(a) Prohibited practices. In addition to the practices prohibited elsewhere in this chapter, it shall be unlawful:
(1) Refusal to transport passengers. For a driver to refuse to transport any orderly person applying to driver for transportation within the limits of the town when the taxicab has not been previously engaged by another.
(2) Passenger seating. For a driver to transport in a taxicab more than the number of passengers specified as its capacity by the manufacturer at the same time, or to transport a child under the age of three years unless the child is in an approved child safety seat.
(3) Illegal use of a cab. For a driver, on or off duty, to knowingly permit a taxicab to be used for any illegal act listed in G.S. Ch. 14, arts. 26 and 27 (being G.S. 14-177 through 14-202 and 14-203 through 14-208) or to transport any person in a taxicab to any place used for such purposes, or to acquire and transport in a taxicab any alcoholic beverage for another, or to transport any person to any place where alcoholic beverages are illegally dispensed or stored.
(4) Lost property. For a driver to fail, refuse or neglect to preserve any property left in a taxicab by any passenger and to deliver it to the operator, who shall report the same to the police department within 24 hours thereafter.
(5) Deviating from direct route. For a driver to fail, refuse or neglect to proceed with all reasonable dispatch by the nearest practicable route to the destination of the first person applying to him for transportation unless the person has granted permission to take on or wait for additional passengers.
(6) Solicitation. For any person to solicit passengers for a taxicab except the driver thereof when sitting upon the driver's seat of the vehicle.
(7) Illegal rates. For a driver to charge or attempt to charge a passenger a greater or lesser rate of fare than that which is posted in the vehicle as required by this chapter.
(b) Suspension/revocation of permit for violation. Upon any violation of the provisions of this section, the driver's permit of the violator may be suspended or revoked in accordance with the procedures provided in section 20-110.
(Code 1982, § 18-3.2; Ord. No. 98-022, 12-10-1998; Ord. No. 2010-Code-02, 3-10-2010)