[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Great
Neck as Ch. 192 of the 1976 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Penalties for offenses — See Ch.
1, Art.
II.
Traffic Violations Bureau — See Ch.
120.
[Added 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996;
amended 2-4-2003 by L.L. No. 2-2003]
Unless otherwise provided, the following words shall have the meanings
indicated below:
LIMOUSINE
A motor vehicle seating not fewer than five nor more than eight persons
used solely for hire, with a driver, in connection with the carrying of passengers
over the public streets on a prior agreement, fixed-rate basis and licensed
by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles with a "livery" plate.
Such vehicle shall not be used as a taxicab.
TAXICAB
A motor vehicle used in the business of carrying passengers for hire
over the public streets, or other than a limousine or a bus, not operated
on a fixed route, and licensed by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
with a plate number designated by said department for a taxicab.
[Amended 2-4-2003 by L.L. No. 2-2003]
It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of a taxicab or limousine
to use or permit the use of such taxicab or limousine for the transportation
of a passenger for hire over or upon the public streets, where such hired
transportation was solicited within the Village, unless such owner shall have
first obtained, and shall have then in force, a license therefor from the
Board of Trustees of the Village as hereinafter provided.
[Amended 8-20-1996 by L.L. No. 8-1996]
Every owner's license issued hereunder shall be issued as of the first
day of September and shall expire on the 31st day of August next succeeding
the date of issuance, unless sooner revoked by the Board of Trustees.
[Amended 2-4-2003 by L.L. No. 2-2003]
Every person who desires to operate a taxicab or taxicabs, limousine
or limousines, owned or controlled by him, upon the public streets of the
Village shall file with the Village Clerk a written application upon forms
to be furnished by the Village Clerk, verified under oath, stating:
A. The name and address of the applicant, specifying, in
the case of any unincorporated association, the names and addresses of each
member thereof and, in the case of any corporation, the names and addresses
of each officer, director and stockholder thereof.
B. All misdemeanors or felonies of which the applicant and
any member thereof, if an unincorporated association, and any officer, director
and stockholder thereof, if a corporation, has been convicted, stating the
name and location of the court in which and the date on which such convictions
were held and the penalties imposed therefor.
C. The number of vehicles to be operated by the applicant
and a description of each such vehicle, including the make, model, passenger
seating capacity, year of manufacture, New York State license plate number
and motor number thereof and, if it has ever been in any accident, the date
and nature of the accident and a description of the damage done to such vehicle.
D. The age of the applicant and each member thereof, if
an unincorporated association, and each officer, director and stockholder
thereof, if a corporation.
E. The addresses and telephone numbers of any and all offices,
dispatching stations, depots and terminals proposed to be used by the applicant.
F. A complete statement of the maximum rates to be charged
by the applicant for transportation of persons from various locations within
the Village of Great Neck to any other locations in the Great Neck Peninsula.
G. Any other relevant information which the Village Clerk
may require.
[Amended 7-7-1987 by L.L. No. 12-1987; 8-20-1996
by L.L. No. 8-1996; 12-16-2003 by L.L.
No. 17-2003]
The annual license fee for each taxicab or limousine shall be in such
amount as shall be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Trustees.
The license year shall commence on first day of September and shall expire
on the 31st day of August next following the date of issuance. If the license
is issued after March 1 of the license year, the fee for the balance of the
license year shall be in such amount as shall be prescribed from time to time
by the Board of Trustees.
A license shall be issued for a taxicab or limousine only after it has
been thoroughly examined and inspected and found to comply with such reasonable
rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees. Such
examinations shall be conducted by such persons and at such locations as said
Board shall designate.
Upon satisfactory fulfillment of the foregoing requirements, the Board
of Trustees shall, if it deems the applicant capable of providing safe and
necessary transportation to the residents of the Village and if it deems the
sought-for license or licenses will tend to serve the public transportation
need within the Village, issue to said applicant a license to operate the
taxicab or taxicabs, limousine or limousines set forth in the application
or such number thereof as it shall determine will best serve the public transportation
needs of the Village.
[Amended 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
A. Each taxicab operated hereunder shall have a permanently
affixed roof light with the word "taxicab" imprinted thereon in such manner
that it shall be visible at all times.
