For the purposes of this chapter, the terms used herein are defined
as follows:
TAXICAB
Any motor vehicle regularly engaged in the business of carrying persons
for hire, except vehicles subject to the provisions of the Transportation
Law or used by undertakers in carrying on their undertaking business.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any taxicab for hire within
the Town of Yorktown without first having obtained under the provisions of
this chapter a taxicab license in full force and effect, and for any person
to drive or operate such taxicab without having obtained a taxicab driver's
license in force and effect.
Except in the year in which this chapter shall be enacted, such taxicab
licenses shall be issued as of the first day of January of each year and shall
be valid until the following December 31, unless sooner revoked as hereinafter
provided. The fee for such license shall be $25 for each taxicab if issued
before July 1 and $12.50 if issued thereafter. Where a motor vehicle licensed
under this chapter is sold or otherwise disposed of by the holder of such
license, the license may be surrendered to the Town Clerk for cancellation;
if within 30 days thereafter the holder of the license applies for the issuance
of a license for another vehicle, such license shall be issued without fee,
but otherwise on the same conditions as an original license. Applications
for licenses shall be made upon forms supplied by the Town Clerk and shall
be accompanied by the required fee and a certificate of the Chief of Police
that the vehicle sought to be licensed has been examined by a licensed New
York State inspection service and certified to be in good mechanical condition
and clean and sanitary. Such certificate shall expire on December 31 of each
year and be renewed annually thereafter. Licenses shall be issued by the Town
Clerk and shall be affixed to the windshield of the vehicle for which issued
at all times.
The Town Board shall in its discretion determine the number of taxicab
licenses to be issued. When in any year the number of applications for such
licenses shall exceed the number authorized by the Town Board, the Chief of
Police shall determine which applicants shall be licensed, such determination
being based on the previous record, if any, of the applicants with respect
to conditions of the vehicle, observance of the provisions of laws and ordinances
affecting their operation and character of service, if any, rendered by each
applicant. The determination of the Chief of Police with respect to each application
shall be subject to review by the Town Board upon application by the prospective
licensee.