As used in this chapter:
"City Collector"
means the person appointed by the City Manager pursuant to City Charter Section 75.
"Driver"
means every person in charge or control of any vehicle for hire as the driver thereof.
"Owner"
means every person owning or controlling any vehicle for hire.
"Police Chief"
means the head of the Police Department as provided for by Napa Municipal Code 2.60.010, or designee of the Police Chief or City Manager.
"Public convenience"
means a public need that exists for a service which, if provided to the public, will not present a potentially adverse impact to the public health, safety or welfare.
"Taximeter"
means an instrument or device attached to a public passenger vehicle for hire by means of which instrument or device the charge authorized for hire of such vehicle is mechanically calculated either on a basis of distance traveled or for waiting time, or a combination thereof, which charge shall be indicated upon such taximeter by means of figures in dollars and cents; and every taximeter shall be installed in such a manner as to permit the passenger to see the amount of the fare as the same is registered.
"Vehicle for hire"
means a vehicle or device, either motorized, pedal/human powered, or drawn by a horse or stock animal, operated for hire in the transportation of a person or persons over public property owned, operated or maintained by the city, including the public streets or public rights-of-way (and including city parks, paths, trails and sidewalks) at a rate per mile or for waiting time or a combination thereof, or for monetary consideration of any sort, including gratuities or any mutual trade of the performance of some service or thing (including any combination of money, goods, property or services). A vehicle for hire shall include any such vehicle or device operating not over a defined route but as to route and destination in accordance with and under the direction of the person or persons hiring such vehicle or device, irrespective of whether such operation extends beyond the corporate limits of the city; said definition, however, shall not include ambulances.
(O2010 21, 12/7/10)
It is unlawful for any owner or driver to operate and for any owner to permit the operation of any vehicle for hire in the city unless both the owner and driver of said vehicle shall have obtained a written permit to do so as herein provided and have paid any license fee required by Section 5.04.370 of this title.
(O3014)
Application for a vehicle for hire permit shall be made to the City Collector and shall contain the following information with respect to the applicant:
A. 
A statement of whether he or she is the owner or driver, or both, of a vehicle(s) for hire;
B. 
His or her name, address, age and whether he or she is a citizen;
C. 
His or her past experience in operating motor vehicles and names and addresses of his or her employers during the preceding three years;
D. 
The number and type of existing driving licenses issued to him or her by the State Department of Motor Vehicles;
E. 
Whether or not a license, issued to him or her by said department, or any other governmental agency, has ever been revoked;
F. 
A list of all crimes of which he or she has been convicted other than minor traffic violations;
G. 
If applicant is a driver, then the name and address of the owner or owners by whom he or she will be employed; and if the applicant is an owner, then the name and address of all drivers whom he or she employs within the city;
H. 
Number, kind, type and condition of vehicles to be operated;
I. 
Location of off-street parking stands;
J. 
The financial responsibility of the applicant, including possession of insurance policies, certifications, endorsements and other documentation demonstrating that the applicant has resources sufficient to be able to provide the proposed service in a manner in compliance with the requirements of this chapter;
K. 
Any additional information which may be required for the City Collector to evaluate the applicant's ability to comply with the requirements of this chapter.
(O2010 21, 12/7/10)
Applicable application and fingerprinting fees shall be paid by each applicant at the time of submitting an application for a permit under this chapter.
(O3014)
All applicants shall be fingerprinted by the Police Department and shall furnish with their application two recent photographs, size one and one-half inches by one and one-half inches, one to be filed with the application and one to be securely attached to the permit if applicant qualifies for the issuance thereof.
(O3014)
The City Collector shall set the vehicle for hire "owner" and "driver" applications for hearing before the Police Chief, and shall give five days' written notice of said hearing to all existing licensed vehicle for hire businesses in this city. The Police Chief shall hear such application and all interested parties, and, if in his or her determination, public convenience would be served by granting the permit to such applicant, the Police Chief may grant such a permit. The Police Chief may impose reasonable conditions on the permit, to the extent not in conflict with state or federal law, including but not limited to: permissible routes and areas of operation, safety requirements for vehicle operation, equipment and condition of vehicles, vehicle signage, and requirements regarding the loading and unloading of passengers. Upon the granting of such permit applicant shall pay all license fees required by Chapter 5.04 of this title and conform to all the regulations of this Code and laws relative to the operations of vehicles for hire in this city. If a permit is granted the applicant, the Police Chief shall issue a nontransferable permit upon such form as he or she may prescribe. Said permit will also enable the "owner" to be a "driver" of said vehicles.
