As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
MEDALLION
An identification of legality, issued by the Village of Atlantic
Beach, to be affixed to the licensed vehicle.
OWNER
The registered owner, according to the New York State Department
of Motor Vehicles, and/or the lessee of the motor vehicle sought to be used
as a taxicab within the confines of the Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach.
OWNER'S LICENSE
A license issued by the Village of Atlantic Beach to operate a taxicab
business, under the provisions of the taxicab ordinances.
PERSON
Any natural person, corporation, partnership, form of business entity
and any other form of organization.
STREET
Any street, avenue, bridge, highway, public way or public place within
the confines of the Village of Atlantic Beach.
TAXICAB
Any motor vehicle engaged in the business of transporting persons
for hire, except vehicles subject to the provisions of the Public Service
or Transportation Corporation Laws or vehicles under an express written contract
to provide transportation for weddings, funerals or similar functions.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of transporting
people for hire by taxicab, from a point originating within the confines of
the Village of Atlantic Beach, without having first obtained a license to
conduct such business from the Village Clerk.
Prior to the issuance of an owner's license pursuant to this chapter,
the Village Clerk shall forward a copy of the application to the Board of
Trustees. The Board of Trustees may meet with the applicant, and all other
persons affected by such application, and determine the need for the operation
of a taxi company within the village. If it shall determine that there is
no need or necessity for a taxi company within the village, the application
shall be denied by the Board of Trustees.
It shall be the duty of every owner or lessee of a taxicab subject to
the provisions of this chapter to:
A. Not allow the taxicab to be used in business if not in
proper working condition.
B. Equip and maintain each taxicab with the following:
(1) Interior lights, under the control of the driver, which
shall fully illuminate the passenger area when a passenger is boarding or
alighting from the vehicle.
(2) Vehicle identification, the exact name of the owner's
license under which the taxicab is being operated shall be conspicuously lettered
on each longitudinal side of the exterior of the vehicle in letters at least
four inches in height, unless otherwise authorized by the Village Clerk.
(3) Not allow any unlicensed taxicab driver or other unauthorized
person to operate the taxicab.
(4) Maintain the driver's fare record, which has been
delivered to him or her for a period of one month.
(5) Report to the Village Clerk the loss or the theft of
the owner's license or taxicab medallion, in writing, within 24 hours.
It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to transfer or
assign or to accept transfer or assignment of any medallion issued under this
chapter from vehicle to vehicle.
Should any license or medallion issued pursuant to this chapter be lost
or stolen, through no fault of the licensee, the Village Clerk shall issue
a replacement license or medallion for the fee of as set by resolution of
the Board of Trustees from time to time.
All property which is lost or misplaced in the taxicab shall be kept
at the address listed on the owner's license under which the taxicab
is operated for a period of 30 days. After this period, if the property is
still not claimed, it shall be brought to the Nassau County Police Department
and a receipt obtained.
Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the Nassau County Police Department
from making routine inspections of said taxicabs.
Nothing proposed by this chapter shall apply to persons or taxicabs
engaged in the business of transporting persons, for hire or pay, from a point
outside the Village of Atlantic Beach, to a point within the village nor a
point outside the village and passing through the Village of Atlantic Beach.
The provisions of this chapter shall take effect immediately, except
that those licenses which have been duly issued and are presently in full
force and effect within the village, shall remain so until the expiration
date printed upon them.
The following regulations shall be observed in the operation and driving
of every taxicab upon the public highways of the village:
A. Each taxicab operated hereunder shall have one securely
affixed roof light with only the word "taxicab" or "taxi" or "cab" and, in
addition, the telephone number or name of the licensee may be printed thereon
in such manner as to be visible at all times.
B. At the time a taxicab owner submits his application and
on succeeding renewal applications, a schedule of rates for that license period
shall be filed with the Village Clerk of the Village of Atlantic Beach.
C. On both rear doors in letters not more than two inches
in height, the full name of the owner.
D. No taxicab driver shall solicit passengers except while
parked or standing at a taxi stand and except when sitting in the driver's
compartment of such taxicab or while standing immediately adjacent thereto,
nor in a loud or annoying tone of voice nor by sign nor in any manner annoy,
obstruct the movement of or follow any person for the purpose of soliciting.
E. All taxicab driver's shall have the right to cruise
in search of passengers.
F. All taxicabs operating under this chapter shall be used
in a shared-ride capacity, unless specifically hired for a designated period
of time.
G. No taxicab shall permit more persons to be carried in
this taxicab than the number for which he has seating facilities.
H. No taxicab driver shall refuse or neglect to convey any
orderly person upon request, unless previously engaged to full capacity or
unless transportation of such person shall substantially delay or inconvenience
passengers who have already engaged his taxicab.
I. If a taxicab is carrying two or more persons to different
destinations, the driver shall be the sole judge of the order in which such
persons shall be delivered to their destination, and the shortest possible
route shall be followed.
J. No passenger in a taxicab shall be kept waiting longer
than five minutes before proceeding to his announced destination.
K. Every taxicab driver shall obey all laws and ordinances,
rules and regulations, while operating such vehicle, and upon conviction of
any misdemeanor or felony, shall report the same within five working days
to the Village Clerk, advising him or her of the nature of the offense and
the name and location of the court and the date on which such conviction was
held.
L. Every taxicab driver licensed as such pursuant to this
chapter shall within 48 hours notify the Village Clerk of any change of his
address or loss of either his taxicab driver's license or his chauffeur's
license.
M. Any taxi company licensed in the Village of Atlantic
Beach should be enrolled with the Anti-Crime Patrol program sponsored by Citibank.
N. Consecutive and uninterrupted service shall be maintained
by each licensed owner from at least one depot or terminal as follows:
(1) One or two licensed taxicabs for at least eight consecutive
hours for not less than five days each week.
(2) One or more licensed taxicabs, 24 consecutive hours each
consecutive day.
Every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this chapter
shall be punished by and subject to a fine of not more than $500 or by imprisonment
for not more than 15 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment for each
violation. In addition to the penalties aforesaid, any person who shall violate
any provision of this chapter, who at the time of such violation shall be
the holder of any license issued hereunder, shall be subject to suspension
or revocation of such license.