[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of
the City of El Reno 9-1-1972 as Ch. 34, Art. II, of the 1972 Code.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 343.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following
definitions shall apply:
A person merely riding in a vehicle, as distinguished from
one operating the same.
Includes any street, alley, avenue, lane, court or public
place in the City.
Includes any and all motor vehicles used for the transportation
of passengers for hire within the corporate limits of the City, except
vehicles engaged in interstate commerce and vehicles properly and
legally licensed by the state Corporation Commission to transport
passengers between established towns and cities within the state.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate
any taxicab unless the same is in good mechanical and sanitary condition.
Any taxicab licensed under this chapter shall
at all times be available for inspection by any law enforcement officer
or official of the City for any violation of law or City ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 34-19, regarding
identification of taxicabs and advertising on taxicabs, which immediately
followed this section, was repealed 11-1-1978 by Ord. No. 2329.
Every taxicab shall be equipped with a frame
for the proper display of the owner's fare-rate card. The card relating
to the fare to be charged shall be so placed that it can be plainly
seen by passengers riding in such taxicab. It shall state clearly
the rate of fare to be charged. If the fare to be charged is upon
a mileage basis, it shall so state and shall give the schedule of
rates. If the fare to be charged is based upon the carrying of passengers
within certain locations, bounded by streets, it shall so state, and
shall state the rate to be charged for the carrying of passengers
through each district. The type used for the printing of the rates
of fare shall be of sufficient size so that it can be clearly read
at a distance of five feet.
Every taxicab shall have a knob or handle upon
the side of the doors thereof, by which such doors may be easily opened
from the inside.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Secs. 34-22 through
34-24, regarding use of cabs by paying passengers only, fixed routes,
and a daily log, which immediately followed this section, were repealed
11-1-1978 by Ord. No. 2329.
It shall be unlawful for any person, either
acting as owner, principal, agent, employee, lessee or licensee, to
operate or permit to be operated upon the streets of the City any
taxicab without first having procured a license therefor from the
City under the provisions of this chapter.
A written application for a license under this
chapter, verified by the applicant or his duly authorized agent, shall
be filed with the City Clerk on a blank form to be provided by the
City Clerk. Such application shall contain the following information
and any other necessary and appropriate information as may be required
by the City Clerk:
A.
The full name, address and age of the applicant, and
his permanent business location; if a partnership, the names and addresses
of all of the partners; if a corporation, the names and addresses
of the officers and directors thereof.
B.
A complete description of each vehicle, including
the length of time the vehicle has been in use; the number of persons
it is constructed or built to carry; the motive power; the model,
motor and chassis number; the state license number; and the seating
capacity of each vehicle proposed to be used, and a statement of the
ownership of each vehicle, and encumbrance thereon, if any.
C.
The trade name under which the applicant does or proposes
to do business; and the color or distinctive design of the body, if
any, of each vehicle proposed to be used.
D.
Whether or not the vehicle is equipped with safety
glass in all doors, partitions, windows and windshield.
E.
Whether or not property damage insurance and public
liability insurance has been, or will be, secured to cover each vehicle
proposed to be used upon the streets of the City.
F.
A written statement of the rates proposed to be charged,
showing maximum rates by blocks and distances.
[Amended 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 9301]
Taxicab licenses shall be charged an annual fee, which shall
be established by the City Council and set by resolution.
[Amended 4-4-1983 by Ord. No. 2434]
A.
Before any license is issued for a taxicab, the applicant
shall file with the City Clerk either an insurance policy or bond
meeting the requirements of this section.
B.
An insurance policy filed under this section shall
be issued by an insurance company licensed and admitted to do business
in the State of Oklahoma, and shall provide liability insurance coverage
for each and every taxicab owned, operated or leased by the applicant,
with a liability coverage of not less than $10,000 for one injury
or death, and not less than $20,000 for any other accident, and an
additional amount of not less than $10,000 for property damage in
any one accident, such coverage to be effective whether the taxicab
was, at the time of any accident, being driven by the owner, his agent,
employee, lessee or licensee, and endorsed thereon shall be a form
approved by the City Attorney. Such policy shall provide that it cannot
be canceled until 10 days' written notice of the proposed cancellation
shall have been filed with the City Clerk. The policy shall carry
an endorsement for actual notice to the City of any changes therein.
This policy shall be made for the use, benefit and protection of the
City and for the use and benefit of any person who may suffer injury,
either to his person or property, by reason of any accident or omissions
of the applicant or his employees in the operation of any taxicab
or other vehicle used in the transportation of passengers for hire
in the City and shall remain in full force and effect during the life
of the license issued to the applicant. No license shall be issued
until the policy has been approved by the City Council.
C.
In lieu of the insurance provided for in Subsection B, the applicant may deposit and maintain with the City Clerk, throughout the term of the license, a bond in a form approved by the City Attorney and with sureties approved by the City Council, in a sum of not less than $10,000 for each and every taxicab to be licensed, together with security on such bond, either in the sum of $10,000 in cash or some other approved security. Such bond shall run to the City and be conditioned that the applicant will pay or cause to be paid any and all damage of every kind or character, either to property or person, including the death of any person, arising out of or proximately caused by the negligence of the applicant or his agents, employees, lessees or licensees in the operation and maintenance of the taxicab covered by the bond. Cash bonds so deposited with the City Clerk shall be as a pledge guaranteeing the payment of any sum so recovered by any person injured or property damaged as hereinbefore provided.
Upon the filing of an application for a license
under this chapter, the matter of the hearing of such application
shall be brought before the City Council within a reasonable time
thereafter, at which time the applicant shall show, by proper proof,
the necessity, convenience and requirement for such license, and shall
furnish satisfactory information and proof that all taxicabs proposed
to be licensed are in a first-class mechanical condition and comply
with all applicable provisions of this chapter. If the City Council
determines that a license should be issued, an order shall be entered
in the minutes to that effect, directing the City Clerk to issue such
license, upon the applicant's compliance with the other provisions
of this chapter.
A license issued under this chapter shall at
all times, while the taxicab is being used or maintained or offered
for use to be hired to the public, be kept in a conspicuous place
in the taxicab itself and shall be subject to inspection at any time
by any officer of the City.
No license issued under this chapter shall be
transferable, except on proper application to and the approval by
the City Council.
A license issued under this chapter shall expire
on June 30 next following its issuance and may be renewed without
action by the City Council, provided that the City Clerk is satisfied
that the licensee is complying with all applicable provisions of this
chapter.
A.
A license issued under this chapter may be canceled
by the City Council for the following reasons:
(1)
Any false or misleading statements made or caused
to be made in the application for or in connection with securing the
issuance of the license.
(2)
Employment of any driver not duly licensed as such
by the City.
(3)
Failure, at any time, to maintain the insurance or
bond filed pursuant to this chapter in full force and effect.
(4)
Using or permitting the use of any profane, obscene
or vulgar language over the licensee's business telephone.
(5)
Violation of the provisions and terms of this chapter,
or permitting any such violation.
B.
Notice, in writing, of the intention to cancel any
license under this section shall be given the licensee by the City
Clerk, which notice may be either served personally on the licensee
by any police officer or mailed to him at the address given on the
application, at least three days before the date fixed for the cancellation
thereof. The licensee may appear before the City Council at the time
fixed in the notice and be heard. In the event of cancellation, no
part of the license fee shall be refunded.
Violations of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in § 1-10 of this Code.
