[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Garden
City 10-5-1967 as Ord. No. 6.4 of the
Revised Unified Code of Ordinances; amended in its entirety 7-14-1977
by L.L. No. 1-1977. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Businesses generally — See Ch.
75.
Vehicle and traffic regulations — See Ch.
193.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, whenever used in this chapter, the
following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
TAXICAB
A public taxicab, cab, hack or other vehicle plying for hire or soliciting
passengers to be carried for hire within the Village of Garden City, whether
or not a taximeter is affixed or used. Any "taxicab" that uses the streets
or other public places within the village for the purpose of soliciting passengers
to be carried for hire shall be deemed a "taxicab" required to be licensed
under this Article. This Article shall not apply to any omnibus running by
authority of any ordinance, law or permit upon a fixed route through the village.
No person owning or controlling a taxicab shall operate such taxicab
or permit the same to be operated or driven as a vehicle for hire upon the
streets of the village without having first obtained and having then in force
a license therefor as hereinafter provided.
Applications for taxicab licenses under this chapter shall be made in
the following manner:
A. Application by the owner shall be made to the Mayor on
forms to be furnished by the Village Clerk, which application shall contain
the following:
(1) The full name and address of the owner and a description,
including the New York State registration number and the motor number, of
each vehicle to be licensed, and the number of persons each such vehicle is
capable of carrying.
(2) A complete financial statement of the applicant, specifying
the amounts of all unpaid judgments against the applicant and the nature of
the transactions or acts giving rise to said judgments and the name and location
of the court in which and the date on which each was entered.
(3) A complete statement of all crimes and violations of
any traffic law, ordinance or regulation of which the applicant and any member
thereof, if an unincorporated association, and any officer, director or stockholder
thereof, if a corporation, has been convicted, stating the name and location
of the court in which and the date on which such conviction was had and the
penalty imposed therefor.
(4) A detailed statement as to the experience of the applicant
and each member thereof, if an unincorporated association, and each officer,
director and stockholder thereof, if a corporation, in the transportation
of passengers.
(5) Except for a renewal license, any facts which the applicant
believes tend to prove that the public convenience and necessity require the
granting of a license.
B. Upon receiving such application, the Mayor shall present
the same to the Board of Trustees at its next regular meeting. If such application
is for an original license and not a renewal of a license previously granted,
and the Board of Trustees is satisfied that further taxicab service in the
village is required for the public convenience and necessity and that the
applicant is fit, willing and able to perform such public transportation and
to conform to the provisions of this chapter and that the Chief of Police
has inspected and certified the vehicle as herein provided, the Mayor or such
village officer designated by him shall issue a license signed by the Mayor
or such designated officer. If such application is for the renewal of a previously
issued license, the finding of public convenience and necessity shall not
be a prerequisite for the issuance of such renewal license.
C. Inspection. No vehicle shall be licensed, nor the license
therefor renewed, until it has been inspected by or under the direction of
the Chief of Police and certified by him to be in safe condition for the transportation
of passengers, clean, fit and of good appearance and insured as required by
law. Such insurance shall be so written that the policy may not be canceled
without the insurer's giving notice of cancellation thereof to the Chief
of Police. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized and empowered to establish
reasonable rules and regulations for the inspection of taxicabs and for the
enforcement of the provisions of this chapter and to cause inspections of
licensed taxicabs to be made from time to time to see that they are kept in
a condition of continued fitness for public use. He shall keep written reports
of all inspections made and shall issue a tag after each inspection, which
tag shall be dated and signed by the inspecting officer, and such tag shall
be conspicuously affixed to and displayed in the interior of the taxicab.
Every person driving a taxicab must be licensed annually as such. Each
applicant for a driver's license must be of the age of 18 years or over,
be able to read and write the English language, of good moral character and
of sound physique and good eyesight, good hearing and not subject to any infirmity
of body or mind which might render him unfit as a driver.
Applications for drivers' licenses under this chapter shall be
made in the following manner:
A. Application shall be made to the Mayor upon forms to
be furnished by the Village Clerk, which application shall contain the following:
(1) The full name of the applicant.
(2) The applicant's chauffeur's registration number.
(3) The applicant's age, height, weight, color of eyes
and hair, place of birth, home address, whether a citizen of the United States,
places of previous employment for at least 10 years preceding the application.
(4) A statement as to whether the applicant has ever been
arrested or convicted of a felony, misdemeanor or traffic violation.
(5) A statement as to whether the applicant has previously
been licensed as a driver or chauffeur, and if so, whether his license has
ever been revoked and for what cause.
(6) Two photographs of the applicant taken not more than
60 days before or after the date of application, which pictures shall be two
by two (2 x 2) inches showing the head and shoulders of the applicant in a
clear and distinguishing manner.
(7) One complete set of fingerprints of the applicant.
B. Each applicant shall be examined by the Chief of Police
or by a person designated by the Chief, as to his skill, fitness and ability
to drive.
C. Upon receiving such application the Mayor shall present
the same to the Board of Trustees at its next regular meeting, and the Board
of Trustees shall thereupon investigate or cause an investigation to be made
of the application, and if the Board shall, after such investigation, be satisfied
that the applicant is of good character and the the issuance of a license
would not be detrimental to the best interests of the village or the public
and that the Chief of Police has examined and certified as to the applicant's
fitness, the Mayor or such village officer designated by him shall issue a
license signed by the Mayor or such designated officer. At the time of issuance
of such license the Village Clerk shall furnish to the applicant a numbered
badge, which must be conspicuously worn on the outer clothing or hat of each
licensed driver. Such badge shall be returned to the Village Clerk upon suspension,
revocation or failure to renew the taxicab driver's license.