B. Each taxicab shall display on the outside of each front
door the name and address of the owner in letters not less than two inches
and not more than four inches in height, either painted thereon or otherwise
securely affixed thereto. Each private livery limousine shall display inside
the vehicle the name and address of the owner and the name and address of
the affiliated base owner.
C. There shall also be affixed to the left side of the front
and rear bumpers of each taxicab and limousine the license (medallion) issue
by the Village Clerk as hereinabove provided. A valid license card must be
present in the taxicab and limousine and available to inspection at all times.
D. No person shall drive any taxicab or private livery van
upon the public streets unless the license of the driver is displayed in such
vehicle in full view of the passengers in a location and/or a container approved
by the Village Clerk.
[Amended 2-4-2003 by L.L. No. 2-2003]
The owner of every vehicle licensed under the provisions hereof shall
do and perform or cause to be performed, with respect to each vehicle, the
following:
A. Keep the interior and exterior of each vehicle in a clean
and sanitary condition.
B. Inspect the vehicle and its equipment at least once in
each week.
C. Make such repairs and/or alterations as may be required
and not operate any vehicle until such repairs and/or alterations are completed.
D. Employ only drivers holding valid licenses issued in
accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 1-8-1985 by L.L. No. 2-1985; 2-20-1996
by L.L. No. 5-1996]
E. Keep trip records, and records of such other information
as the Board of Trustees may from time to time by regulation provide, such
records to be at all times open to inspection by the Mayor and the Nassau
County Police Department.
F. Keep the license for the vehicle and the driver's license
issued by the Board of Trustees to the owner and driver of the vehicle and
a card setting forth the maximum rates to be charged, in accordance with the
schedule on file with the Village, displayed in card frames affixed to the
back of the front seat of each taxicab and/or limousine, facing the rear seat.
[Amended 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
[Amended 1-8-1985 by L.L. No. 2-1985; 2-20-1996
by L.L. No. 5-1996; 2-4-2003 by L.L.
No. 2-2003]
A. It shall be unlawful for a person to ride or operate
a taxicab for the transportation of a passenger or passengers for hire over
or upon the public streets, where such hired transportation was solicited
within the Village, unless such person shall possess a valid driver's license
issued by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter.
B. It shall be unlawful for the owner of the taxicab or
limousine used in the transportation of a passenger or passengers for hire
over or upon the public streets to suffer or permit such taxicab or limousine
to be operated by a person who does not hold a valid license issued by the
Board of Trustees in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
Each applicant for a driver's license must:
A. Be of the age of 18 years or over and of good moral character.
B. Be of sound physical condition with good eyesight and
not subject to epilepsy, vertigo, heart trouble or any infirmity of body or
mind which might render him unfit for the safe operation of a motor vehicle.
A certificate from a doctor, licensed to practice medicine in the State of
New York, attesting to said facts shall be submitted by the applicant with
his application.
C. Be able to speak, read and write the English language.
D. Be clean in dress and not addicted to the use of intoxicating
liquors or drugs.
E. Produce a testimonial, on a form provided for that purpose,
from his last employer, unless, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, sufficient
reason is given for its omission.
F. Hold a New York State chauffeur's license.
[Amended 5-15-1979 by L.L. No. 8-1979; 7-7-1987
by L.L. No. 12-1987; 2-20-1996 by L.L.
No. 5-1996]
A. Applications for a driver's license must be filed with the Board of Trustees and must be accompanied by a fee in such amount as shall be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Trustees, plus the amount of the charge made by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services for its search and report as provided in Subsection
D of this section.
[Amended 12-16-2003 by L.L. No. 17-2003]
B. The application shall be on a form provided by the Village
and must be sworn to before a notary public and contain the following information:
(3) Address of residence for the five years preceding present
address.
(5) Place of last employment.
(12) Previous conviction of all crimes.
(13) Fingerprints. The fingerprints shall be made under the
direction and supervision of the Village Clerk.
C. The Board of Trustees is hereby authorized and empowered
to establish such additional rules and regulations, covering the issuance
of driver's permits and not inconsistent herewith, as may be necessary and
reasonable.
