9-112-230 Tiered lease rate structure.

   (a)   The following tiered lease structure with the stated lease rate caps shall apply to the lease of a taxicab:

Tier	Vehicle MPG	1 Hour Maximum Lease Rate	12 Hour Daily Maximum Lease Rate	12 Hour Weekly Maximum Lease Rate	24 Hour Daily Maximum Lease Rate	24 Hour Weekly Maximum Lease Rate
1	Vehicles with Fuel Economy Rating of Greater Than or Equal to 36 mpg or Natural Gas Vehicles with Fuel Economy Rating of Greater Than or Equal to 21 mpg	$6.50 per hour lease	$74 per 12 hour shift	$518 total for seven consecutive 12 hour shifts	$101 per 24 hour shift	$707 total for seven consecutive 24 hour shifts
2	Vehicles with Fuel Economy Rating of Between 25 to 35, inclusive, mpg or Natural Gas Vehicles with Fuel Economy Rating of Less Than or Equal to 20 mpg	$6 per hour lease	$69 per 12 hour shift	$483 total for seven consecutive 12 hour shifts	$93 per 24 hour shift	$651 total for seven consecutive 24 hour shifts
3	Vehicles with Fuel Economy Rating of Less Than or Equal to 24 mpg	$5 per hour lease	$59 per 12 hour shift	$413 total for seven consecutive 12 hour shifts	$85 per 24 hour shift	$595 total for seven consecutive 24 hour shifts
1.   All miles per gallon (mpg) ratings are based upon the "combined" city and highway mile estimates as published by the United States Department of Energy/United States Environmental Protection Agency (www.fueleconomy.gov) for the specific make, model, and year vehicle. Where the www.fueleconomy.gov website does not publish the "combined" vehicles estimated mpg, a vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg) rating shall be its published city + highway travel miles per gallon estimates divided by 2.
2.   [Reserved].
3.   "Natural Gas" vehicles are those vehicles which use compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas as their primary fuel.
4.   The above listed maximum lease rate or "cap" is the maximum lease rate that licensees are allowed to charge lease chauffeurs; however, a lease rate may be negotiated and contracted lower than the maximum listed "cap".
5.   Where the vehicle fuel or engine type is not specifically mentioned it means that all other types of vehicles including internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid (ICE + electric) vehicles are referenced.
6.   The Commissioner will categorize each motor vehicle approved by the Commissioner for operation as a licensed taxicab into one of the above three (3) tiers in order to clarify the allowable maximum lease rate "caps" for that approved vehicle. The Commissioner will revise and post the "Approved Vehicle List" with lease tiers on the Department’s website.
7.   The above-listed maximum lease rates include all charges, including charges for taxes and insurance. Licensees shall not charge any extras or surcharges above the listed maximum lease rates unless such charges are permitted pursuant to rules promulgated under this chapter.
8.   Licensees are responsible to ensure and to pay for needed vehicle repairs and maintenance to ensure the safety of the public chauffeur and the public.

 

   (b)   A lessor of a taxicab shall provide a lessee of a taxicab with an accurate and dated receipt and a completed and fully executed copy of the lease agreement detailing the charges for the lease of a taxicab prior to the delivery of a taxicab. Any lessor who violates this section shall be fined as provided in section 9-112-630 of this Code.

   (c)   The Commissioner may by rule assert additional lease restrictions and terms.

   (d)   No person shall charge more than the lease rates set forth in this section by entering into consecutive leases with the same driver. No person shall charge more than the 12-hour daily lease rate or the 24-hour daily lease rate by entering into consecutive hourly leases with the same driver. No person shall charge more than the 24-hour lease rate by entering into two consecutive 12-hour daily leases with the same driver. No person shall charge more than the 24-hour weekly lease for any 7 consecutive days of a 24-hour daily lease with the same driver. No person shall charge more than the 12-hour weekly lease for any 7 consecutive days of a 12-hour lease with the same driver.

   (e)   The Commissioner may by rule specify a uniform format and language for all lease agreements.

   (f)   Licensees must produce within three days copies of requested lease agreements to the Commissioner upon the Commissioner’s request for the same.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 101074, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-15, p. 12062, Art. XI, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-19, p. 11514, Art. I, § 1)

9-112-240 Medallion license only lease agreements.

   (a)   A medallion license only lease agreement is an agreement where the lessor is the licensee and the lessee has an ownership interest in the vehicle to be used with the license.

   (b)   Medallion license only leases must be for at least a continuous one-week period.

   (c)   The maximum weekly lease rate for a medallion license only lease is $275.00 per week for non-wheelchair-accessible vehicles; and $350 per week if the medallion is leased for use on a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Lessors shall not charge any extras or surcharges above the listed maximum lease rates in this section unless such charges are permitted pursuant to rules promulgated under this chapter.

