A. License Required: It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of one or more taxicabs to operate the same upon the streets of the city unless such operation has been licensed as provided in this chapter. (1996 Code § 5.28.020; amd. 2002 Code)
B. Application For License: Any person who is the owner of one or more motor vehicles which he desires to operate as taxicabs upon the streets of the city shall make application in writing, under oath, to the city clerk for a taxicab license. Such application shall include the name under which the business will be conducted, and the name or names of the owner or owners thereof, together with the interest of each owner in the business. The application shall also state the location of the principal office in the city from which the business shall be transacted; and, if the applicant is a corporation, shall recite the names of the principal officers and the manager of the business. Each application shall also contain the number and description of all motor vehicles which will be operated as taxicabs by the person.
C. License Fee: Each application shall be accompanied by the fee for the license applied for, which fee shall be computed on the following basis: for the first motor vehicle to be operated as a taxicab by the applicant, twenty five dollars ($25.00); for each additional motor vehicle to be operated as a taxicab under the license, five dollars ($5.00). (1996 Code § 5.28.020)
D. Vehicle License Required: No license shall be issued to any person for the operation of a taxicab or taxicabs in the city if the New Mexico vehicle license upon any vehicle to be operated by applicant is registered in the name of any person other than the applicant. (1996 Code § 5.28.030)
E. Insurance Required: No license for the operation of one or more taxicabs shall be issued by the city clerk until the applicant shall have filed with the clerk a surety bond or policy of insurance issued by a company authorized to do surety or insurance business in the state guaranteeing payment to the public of all losses or damages proximately caused by the negligence or wrongful act of the operator of such taxicab in not less than the minimum amounts required by title 12, chapter 12 of this code. (1996 Code § 5.28.040; amd. 2002 Code)
F. Issuance Or Denial Of License: On the filing of an application and surety bond or insurance policy, in full compliance with the provisions of this chapter, the city council may issue to the applicant a license for the operation of one or more taxicabs upon the streets of the city, which license shall designate the motor vehicles to be operated by the license holder, and shall be for a period of one year. The city council is authorized to refuse to grant a license to any applicant who is not of good moral character. Upon denial of any application for a taxicab license, the license fees filed therewith shall be remitted to the applicant by the city clerk. (1996 Code § 5.28.050)
G. Transferability And Cancellation Of License: A license issued under the provisions of this section shall not be transferred without the approval of the city council. The city council may cancel any license issued under this section for the violation by the licensee of any ordinance of the city or any law of the state. For this purpose, any violation by any employee engaged in operating a taxicab shall constitute a violation by the licensee. (1996 Code § 5.28.070)
H. Penalties: Any person violating any provision of this section shall be subject to penalty as provided in title 1, chapter 4 of this code. (1996 Code § 5.28.080; amd. 2002 Code)