No person may cause or permit a motor vehicle to be operated as a taxicab except under a vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab. No person may cause or permit a motor vehicle to be operated as a limousine except under a vehicle for hire permit for a limousine.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
In addition to the information required in an application for a vehicle for hire permit under KCC § 5.40.010, an application for a vehicle for hire permit:
(a) 
For a taxicab shall include proof that the vehicle that is to be used as a taxicab is registered with the state of Alaska as a taxicab, and a copy of the tariff approved by the council under which the applicant will operate the taxicab.
(b) 
For a limousine shall include proof that the vehicle that is to be used as a limousine is registered with the state of Alaska for the transportation of passengers for hire.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
(a) 
If the city clerk finds that an application for a vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab is complete, and meets all of the requirements in this chapter for the issuance of a permit except that the permit would be in excess of the number of permits for taxicabs authorized at that time, the city clerk shall refer the application to the city council for review under KCC § 5.40.115(b).
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
(a) 
No more than 26 vehicle for hire permits for taxicabs, including permits that are suspended under KCC § 5.40.045 or § 5.40.135, may be in effect at any time. The city council may increase or decrease the maximum number of vehicle for hire permits for taxicabs if it finds that the public convenience and necessity so require; provided, that no decrease in the maximum number of permits for taxicabs shall have the effect of revoking or preventing the renewal of any existing permit.
(b) 
In addition to changing the maximum number of vehicle for hire permits for taxicabs under subsection (a) of this section, the council may increase the maximum number of such permits in response to an application for an additional taxicab permit. If the council finds probable cause to believe that the public convenience and necessity require the increase, the council shall hold a public hearing on the application. At the hearing, the applicant has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the public convenience and necessity require an increase in the maximum number of vehicle for hire permits for taxicabs. If the council determines that the public convenience and necessity require the increase, it shall direct the issuance of an additional vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab.
(c) 
If a vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab expires under KCC § 5.40.020(b) and is not renewed, or is revoked under KCC § 5.40.045, the council shall determine whether to reduce the number of authorized vehicle for hire permits for taxicabs. If the council does not reduce the number of authorized vehicle for hire permits for taxicabs, the city clerk shall publish and post notice to the public soliciting applications for a taxicab permit to replace the expired or revoked permit. Applications shall be submitted to the city clerk in the form, and with the information, required in KCC § 5.40.010 and § 5.40.105. If qualified applicants submit more applications meeting the requirements of KCC § 5.40.010 and § 5.40.105 than the number of available permits, the city clerk shall determine by lot which applicants will receive the available permits. The permittee under a vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab that expires under KCC § 5.40.020(b) and is not renewed, or that is revoked under KCC § 5.40.045, may not apply for another permit for a period of one year after the date of the expiration or revocation.
(d) 
No person may hold at any one time a direct or indirect interest in more than one-third, increased to the nearest whole number, of all vehicle for hire permits for taxicabs that then are authorized. A person holds an indirect interest in a permit if the permit is held by the person's spouse, parent, brother, sister, or child, or an entity of which the person is a partner, member or shareholder.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
In addition to the requirements of KCC § 5.40.025, a motor vehicle used as a taxicab shall:
(a) 
Have an illuminated toplight structure permanently affixed to the roof of the motor vehicle, which shall display the permit number assigned to the motor vehicle in readable letters which are not less than two nor more than 12 inches high.
(b) 
Display at a location in its interior that is visible to the passenger a legible notice or placard setting forth the fares charged to passengers.
(c) 
Display at a location in its interior that is visible to the passenger the identification and photograph for the chauffeur who is operating the vehicle.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
In addition to the responsibilities of a permittee under KCC § 5.40.040:
(a) 
A taxicab or limousine permittee shall be responsible for determining that each person who operates the vehicle for hire has a valid current chauffeur's license issued under this chapter.
(b) 
A taxicab permittee shall be responsible for retaining for a period of not less than two years after the end of each shift of a chauffeur operating the taxicab the trip sheet that the chauffeur is required to complete under KCC § 5.40.330(b), and making all such records available for inspection by an employee authorized by the city manager during reasonable business hours.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
(a) 
Transfer of vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab.
