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No person shall place a vehicle into service as a taxicab until the vehicle has been inspected under the direction of the Commissioner and found to be in safe operating condition. A taxicab vehicle inspection includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that all required equipment is installed and operating as intended, and that the interior and exterior of the vehicle are clean and in good condition for the safety of the vehicle drivers and passengers. Licensees must submit all their taxicab vehicles for inspection as scheduled by the Department. Taxicab vehicles with a vehicle age of five years or newer must be inspected at least annually, and all older taxicab vehicles must be inspected at least semiannually.
If any licensee fails to appear and make his vehicle available for inspection after receiving a notification from the Commissioner to do so, the Commissioner may immediately suspend the licensee's license and impose a fine as set forth in Section 9-112-630, in addition to all other applicable penalties, including extending the license suspension, and/or license revocation. If the licensee again fails to so appear, the Commissioner may suspend his license until the vehicle has passed an inspection pursuant to this section. If a licensee demonstrates a pattern of missing scheduled inspection dates, the Commissioner may revoke the license.
The Commissioner is authorized to adopt rules to specify the time frame and schedule for vehicle inspections and may require additional inspections based upon complaints.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-28-14, p. 82771, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 9)
If a vehicle fails an inspection required by 9-112-050 of this Code, the licensee shall pay a re-inspection fee of $75.00.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1)
The Commissioner may issue licenses for motor vehicles to operate as taxicabs according to the following:
(a) Vehicles having a manufacturer's rated seating capacity of ten or more persons, including the driver, may not be licensed as taxicabs.
(b) A vehicle must meet applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards for vehicles of its size, type and proposed use, in order to be licensed as a taxicab.
(c) Vehicle age. A licensee may not operate a vehicle as a licensed taxicab beyond the following vehicle age:
(1) Ten years for vehicles that are not designated pursuant to the Department's list of authorized vehicles as wheelchair accessible or fuel efficient.
(2) Fifteen years for vehicles that are designated pursuant to the Department's list of authorized vehicles as fuel efficient.
(3) Fifteen years for vehicles that are designated pursuant to the Department's list of authorized vehicles as wheelchair accessible.
(d) A licensee cannot place a vehicle with an odometer reading of 150,000 miles or greater in operation for the first time as a licensed taxicab.
(e) Any vehicle which has ever been issued the title class of either "salvage," "rebuilt," "junk," "total loss," or any equivalent classification in any jurisdiction is not eligible for operation as a taxicab.
(i) It is the affirmative duty of the licensee to ascertain that the taxicab vehicle is in compliance with this subsection.
(ii) Any vehicle placed in operation by a licensee as a taxicab in violation of this subsection is unsafe for purposes of Section 9-112-050 of this Code.
(iii) Any licensee that places a vehicle in operation as a taxicab in violation of this subsection is subject to immediate license suspension or revocation.
(iv) The Commissioner may by rule require licensees to submit a car history report at the licensee's expense.
(f) The Commissioner may by rule assert additional vehicle specifications that motor vehicles must meet before they can be approved as a taxicab and may by rule in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities extend the amount of time that a wheelchair-accessible vehicle may be in service.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-28-14, p. 82771, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 101074, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 10; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 31925, Art. VI, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 23004, Part 1, Art. I, § 1)
The Commissioner will promulgate by rules establishing the process that licensees must follow when a licensee replaces the taxicab vehicle (for purposes of this section, a "change of equipment"). For a change of equipment performed during a scheduled periodic inspection, the Commissioner shall assess a $25.00 change of equipment processing fee. For a change of equipment not performed during a scheduled periodic inspection, the Commissioner shall assess a $25.00 change of equipment processing fee.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 11)
(a) An application for the issuance or renewal of a taxi license shall be made in writing to the Department on a form provided by the Department and signed and sworn to by the applicant or, if the applicant is a corporation, limited liability company, or partnership, by its authorized agent. Each application shall contain at a minimum:
(1) If the license applicant is an individual:
(i) The individual's full name, social security number, residence address, business address, business e-mail address, if any, and business telephone number;
(ii) Proof that the applicant is at least 18 years of age;
(2) If the license applicant is a corporation:
(i) The corporate name, Chicago business address and telephone number of the applicant;
(ii) The date and state of incorporation;
(iii) The full names, titles, dates of birth, social security numbers, residence addresses, e-mail addresses and residence telephone numbers of its corporate officers, stockholders and authorized agent;
(iv) Proof that all corporate officers are at least 18 years of age; and
(v) Proof that the corporation is in good standing under the laws of the State of Illinois.
(3) If the license applicant is a partnership or limited liability company:
(i) The name, Chicago business address and telephone number of the applicant;
(ii) The full names, social security numbers, residence addresses, e-mail addresses and residence telephone numbers of all partners and managers;
(iii) Proof that all partners, managers, managing members and members, as applicable, are at least 18 years of age.
(b) In addition to the license application requirements listed in subsection (a), and in addition to any other information that the Commissioner may reasonably require in connection with the issuance or renewal of a license, any applicant for license issuance or renewal shall provide to the Commissioner, in a manner the Commissioner prescribes: (i) the license plate number of each vehicle which the applicant will use if a license is issued with a document attesting that each such vehicle and equipment meet the inspection and vehicle standard requirements provided in this chapter; (ii) the Chicago business address and telephone number of the applicant's taxicab affiliation, if any; and (iii) the applicant's insurance policies as provided in Section 9-112-330.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 38042, Art. VI, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 31925, Art. VI, § 6)
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