For the purpose of this chapter unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:
"Automobile for hire or vehicle for hire"
shall mean every automobile or motor-propelled vehicle of private appearance, not equipped with a taximeter, used for the transportation of passengers over the public streets of the City and not over a defined route, irrespective of whether such operations extend beyond the boundary limits of the City, at rates per mile, per trip, per hour, per day, per week, or per month and which vehicle is routed under the direction of a passenger or of the person hiring the same.
"Driver"
shall mean and include every person in charge of, driving, or operating any automobile for hire, vehicle for hire, sight-seeing automobile or taxicab, either as agent, employee, or otherwise.
"Sight-seeing automobile"
shall mean every automobile or motor-propelled vehicle used for the transportation of passengers over the public streets of the City and not necessarily over a defined route, irrespective of whether such operations extend beyond the boundary limits of the City, for the purpose of sightseeing or showing points of interest and charging a fee or compensation therefor.
"Street stand"
shall mean a portion of a street designated by either the Council or the Traffic Commissioner for the use of any passenger-carrying or motor-propelled vehicle while awaiting employment.
"Taxicab"
shall mean every automobile or motor-propelled vehicle of a distinctive color and/or the driver's seat separated from the passenger's compartment by a glass partition, and/or of public appearance, such as is in common usage for taxicabs, and/or equipped with a taximeter, used for the transportation of passengers for hire over the public streets of the City and not over a defined route, irrespective of whether the operations extend beyond the boundary limits of the City, at rates for distance traveled, or for waiting time, or for both, and which vehicle is routed under the direction of a passenger or of the person hiring the same.
"Taximeter"
shall mean a mechanical instrument or device by which the charge for hire of a passenger-carrying vehicle is mechanically calculated, either for distance traveled, or for waiting time, or for both, and upon which such charge is indicated by means of figures.
(Ord. 32, § 1)
It is unlawful for any person to engage in, commence, or operate the business or activity of operating or causing to be operated any of the vehicles defined in Section 4-3.01 of this chapter without having first obtained a permit in writing so to do as provided in this chapter.
(Ord. 32, § 3a)
Applications for the permits required by the provisions of this chapter shall be filed in writing with the Council and shall contain such information as may be required by the City Manager pertaining to the operation of, and the extent, character, and quality of, the service of taxicabs, automobiles for hire, and sightseeing automobiles. No permit shall be issued to any person until the Council finds that the public convenience and necessity will be served by the issuance thereof. The annual fee for such permit shall be $50.
(Ord. 32, § 3b)
The Council, in determining whether or not the public convenience and necessity exist when an application for the permit required by the provisions of this chapter is filed, may take into consideration any and all facts and conditions which it may deem pertinent and/or proper, including, but not limited to, a consideration of:
(a) 
The financial responsibility of the applicant;
(b) 
The effect of the granting of the permit applied for on the businesses and operations of the prior permittees operating pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; and
(c) 
Whether or not such prior permittees then operating are:
(1) 
Under efficient management and earning a fair and reasonable return on their capital devoted to such service; and
(2) 
Under normal conditions adequately serving the public.
(Ord. 32, § 2)
No permit required by the provisions of this chapter shall be issued to any person until a standard, distinctive, and uniform color scheme, name, monogram, or insignia has been adopted by the applicant and approved by the Council which identification designates the owner of the vehicles regulated by this chapter.
No permit shall be issued to any person whose color scheme, name, monogram, or insignia shall be in conflict with, or imitate, any color scheme, monogram, name, or insignia used by another business operating in the City in such a manner as to be misleading or tend to deceive or defraud the public.
(Ord. 32, §§ 3c, 3d)
The Council shall have the power to grant or deny any or all permits required by the provisions of this chapter (the granting or withholding of which is reserved to the Council) when, in the exercise of reasonable discretion, the Council shall have determined that the applicant has or has not complied with all the provisions of this chapter relating to the granting of such permits.
(Ord. 32, § 15a)
The permit required by the provisions of this chapter shall entitle the holder thereof to obtain a license from the City Clerk to engage in the business described in the permit upon the payment of the license fee therefor, and the City Clerk shall issue to the holder of such permit a license setting forth the kind of transportation for which such license is issued and the year when issued. Such permit shall be filed with the City Clerk.