(1) 
A permittee may not transfer the vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab, or any right to operate a motor vehicle as a taxicab under the permit, without the prior written approval of the city clerk. A transfer of any interest in a corporation or other business entity that results in a change in the control of the entity constitutes a transfer of any vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab held by the entity.
(2) 
A transferee of a vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab shall apply for approval of the transfer of the permit by submitting to the city clerk all of the information required in an original application for a taxicab permit under KCC § 5.40.010 and § 5.40.105. The city clerk shall approve the transfer of a taxicab permit only after finding that the transfer application is complete and meets all of the requirements in this chapter for the issuance of a vehicle for hire permit for a taxicab to the transferee. The city clerk shall notify the applicant of the denial of an application, and the applicant may appeal the denial, in the manner provided for the denial of a permit in KCC § 5.40.015(b).
(b) 
A vehicle for hire permit for a limousine is not transferable. If the permittee transfers its interest in the motor vehicle that is the subject of a vehicle for hire permit for a limousine, the permit expires.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
(a) 
The permittee may elect to suspend operation of a motor vehicle as a taxicab by giving the city clerk written notice of the election and surrendering to the city clerk the vehicle for hire permit for the taxicab.
(b) 
While a suspension of a vehicle for hire permit under this section is in effect:
(1) 
The permittee may not operate the motor vehicle for which the vehicle for hire permit was issued as either a taxicab or any other type of vehicle for hire.
(2) 
The vehicle for hire permit remains subject to the provisions for permit expiration and renewal in KCC § 5.40.020.
(3) 
Except as provided in this section, the motor vehicle for which the vehicle for hire permit was issued is not subject to the requirements of this chapter.
(c) 
The permittee may elect to terminate a permit suspension under this section and recover the suspended permit, by giving the city clerk written notice of the election, and demonstrating to the satisfaction of the city clerk that the motor vehicle for which the permit was issued meets all of the requirements for a taxicab in this chapter. The city clerk may require an inspection of the motor vehicle under KCC § 5.40.035 for this purpose.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
A permittee shall notify the city clerk immediately upon the loss, destruction, substantial damage, or sale or other disposal of the motor vehicle described in a permit for a taxicab or limousine. Upon the loss, destruction, substantial damage, or sale or other disposal of a motor vehicle described in a permit for a taxicab, the permit is suspended, and the permit shall be reinstated when the vehicle is repaired and/or replaced. Upon the loss, destruction, substantial damage, or sale or other disposal of a motor vehicle described in a permit for a limousine, the permit expires.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
(a) 
A permittee under a permit for a limousine shall provide limousine service only in accordance with a written service agreement signed by the customer and the permittee or the permittee's authorized agent at least one hour before the service commences. The service agreement shall state the business name of the limousine service, the date and time the customer first requested the service, the date and time service is requested to commence, the customer's name, mailing address and telephone number, the anticipated duration of the service, and the hourly or contract fee for the service. An original executed copy of the service agreement shall be carried in the limousine and be available to the passengers at all times during the limousine service that it covers.
(b) 
A permittee under a permit for a limousine shall cause a trip report to be kept for each limousine service agreement. The name of the chauffeur operating the limousine, the customer's name and the date and the time the service begins shall be entered on the report when the service begins, and the date and time the service ends shall be entered on the report when the service ends. The trip report shall be either attached to and filed with the service agreement or printed on the service agreement beneath the signatures.
(c) 
A permittee under a permit for a limousine shall maintain and preserve all service contracts and trip reports for a period of not less than two years, and make them available for inspection by an authorized employee of the city during reasonable business hours.
(d) 
Only the permittee under the permit for a limousine may accept requests and make arrangements for limousine service.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)
A permittee under a permit for a taxicab shall charge for all trips that in whole or in part are within the city only in accordance with a tariff of taxicab fares approved by the council. The tariff shall state the fare per trip or per increment of distance traveled, and the rates for standing and for additional passengers if such charges are levied. A permittee under a permit for a taxicab may apply to the council to change any rate in the approved tariff under which the permittee operates. The council will approve the change after a public hearing only if the council determines it to be in the best public interest.
(Ord. 1286(SUB) § 5, 2011)