(O2010 21, 12/7/10)
A. 
A permit may be denied any "driver" applicant on the following grounds:
1. 
If a driver is under the age of 21 years;
2. 
If the applicant has been convicted of a felony;
3. 
If the applicant has been convicted of either driving a vehicle upon the highway while under the influence of intoxicating liquors or narcotic drugs, or reckless driving, or is otherwise unfit to operate a vehicle for hire, either as an owner or as a driver;
4. 
That the required findings cannot be made;
5. 
If the applicant has failed to provide sufficient evidence, to the satisfaction of the Police Chief, that public convenience would be served by granting the permit.
B. 
A permit may be denied any "owner" applicant on the following grounds:
1. 
If the applicant has been convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of an offense involving lewd conduct; or an offense involving the use of force and violence upon the person of another, or a crime requiring regulation under Section 290 of the State Penal Code, or of any violation of Sections 311 through 311.7, 314, 315, 316, 318 or 647(a), (b) or (d) of the State Penal Code;
2. 
If the applicant has knowingly and with intent to deceive made any false, misleading or fraudulent statement of facts in the permit application or in any other document required by the city in conjunction therewith;
3. 
If the applicant has been convicted of either driving a vehicle upon the highway while under the influence of intoxicating liquors or narcotic drugs, or reckless driving, or is otherwise unfit to operate a vehicle for hire, either as an owner or as a driver;
4. 
If the required findings cannot be made;
5. 
If the applicant has failed to provide sufficient evidence, to the satisfaction of the Police Chief, that public convenience would not be served by granting the permit.
(O2010 21, 12/7/10)
A. 
Any written determination made by the Police Chief pursuant to this section shall be final unless appealed pursuant to the requirements of this section. Failure to file a timely appeal pursuant to this section constitutes a waiver of the appeal and a failure to exhaust administrative remedies.
B. 
Any interested person may appeal the decision of the Police Chief under this chapter by filing a request for an administrative hearing within 10 days of the issuance of the Police Chief's determination, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 1.26.
(O2010 21, 12/7/10)
When a driver has obtained a permit, the driver must carry it upon his or her person at all times while he or she is driving a vehicle for hire in the city.
(O3014)
If the holder of a permit is an owner, he or she shall notify the Police Chief in writing of all changes in the personnel of his or her drivers; and if such holder is a driver, he or she shall notify the Police Chief in writing, of any changes of the owner for whom he or she is driving. Failure to comply with this requirement within two days of such change shall constitute an additional ground for revocation of a permit.
(O3014)
Pending investigation and issuance of a permit for the engaging in the business of operating motor vehicles for hire and the employment of persons to operate the same, the Police Chief is authorized and delegated to issue a temporary 30-day permit for the operation of such business and the employment of drivers.
(O3014)
A. 
Every owner of a vehicle used in the transportation of passengers for hire, including vehicles for hire, shall maintain an automobile public liability insurance policy issued by an insurance company authorized/admitted to do business in California with minimum limits of $1,000,000.00 single limit for bodily injury and property damage naming the City of Napa as an additional insured. Every such policy of insurance shall continue to the full amount thereof, notwithstanding any recovery thereon, and the liability of the insurer shall not be affected by the insolvency or bankruptcy of the insured.
B. 
The insurance policy required hereunder shall extend for the period to be covered by the license applied for and the insurer shall be obliged to give not less than 30 days' written notice, to the Finance Department and to the insured, before any cancellation or termination thereof earlier than its expiration date. The expiration, cancellation or other termination of any such policy shall automatically revoke and terminate the vehicle for hire permit covered by such policy, unless another insurance policy complying with the provisions of this section is provided and in effect at the time of such expiration, cancellation or termination.
(O2010 21, 12/7/10)