   (d)   Any lessor who violates this section shall be fined as provided in Section 9-112-630 of this Code.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-6-12, p. 28356, § 17; Amend Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 101074, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 23004, Part 1, Art. I, § 1)

9-112-250 Restriction on consecutive hours of operation.

   (a)   Starting six months after the effective date of this chapter, licensees must implement processes to ensure that no chauffeur operates a taxicab for more than 12 consecutive hours within a 24 hour period.

   (b)   Furthermore, licensees must implement processes to ensure that chauffeurs rest or refrain from operating a taxicab for a period of 8 consecutive hours prior to the start of a 12 hour lease.

   (c)   If a licensee enters into a 24 hour lease (daily or weekly) with a chauffeur, the licensee must implement processes that ensure that that chauffeur is resting or refraining from operating a taxicab after a 12 hour consecutive shift for a minimum of 8 consecutive hours. Licensees are liable for violations of the municipal code or applicable rules committed by their lessee chauffeur after the chauffeur has operated a taxicab for 12 consecutive hours.

   (d)   The commissioner by rule may restrict lease terms and consecutive hours a chauffeur may operate a taxicab.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-6-12, p. 28356, § 18)

9-112-260 Only licensed chauffeurs may operate licensed taxicabs.

   (a)   Licensees, license managers, and taxicab affiliations, to the extent that the taxicab affiliation leases or manages leases, have an affirmative duty to ensure that taxicabs are leased only to licensed chauffeurs.

   (b)   Licensees, license managers, and taxicab affiliations, to the extent that the taxicab affiliation leases or manages leases, must develop and implement protocols to prevent unlicensed chauffeurs to lease or operate taxicabs.

   (c)   Licensees, license managers, and taxicab affiliations, to the extent that the taxicab affiliation leases or manages leases, are strictly liable for unlicensed chauffeurs operating taxicabs if they know that the taxicab has been leased to an unlicensed chauffeur, and any offense committed by an unlicensed chauffeur while operating a taxicab.

   (d)   The commissioner may revoke a medallion license for leasing a taxicab to an unlicensed chauffeur if the lessor does so knowingly or should have known that the chauffeur was unlicensed.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-6-12, p. 28356, § 19)

9-112-270 License decal to be affixed.

   (a)   In the case of taxicabs, the Department shall affix a license decal to the taxicab in such location and manner as to be easily visible from outside the vehicle. The license decal shall change in appearance for each licensing term and shall contain the period for which the license is issued and the identification number of the taxicab. The Department shall issue license decals as a replacement for metal plate medallions.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. VII, § 2)

9-112-280 Unlawful to operate vehicle without a license decal.

   It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a taxicab vehicle without (i) a license decal for the current licensing term affixed to the vehicle or (ii) written authorization from the Commissioner to operate without a license decal.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. VII, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 22233, § 3)

9-112-290 Tampering with license decal unlawful – Penalty.

   It shall be unlawful for any person to make unauthorized alterations to, affix, or reaffix a license decal to any vehicle or to cause any other person to do so. Any licensee in violation of this section shall be subject to license revocation.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. VII, § 4)

9-112-300 Replacement of damaged or missing license decal – Fee.

   The Department shall charge the licensee for the fee to replace any license decal. The Commissioner shall set the fee by rule.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. VII, § 5)

9-112-310 License card.

   In addition to the license decal, the Commissioner shall provide a license card for each licensed taxicab vehicle. This license card must be displayed in a conspicuous place inside the taxicab vehicle to be clearly visible to a passenger. At a minimum, this license card shall contain the name of the license holder and the license number of the vehicle. The chauffeur license of the driver of the taxicab must also be displayed next to the license card. The Commissioner may promulgate rules for additional conditions of display and for replacement card fees.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. VII, § 6)

9-112-320 Dispatch calls.

   (a)   Licensees and taxicab affiliations shall have an affirmative duty to respond to dispatch requests for taxicab service in underserved areas and to insure compliance with this section by the drivers of vehicles. Licensees and taxicab affiliations shall immediately report to the commissioner any driver who fails to comply with the requirements of this section.

   (b)   All licensees have an affirmative duty to respond to requests for service and are responsible for the actions of any employee, chauffeur, lessee, taxicab affiliation, two-way dispatch service, or other manager that reports to the licensee, for any failure to respond to a request for service.

   (c)   Each taxicab which is in service and leased by a public chauffeur must at all times have its two-way dispatch system activated to a level which is readily audible to the driver. The driver must respond in a timely manner to two-way dispatch requests for service in any area within the city's boundaries.

(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1)