[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:
PASSENGER
A person merely riding in a vehicle, as distinguished from one operating the same.
STREET
Includes any street, alley, avenue, lane, court or public place in the City.
TAXICAB
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34-19, regarding identification of taxicabs and advertising on taxicabs, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 11-1-1978 by Ord.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use of cabs by paying passengers only, fixed routes, and a daily log, which immediately followed this section, were repealed 11-1-1978 by Ord.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.
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.