(Ord. 32, § 3e)
(a) 
From the time of the revocation, or during the suspension, of any permit required by the provisions of this chapter, it is unlawful for any person whose permit is suspended or revoked to drive, operate, or be in charge of any vehicle regulated by the provisions of this chapter, or to cause or permit the vehicle for which the permit has been suspended or revoked to engage in any business regulated by the provisions of this chapter, or to allow any such vehicle to stand while awaiting employment at a location designated in such suspended or revoked permit or at any other location within the City until a new permit has been secured or until the period of suspension shall have expired.
(b) 
The Council may suspend any of the permits required by the provisions of this chapter when the permittee:
(1) 
Has not complied with the provisions of this chapter;
(2) 
Shall have been arrested for, or convicted of, the commission of a felony;
(3) 
Shall have been arrested for, or convicted of, reckless driving, pandering, the use, sale, possession, or furnishing of information regarding, or the transportation of narcotics or intoxicating liquors, or assault or battery;
(4) 
Shall have charged rates other than those which the permittee has on file with the Council; or
(5) 
Shall have violated any of the rules and regulations of the Council or Traffic Commissioner pertaining to the operation of, and the intent, character, and quality of the services of, the vehicles regulated by the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 32, §§ 15b, 15c)
The permits issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be nontransferable; provided, however, the Council, in the event of the death of a permittee, may consent in such case only to the transfer of his or her permit to the lawful heirs or successors of the permittee.
(Ord. 32, § 15d)
Before a permit shall be issued for any vehicle regulated by the provisions of this chapter, the owner shall file with the City Clerk and thereafter keep in full force and effect a policy of insurance, in such form as may be approved by the City Attorney, insuring the public against any loss or damage which may result to any person or property from the operation of such vehicle. The minimum amount of recovery specified in such policy of insurance shall not be less than the following:
(a) 
For injuries to any one person or the death of any one person in any one accident or occurrence, $100,000;
(b) 
For injuries to two or more persons or the death of two or more persons in any one accident or occurrence, $300,000; and
(c) 
For injuries to, or the destruction of, property in any one accident or occurrence, $50,000.
Every such insurance policy shall contain a provision for a continuing liability thereunder up to the full amount of the penalty thereof, notwithstanding any recovery thereon. It is unlawful for any owner to operate, or cause to be operated, any vehicle without having a policy as required by this section in full force and effect at all times during the operation of such vehicle.
(Ord. 32, § 4; Ord. 40, § 1)
No vehicle regulated by the provisions of this chapter for which a permit shall have been issued shall be operated by anyone but the owner thereof or an employee of the owner. It is unlawful for the owner and any driver of any such vehicle to enter into a contract, agreement, or understanding between themselves by the terms of which such driver pays to or for the account of such owner a fixed or determinable sum for the use of such vehicle.
(Ord. 32, § 5)
(a) 
Permits: Required. Permits may be issued, as provided by this chapter, by the Council to the owners of vehicles to allow such vehicles, while awaiting employment, to stand at certain designated places upon the streets of the City. No stand shall be established at any place where the standing of vehicles is prohibited by law.
(b) 
Permits: Applications. No such permit shall be granted except upon the written application of the person desiring such stand. Such application shall be filed with the Council and shall set forth the number and kind of vehicle for which the permit is sought and the proposed location of such stand.
(c) 
Vehicles to Use Assigned Stands. It is unlawful for the owner or driver of any vehicle regulated by the provisions of this chapter to stand, cause, or permit such vehicle to stand while awaiting employment at any place other than at a stand designated by the Council or Traffic Commissioner and assigned to the owner of such vehicle.
(d) 
Time Limits for Standing. It is unlawful for the owner or driver of any vehicle regulated by the provisions of this chapter to leave such vehicle unattended in a stand for a period of time longer than three minutes. All stands may be occupied for the full period of 24 hours.
(Ord. 32, § 8)
It is unlawful for any vehicle regulated by the provisions of this chapter to be operated from any place except from a stand granted by the Council in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or from a private or public garage or parking space on private property.
