Town of Falmouth, MA Article II Vehicles for Hire License

§ 280-2 License required; termination; transferability; fee.

A. Except as otherwise provided by law, no person shall engage in the business of transporting persons for hire in a vehicle without first having obtained a license from the Board of Selectmen authorizing him/her to engage in such business and designating the number of such vehicles that may be used under such license. Such license shall terminate automatically, if for a period of more than thirty (30) days the holder thereof does not coincidentally hold one (1) or more duly existing vehicle for hire permits.

B. No vehicle for hire license provided for in these rules and regulations shall be sold or assigned. Upon the sale of an entity or a majority in interest, said license may be transferred upon approval of the Board of Selectmen, if after a hearing the Board determines the transferee is a suitable person(s) in accordance with the provisions of § 280-3.

C. The fee for a vehicle for hire license shall be fifty dollars ($50.) which shall include the processing fee and shall be submitted with the application to the office of the Town of Falmouth Board of Selectmen.

§ 280-3 Principal place of business; hours of operation; marking.

A. The Selectmen may grant a vehicle for hire license to suitable person(s), if the principal place of business of the person(s) is located at an address within the commercially zoned areas of the Town of Falmouth.

B. The hours of operation of a vehicle for hire business designated as a "taxicab company" shall be twenty-four (24) hours per calendar day, seven (7) days per calendar week and fifty-two (52) calendar weeks per year.

C. The home occupation clause in the Town of Falmouth Zoning Bylaws authorizing limited commercial business activities to be operated from within a residential zoned area shall not provide relief to vehicle for hire license holders of limousine, livery or taxicabs licenses.

D. Vehicles for hire designated as a "taxicab" shall have the name or the trade name of the owner and the name of the City or Town in which it is licensed painted on the sides thereof in letters not less than four (4) inches high and one-half (1/2) inch wide in accordance with the provision of MGL c. 40, § 22.

E. The requirement for locating the base of operation of a vehicle for hire business in a commercially zoned area shall have the effect of a sunset provision and enforcement shall commence on the first day of January 2006.