D. Upon receipt of an application and fingerprints, the
Board of Trustees shall refer same to the New York State Division of Criminal
Justice Services for such search and report as the Board shall deem necessary
and desirable.
[Amended 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
Each applicant for such a driver's license must file with his application
two prints of a recent photograph of himself of a size to be prescribed by
the Board of Trustees, one of which shall be affixed to the badge issued to
the driver with the license. The other shall be filed with the application
in the office of the Village Clerk.
[Amended 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
Upon satisfactory fulfillment of the foregoing requirements, there shall
be issued to the applicant a license which shall be in such form as the Board
of Trustees may prescribe. Any person who defaces, changes, removes or obliterates
any official entry made upon his license or badge shall be punishable by the
revocation of his license. Driver's licenses shall be issued as of October
1 of each year and shall be valid to and including the 30th day of September
of the next succeeding year, unless suspended or cancelled.
Every person driving a vehicle licensed pursuant to this chapter shall:
A. Not refuse or neglect to convey any orderly person or
persons upon request in the Village unless previously engaged or forbidden,
by the provisions hereof, so to do.
B. Thoroughly search the interior of the vehicle after termination
of each trip for any article left or lost in the vehicle and immediately take
any such property to the police station house or police booth in the precinct
where the passenger or passengers were discharged.
C. Report all accidents, as required by the vehicle and
traffic law, and report all accidents to the owner.
D. Not operate any taxicab while the license issued to him
hereunder or his chauffeur's license is suspended or revoked.
[Amended 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996; 2-4-2003
by L.L. No. 2-2003]
E. Display his license and badge as required in this chapter.
[Added 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
[Added 2-6-1979 by L.L. No. 6-1979]
A. The Board of Trustees is hereby empowered to establish,
and modify from time to time, a schedule of maximum rates to be charged by
taxicabs and limousines subject to the provisions of this chapter. In establishing
such a schedule, the Board may establish zones and fix the rates to be charged
for transportation from, to, within and between the various zones. The Board
may also fix rates based upon time.
B. Any action taken by the Board of Trustees to establish,
modify or abolish rates or zones shall be taken only after a public hearing
is held on the proposed action.
C. It shall be unlawful for any person who owns or operates
a taxicab or limousine, which is subject to the provisions of this chapter,
to charge, demand or suggest a fare which would exceed the maximum rate established
by the Board of Trustees for the service involved.
[Added 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
At the time of the issuance of such license, the Village Clerk shall
furnish to the applicant a numbered badge containing a photograph of the applicant,
which badge must be conspicuously displayed on the outer clothing in the hollow
of the left shoulder of each licensed driver at all times when he is operating
a taxicab, limousine or private livery van in the Village of Great Neck.
[Added 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
The Village Clark may issue a driver's or owner's license without the application required under this chapter to any person who shall submit a certified copy of a license issued by the Town of North Hempstead or any other municipality within the Town of North Hempstead whose licensing requirements are substantially the equivalent of those established by this chapter if such municipality extends similar reciprocity to licensees of the Village of Great Neck. In such case, the terminal required by §
506-20 may be located in such municipality.
[Added 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
A. All taxicabs, limousines, private livery cars and private
livery vans must have available a federally approved child car seat for each
child passenger required to use a car seat under New York State law, if a
request for such car seat has been made by a passenger in advance, at the
time of a request by telephone for services.
B. All owners must maintain, in vehicle or at a terminal,
a total number of federally approved car seats equal to 20% of their licensed
vehicles and in no case less than one car seat.
C. Failure to comply with this section shall be grounds
for revocation or nonrenewal of an owner's license.
[Added 2-20-1996 by L.L. No. 5-1996]
The owner of more than one taxicab, limousine or private livery van
licensed by the Village of Great Neck shall have a terminal within the unincorporated
area of the Village of Great Neck for the off-street parking of such vehicles
when not actively in operation. That terminal shall be registered by the owner
with the Village Clerk, and the owner shall notify the Village Clerk of any
change in terminal. Such terminal shall be of sufficient size to accommodate
all taxicabs, limousines or private livery vans assigned to such terminal.