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 a permanently
affixed roof light with the word "Taxi" imprinted thereon in such
manner that it shall be visible at all times, and shall bear on the
outside of each front door the word "Taxi" and 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. There shall also be affixed to the left front door
in a conspicuous place the license issued by the Village Clerk as
hereinabove provided. In addition, there shall also be affixed to
the left rear bumper a medallion issued by the Village Clerk.
[Amended 6-22-1981 by L.L. No. 2-1981]
B.
No person shall drive any taxicab upon the streets
of the Village unless there are displayed in such taxicab, in a manner
in which they are clearly visible and can be readily observed by all
passengers therein, the license of the driver and a schedule of the
maximum fares applicable within the Village.
C.
The driver of every taxicab shall at all times remain
in the driver's compartment or immediately adjacent to his taxicab
when such vehicle is in any public place, except that when necessary
a driver may be absent from his cab for not more than 20 consecutive
minutes.
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 patronage.
E.
No taxicab driver shall cruise in search of passengers.
F.
No taxicab driver shall stop to pick up any additional
passengers while proceeding to the destination of any passengers then
occupying the taxicab without the consent of all such passengers.
G.
No taxicab driver shall permit more persons to be
carried in his taxicab than the number for which he has seating facilities.
H.
Except as provided in Subsection F hereof, no taxicab driver shall refuse or neglect to convey any orderly person, upon request, unless previously engaged to full capacity or unless the 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 destinations and the route
which shall be followed in so delivering them.
J.
No taxicab shall park or stand on any public street
or place other than at a taxi stand designated or established and
so marked pursuant to a resolution of the Village Board of Trustees.
K.
No passenger in a taxicab shall be kept waiting longer
than five minutes before proceeding to his announced destination.
L.
All accidents in which any taxicab shall be involved
shall be reported to the Rockville Centre Police Department within
24 hours after the happening thereof.
M.
Every taxicab driver, as soon as practicable after
his taxicab is emptied of passengers, shall carefully search his taxicab
for any property lost or left therein by any passenger and, if he
shall find any such property, shall immediately deliver it to the
Rockville Centre Police Department.
N.
Every taxicab driver shall obey all traffic laws,
ordinances, rules and regulations while driving a taxicab, and upon
the receipt of a summons for his arrest for any alleged violation
of any such law, ordinance, rule or regulation shall report the same
within three days to the Village Clerk, advising him of the nature
of the offense charged and the name and location of the court and
the date on which such summons is returnable or on which the hearing
or trial is to be held.
O.
No person other than the driver or a passenger shall
enter any taxicab while it is in operation as such.
P.
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,
his chauffeur's license or his driver's badge.
Q.
No taxicab owner or driver shall demand or suggest
that any passenger or prospective passenger pay a fare larger than
that prescribed herein.
R.
Every person licensed as a taxicab owner under this
chapter shall maintain continuous service seven days each week, 24
hours each day from at least one depot or terminal, except that individual
owner-drivers shall maintain continuous service at least eight hours
per day and at least five days each week.
S.
Every driver shall keep a written record of all trips,
on a form approved by the Village Clerk, showing the time and place
each passenger engaged his taxicab and the time and place he left
such taxicab. Such record shall be retained by the owner of such taxicab
for at least one year.
T.
It shall be unlawful for a passenger to refuse to
pay the agreed or established fare.
U.
Rates of fare. No fare shall be charged for transportation
that is greater than the prescribed and fixed rates as set forth in
this section, provided, however, that the Board of Trustees of the
Village of Rockville Centre may, from time to time, by resolution,
establish and amend the prescribed and fixed rates for transportation:
[Amended 12-16-1974 by L.L. No. 9-1974; 11-20-1978 by L.L. No. 12-1978; 6-22-1981 by L.L. No. 2-1981; 3-19-1990 by L.L. No. 6-1990; 2-12-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001; 9-13-2004 by L.L. No. 1-2004; 3-2-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]
(1)
Pickup and discharge of a passenger from any point
in the Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre to any other point
therein:
(2)
Additional charges:
(a)
For packages on seats or floor: $0.25.
(b)
For bulky items such as carriages, strollers,
wagons or trunks: $0.50 per item if carried inside the vehicle or
$0.50 per load if carried inside the trunk.
(c)
For waiting time during trips: $18 per hour
or $3 every 10 minutes or portion thereof.
(d)
For rental of a cab: $28 per hour, plus tolls,
back to the point of origin.
(e)
For carriage of animals: $0.50 per animal.
(f)
For trips to and from the airport:
[1]
LaGuardia Airport: $59 for the first person,
with an additional charge of $3/person 18 years of age or older.
[2]
John F. Kennedy International: $36 for the first
person, with an additional charge of $3/person 18 years of age or
older.
[3]
Islip McArthur Airport: $75 for the first person,
with an additional charge of $5/person 18 years of age or older.
(3)
Fuel surcharge, with the surcharge payable to the
fuel purchaser. The fuel surcharge will be set at levels fixed from
time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Rockville Centre.
[Added 11-14-2005 by L.L. No. 6-2005[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also provided as follows: "The purpose of the provision for a surcharge, as set forth in § 297-38U(3), is to recognize the high cost of fuel in the United States, including the Village of Rockville Centre at the present time, as well as the fluctuation in the cost of fuel in the United States and the Village of Rockville Centre at the present time. The intention of the Board of Trustees is to address this matter through this legislative amendment that allows the Board of Trustees to periodically review the status of fuel prices to protect the residents of the Village of Rockville Centre by ensuring that taxi cab service is available when needed.”
