(a) The operation of a vehicle for hire within and upon the streets of the City shall be subject to the conditions, restrictions, and regulations set forth in this Chapter. It shall be unlawful to operate any vehicle for hire within and upon such streets without first obtaining the appropriate City business tax receipt for the operation of a vehicle for hire. The provisions of this Chapter, however, shall not apply to the following:
(1) Vehicles operated by a governmental agency;
(2) Vehicles tendering transportation services not for compensation;
(3) Vehicles owned and operated by hotels, motels, churches, private clubs and organizations, or other such entities, which provide transportation services for their guests/members only, for which the guest/member does not incur a separate charge;
(4) Discharge within the regulatory purview of this Chapter of a passenger picked up pursuant to legal authority in either another municipality or another county;
(5) Operation of motor vehicles for the transportation of passengers, not for compensation, between the vicinity of their residences and the vicinity of their places of work, in an arrangement commonly known as a "car pool" or "van pool", and exclusive ride-sharing vehicles as defined in F.S. § 341.031.(9), as amended.;
(6) Motor vehicles used exclusively in transporting children to and from school/daycare;
(7) Motor vehicles whose primary business is transporting passengers to and/or from airports located outside the City limits of Boynton Beach;
(8) Out-of-county origin exception. Nothing in this Chapter shall prohibit discharge within the City of any passenger, lawfully picked up in another county and lawfully transported into the City. Any passenger lawfully picked up in another county, transported to, and discharged at any location within the City, may be picked up at the discharge location so long as the transportation is part of a prearranged, roundtrip fare (evidenced by written manifest or load ticket.) Additional passengers may not be picked up at the discharge point unless a valid City of Boynton Beach Business Tax Receipt is obtained. This exemption is not applicable to scheduled discharge locations, such as bus terminals.
Compliance with Palm Beach County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 19, as may be amended from time to time is required in order to obtain a business tax receipt from the City and to receive an annual renewal of the City's business tax receipt.
(b) Non-motorized vehicles:
(1) Non-motorized vehicles shall not be operated on any sidewalk;
(2) Animal waste generated by non-motorized vehicles shall be immediately disposed of in a sealed container by the vehicle driver.
(3) Non-motorized vehicles shall comply with posted regulations for stopping and standing. Non-motorized vehicles may not stop or stand in on-street spaces reserved for bus or trolley stops;
(4) Non-motorized vehicles may use available public parking spaces for stopping or standing but shall comply with posted time requirements and are subject to ticketing for failure to comply with such requirements;
(5) There shall be a passenger visible location provided in the vehicle for the public vehicle's driver's Palm Beach County Identification to be displayed;
(6) Non-motorized vehicles are limited to the City's Community Redevelopment Area and shall not transgress streets other than those permitted within the district.
(c) Compliance with state, federal safety laws:
(1) Every vehicle for hire company shall be responsible for ensuring that each vehicle in its employ complies with applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and standards regarding motor vehicle safety equipment and devices. Every vehicle for hire company shall cause every vehicle that it owns, leases or controls to be inspected at least annually to ensure that each such vehicle complies with F.S. Ch. 316. The vehicle for hire company shall maintain a permanent registry containing information on the identity of each vehicle inspected, the date of the inspection, the nature of any deficiencies or defects discovered, remedial action or service performed, and the name of the inspector. All information so required shall be typewritten or printed legibly.
(2) The City may require additional inspections of any vehicle for hire to enforce the provisions of this section. Such inspections shall be conducted by persons qualified to perform the inspection requested.
(3) A vehicle for hire which fails to meet the operating and safety requirements of F.S. Ch. 316 or other applicable law, rule, or regulation shall not be operated for the transportation of passengers for hire until the defect or deficiency has been rectified. In no case shall an unsafe vehicle for hire be operated upon the streets, roads, and highways of the City.
(4) All vehicle for hire drivers must display, in a conspicuous location visible to passengers, their Palm Beach County issued driver's identification card.
(Ord. No. 04-029, § 2, 5-4-04; Ord. No. 06-096, § 2, 1-2-06)