A. Taxicab Business License:
2. Each application for a new taxicab business license shall be accompanied by the required fee in an amount established by the City Council and listed on the most current City Clerk license fee schedule.
3. The taxicab business license is not required with annual license renewal application unless:
a. The taxicab business license and related business are sold; or
b. The taxicab business license was exercised in a manner that was noncompliant with the requirements set forth in this article.
4. Taxicab business licenses are not transferrable.
5. Every taxicab business license shall expire on June 30 of each year.
B. Taxicab Vehicle License:
2. Every taxicab vehicle license shall expire on June 30 of each year.
3. Every licensee who is an applicant for renewal of a taxicab vehicle license shall complete the application process annually. Upon completion of the application process, the Licensing Officer will issue a renewed taxicab vehicle license to the applicant, provided the applicant meets all of the qualifications and none of the disqualifications set forth in this article and chapter 1, article A of this title.
4. The taxicab vehicle license of any taxicab not in service for fifteen (15) consecutive days shall be deemed abandoned, and such taxicab vehicle license shall revert to the City unless the owner, lessee, agent or licensee of such taxicab notifies the Licensing Officer in writing prior to expiration of the fifteen (15) days that said taxicab is out of service due to major mechanical or structural damage requiring in excess of fifteen (15) days to repair. In the event such written notification is given, the licensee shall have a reasonable period of time, to be determined by the Licensing Officer, to place said taxicab back in service. A licensee may, in writing, request permission from the Licensing Officer to exceed the fifteen (15) days not in service limit if unforeseen special circumstances are likely to prevent the licensee from placing the vehicle back into service. In the event said taxicab is not placed back in service within the reasonable period of time determined by the Licensing Officer, if no permission for an extension was granted by the Licensing Officer, such taxicab vehicle license shall be deemed abandoned and shall revert to the City.
5. Every owner, lessee and operator of a taxicab, and every taxicab vehicle licensee, shall notify the Licensing Officer in writing within seven (7) calendar days of the sale, lease, transfer or loan of the taxicab to any other person.
6. Every owner, lessee and operator of a taxicab, and every taxicab vehicle licensee, shall notify the Licensing Officer in writing within seven (7) calendar days of the taxicab being taken "off-line" or the taxicab no longer being used as a taxicab. The taxicab vehicle license of such taxicab shall be returned to the Licensing Officer within ten (10) business days of the taxicab being taken "off-line" or the taxicab no longer being used as a taxicab.
C. Taxicab Driver's License:
1. Every person who drives, operates, conducts or is in actual physical control, as that term is defined and used in Idaho Code title 18, and as interpreted by applicable case law, of a taxicab in the City shall make written application for and obtain a taxicab driver's license as set forth in sections 3-1A-5 and 3-1A-6 of this title. Such license shall be maintained in full force and effect at all times when the person is driving, operating, conducting or in actual physical control of a taxicab.
2. The applicant or licensee shall notify the Licensing Officer in writing within two (2) business days of any illness, accident, injury or other health issue that may cause the applicant or licensee to fail to meet any of the physical requirements contained in 49 CFR part 391.41 (medical card). Every restriction and requirement placed on the applicant or licensee's operation of a motor vehicle by the examining physician who issued the medical card shall be a restriction or requirement on the taxicab driver's license issued by the Licensing Officer. Every restriction and requirement placed on the applicant or licensee's operation of a motor vehicle by the State Department of Transportation shall be a restriction or requirement on the taxicab driver's license issued by the Licensing Officer.
3. Every taxicab driver's license shall expire one year from the date of issuance.
4. Every licensee who is an applicant for renewal of a taxicab driver's license shall complete the application process annually. Upon completion of the application process, the Licensing Officer will issue a renewed taxicab driver's license to the applicant, provided the applicant meets all of the qualifications and none of the disqualifications set forth in this article and chapter 1, article A of this title.
5. Every taxicab driver's license issued by the Licensing Officer shall include, at a minimum, the following:
a. The licensee's full name.
b. A photograph of the licensee.
c. The license expiration date.
d. The licensee's license number.
D. Applications; General Standards And Requirements:
1. In addition to the minimum licensing qualifications set forth in chapter 1, article A of this title, every application for a license required by this article must also include the following information:
a. The name and direct telephone number of the operating manager of the taxicab business under which the applicant will be licensed;
b. If an application for a taxicab business license, a description of every taxicab to be operated pursuant to the taxicab business license, including the year, make, model, current mileage, license plate number, City taxicab vehicle license number, and vehicle identification number (VIN) of each vehicle;
c. Whether the applicant has previously applied for any City license or permit; and
d. If a taxicab driver's license application, whether the applicant has previously been licensed as a taxicab driver by the City or by any other jurisdiction.
2. Every applicant for a license governed by this article shall be able to speak and understand the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand road and highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.
3. In addition to all requirements and qualifications set forth above:
a. No applicant shall be issued a taxicab vehicle license:
(1) When the applicant is not the bona fide owner or lessee of the taxicab;
(2) Until the certificate of insurance, of the type and in the amount required by this article, is tendered to the Licensing Officer.
b. No applicant shall be issued, or shall be allowed to maintain, a taxicab driver's license, if the applicant fails to achieve a score of at least seventy percent (70%) correct on a general local geographic knowledge and communication skill test developed and administered by the Licensing Officer. Applicants shall pay the fee set forth on the City Clerk fee schedule to cover the cost of administering the tests, which fee shall be in addition to all other licensing application fees and other fees authorized by this article. The general local geographic knowledge and communication skill test shall be developed and administered to assess an applicant's ability to recognize various points of interest in the City, to evaluate the applicant's ability to determine the shortest geographical route between established City landmarks and to evaluate communication skills to adequately converse with the general public. To achieve the goals of this licensing requirement, every general local geographic knowledge test shall be taken and completed by the applicant alone, with no help or assistance of any kind from any person, other than the Licensing Officer.
E. Exception To Requirements: The taxicab driver's license requirement of this article shall not apply when all of the following conditions exist:
1. The person driving or operating the taxicab is doing so for the purpose of diagnosing, performing, completing or road testing maintenance or repairs to the taxicab; and
2. The exterior of the taxicab is clearly marked in such a manner as to indicate that it is being driven solely for the purpose of performing, completing or road testing maintenance or repairs to the taxicab. (1952 Code § 5-24-03; amd. Ord. 38-15, 8-25-2015; 2019 Code)