D. The Mayor may renew a driver's license from year
to year by appropriate endorsement thereon, provided that the Chief of Police
shall certify as to the driver's skill, fitness and ability, and provided
the annual license fee is paid. Application for renewal of license shall be
made by the driver upon a form to be furnished by the Village Clerk, which
application shall state the applicant's full name, address, original
license number and date upon which such original license was granted.
[Amended 11-21-1991 by L.L. No. 8-1991]
The annual license fee for taxicab licenses granted under this chapter
shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
[Amended 11-21-1991 by L.L. No. 8-1991]
The annual license fee for a driver's license granted under this
chapter shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the Board
of Trustees.
No license issued under this chapter shall be deemed to be in effect
nor to grant any rights to the licensee therein named until the license fee
shall have been paid to the Treasurer of the village and his receipt endorsed
upon said license across the face thereof.
All licenses issued under this chapter shall expire on the 31st day
of December in the year when issued, unless otherwise specified in the license.
The Village Clerk and the Chief of Police shall keep a register of the
name of each person owning or operating a taxicab licensed under this chapter,
together with the license number, the New York State registration number and
the description, make and motor number of such vehicle; a complete record
of each license issued to a driver; and a record of all renewals, suspensions
and revocations of licenses. Such records shall be kept on file and shall
be open to inspection by the public and shall be public records, extracts
of which may be certified by the Village Clerk for use as evidence.
No taxicab shall stand on any public street or public place other than
at or upon a public taxicab stand designated or established by the Board of
Trustees, nor shall any driver solicit employment by driving through the public
streets or by oral solicitation of any kind, either on the public streets
or from private property.
A. The maximum rates of fare for taxicabs in the Village
of Garden City shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the
Board of Trustees, according to taxicab zones as hereinafter set forth:
[Amended 9-1-1977 by L.L. No. 9-1977]
(1) Zone 1: all territory within the village limits lying
north of Commercial Avenue and east of Clinton Road, excluding Raymond Court
and also excluding the residences north of Stewart Avenue fronting on Clinton
Road.
(2) Zone 2: all territory within the village limits lying
east of the easterly side of Franklin Avenue except that territory covered
by Zone 1.
(3) Zone 3: all territory within the village limits lying
east of the easterly side of Cherry Valley Road as it runs northerly from
the southerly boundary of the village to its intersection with Rockaway Avenue,
thence east of the easterly side of Rockaway Avenue from its point on intersection
with Cherry Valley Road northerly to the northern boundary of the village,
the easterly boundary of this zone being westerly boundary of Zone 2.
(4) Zone 4: This zone is to be bounded on the north and south
by the village limits, on the east by the westerly boundary of Zone 3 and
on the west by an imaginary line running parallel to Roxbury Road and distant
400 feet westerly from the westerly side thereof.
(5) Zone 5: all territory within the village limits to the
west of Zone 4.
B. No person shall charge or attempt to charge any passenger
a greater rate of fare than that determined by the Board of Trustees, regardless
of the number of stops made to take on or let off passengers and also regardless
of whether the taxicab is engaged by telephone or otherwise.
There shall be posted conspicuously in the interior of the taxicab the
village taxicab license, the village taxicab driver's license to which
is affixed a photograph of the driver and a schedule of the maximum fares
and a map of the village showing the fare zones herein specified. Taxicabs
shall be equipped with a roof light sign bearing the word "taxi," which sign
shall be illuminated at night. Private rental automobiles for which the New
York State Motor Vehicle Bureau issues private rental licenses are exempt
from this provision. No advertising matter of any kind, except the name of
the taxicab license holder, shall be attached or in any way displayed on any
taxicab or private rental automobile.
No license granted under this chapter shall be transferable.
Every taxicab driver, as soon as practicable after his taxicab is emptied
of passengers, shall carefully examine 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 Police Department.
Every taxicab driver shall obey all traffic laws, ordinances, rules
and regulations while driving a taxicab and shall report to the Village Clerk
immediately upon his conviction of a violation of any such law, ordinance,
rule or regulation and shall also file with the Village Clerk a report of
any accidents in which such driver's taxicab may have been involved.
A. Owner. Any owner or operator or driver of a vehicle not
licensed and equipped in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and
of the reasonable regulations of the Police Department established hereunder,
or of a vehicle the license of which has been suspended or revoked, who engages
in the business of a public taxicab as hereinbefore defined, or attempts to
engage in such business, or who permits an unlicensed driver to drive such
vehicle upon the streets of the village, shall be punishable by a fine of
not over $50 for each offense, and such violation shall constitute disorderly
conduct and the person violating the same shall be a disorderly person.
B. Driver. Any person not having been duly licensed as a
taxicab driver, or any person whose license as such driver has been revoked
or suspended and who during the time of such suspension drives for hire a
taxicab upon the streets of the village, shall be punishable by a fine of
not over $50 for each offense, and such violation shall constitute disorderly
conduct and the person violating the same shall be a disorderly person.