(Ord. 32, § 6)
It is unlawful for the owner, driver, or operator of a vehicle operating under one classification, as set forth in Section 4-3.01 of this chapter, to transfer such vehicle to, or use such vehicle in, another such classification unless and until the public convenience and necessity shall have been established so to do as set forth in this chapter.
(Ord. 32, § 7)
(a) 
Inside Identification. Every taxicab and vehicle for hire used for carrying passengers for hire shall display in the rear of the passenger's compartment and in full view of the passenger a card not less than two inches by four inches which shall have printed thereon the name of the owner, or the corporate or fictitious name under which the owner operates, and the business address and telephone number of such owner, together with the rates charged for such vehicle.
(b) 
Outside Identification. Every taxicab and vehicle for hire shall have conspicuously displayed thereon at one or more locations on the outside the name of the owner, or the corporate or fictitious name under which the owner operates, the telephone number of the company, and the taxicab or vehicle number.
(c) 
Vacant Signs. Every taxicab and vehicle for hire may display an electrically-lighted "vacant" sign attached to the top of such taxicab or vehicle.
(d) 
Other Signs Prohibited. It is unlawful to display any sign other than as provided in this section on any taxicab or vehicle for hire without first obtaining the written permission of the Council so to do.
(Ord. 32, § 9)
(a) 
Design: Accuracy. Unless the owner or operator is permitted in writing by the Council to post a schedule of fares in lieu of a taximeter, it is unlawful for any owner operating any taxicab or vehicle for hire pursuant to the provisions of this chapter to operate any such vehicle unless it is equipped with a taximeter of such type and design as may be approved by the Council. It shall be the duty of every owner using any taximeter at all times to keep such meter accurate, and the meter shall be subject to inspection from time to time. The City Manager, or any inspector of the Council or peace officer, is authorized to investigate such taximeter upon the complaint of any person. Upon the discovery of an inaccuracy of the taximeter, the City Manager shall remove, or cause to be removed, any such vehicle equipped with such taximeter from the streets of the City until the taximeter shall have been correctly adjusted.
(b) 
Placement. All taxicabs and vehicles for hire required to have taximeters shall base their charges on the taximeters. All taximeters shall be placed so that the reading dial showing the amount to be charged shall be well lighted and readily discernible by the passenger riding in the vehicle.
(c) 
Position of Flag. It is unlawful for any driver of a taxicab or vehicle for hire, while carrying passengers, to display the flag attached to the taximeter in such a position as to denote that such taxicab or vehicle is not employed, or to throw the flag of the taximeter in a recording position when such taxicab or vehicle is not actually employed, or to fail to throw the flag of such taximeter in a nonrecording position at the termination of each and every service.
(Ord. 32, § 10)
Any driver employed to carry passengers to a definite point shall take the most direct route possible that will carry the passengers safely, lawfully, and expeditiously to their destination.
(Ord. 32, § 11)
When a taxicab or vehicle for hire is engaged, the occupants shall have the exclusive right to the full and free use of the passenger compartment, and it is unlawful for the owner or driver of a taxicab to solicit or carry additional passengers therein unless required by the original passenger.
(Ord. 32, § 11)
It is unlawful for any person to refuse to pay the legal fare for any vehicle regulated by the provisions of this chapter after having hired such vehicle. Any person who shall hire any vehicle with the intent to defraud the person from whom it is hired shall be in violation of the provisions of this chapter and shall be punishable as set forth in Chapter 2 of Title 1 of this Code.
(Ord. 32, § 12)
It is unlawful for the operator of any taxicab or vehicle for hire to refuse to give a receipt to any passenger making payment upon receiving full payment for a fare as indicated by the taximeter or schedule of fees when so requested by such passenger.
(Ord. 32, § 14)
It is unlawful for any owner, driver, or agent soliciting patronage for any of the vehicles regulated by the provisions of this chapter to misrepresent by word, sign, hatband, insignia, or badge the true identity of the vehicle for which such patronage is sought.
(Ord. 32, § 13)
The Council shall have the authority to adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the service and safety of the operation of the vehicles regulated by the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 32, § 16)