct indicates he or she is not a fit and proper person
to hold such driver's permit;
G. Protection
of the public peace, health, safety or morals requires such revocation.
(Prior code § 6643; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; prior code Am. No. 75
§ 24, 1970; Ord. 587 §
1, 1982)
Every taxicab so licensed shall have attached thereto at a location
upon the vehicle and in a manner approved by the City Manager a sticker
or decal issued by the administrative Services Director. This sticker
or decal must remain on the vehicle at all times and shall not be
transferable.
(Prior code § 6644; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982; Ord. 2003-998 §
24; Ord. 2012-1133 § 33)
A. All
taxicabs operating within the City, whether operating under an owner's
permit issued by the City or a comparable permit issued by another
jurisdiction, shall adhere to the following regulations.
B. Direct
Route to Destination. Any driver employed to transport passengers
to a definite point shall take the most direct route possible that
will carry the passenger to his or her destination.
(Prior code § 6643; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; prior code Am. No. 75
§ 24, 1970; Ord. 587 §
1, 1982)
Every taxicab shall have painted on the door of the cab the
name of the owner or the fictitious name under which the owner operates
together with the company's telephone number. The name and telephone
number may be printed upon the rear of such vehicle if the owner so
desires. All of the lettering mentioned in this section shall be of
not less than two and one-fourth inches in height.
(Prior code Art. 668; Ord.
298 § 1, 1972; Ord. 587 § 1, 1982)
Every owner shall pay an annual business license tax of $150.00
for each vehicle being operated in the City.
(Prior code § 6631; prior code
Am. No. 22 § 1, 1965; Ord. 587 §1, 1982)