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(a) As of the effective date of this chapter, no person shall act as a license manager for any license not issued to him or to a corporation of which he is an officer or to a partnership of which he is a partner without first obtaining a license manager's license from the commissioner. An applicant must apply for a license manager license using a print or electronic form prescribed by, and as directed by, the commissioner and accompanied by such documents as the commissioner may require. License managers registered with the commissioner on the effective date of this chapter will have a two-month grace period to obtain such license.
(b) No licensee shall allow any person to assume or undertake any or all of his responsibilities relating to the leasing of his license(s) unless that person is a licensed license manager with the commissioner. In the event that a licensee allows any person, not licensed as a license manager with the commissioner, to assume or undertake any such responsibilities, the medallion license shall be suspended until such time as the licensee appears in the office of the commissioner and sufficiently establishes that either the person assuming the responsibilities is a licensed license manager or that the licensee is meeting those responsibilities himself. In addition, any licensee who allows an unlicensed license manager to assume or undertake his responsibilities may have his medallion license revoked.
(d) License managers and the licensee shall be jointly and severally liable for any violations of this chapter or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(e) The annual fee for each license manager license is $1,000.00. All license manager licenses expire on October 31. Renewal of such license must be made during the month of October. The fee shall be paid in advance before the license is issued. In order to avoid lapse of the license manager license, the licensee must renew the license before the expiration date of the licensing term. License manager licensing renewal fees must be paid before the first day of the licensing term. Any license manager licensing fee paid on or after the first day of the licensing term is considered a late payment, and is subject to late payment fees, with interest accrued as specified in this Code and promulgated in the rules by the commissioner.
(f) All persons obtaining a license to be a license manager shall deposit with the commissioner a bond, in the penal sum of $200,000.00, containing one or more sureties to be approved by the commissioner. Such bond shall be payable to the City of Chicago and shall be conditioned that the licensed license manager shall comply with the provisions of the Municipal Code of Chicago and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and shall pay all fines, orders of restitution, or judgments for damages ordered by the department of administrative hearings, or a court of competent jurisdiction, based on a violation of the Municipal Code and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, committed by the licensed license manager, his agents or employees, while acting within the scope of their employment. The licensed license manager is immediately liable for satisfaction upon determination of the fine or award judgment, or, if timely appeal is taken, upon final determination of the appeal.
(g) Each license manager shall file with the commissioner a plan detailing the off-street parking of the taxicab vehicles that he manages when such vehicles are not in use.
(h) The commissioner is authorized to promulgate any and all rules for the effective administration of this section.
(i) Licensed license managers in violation of the provisions of this section or rules thereunder are subject to fines and other applicable penalties, including but not limited to termination of the license manager's license.
(j) Any license manager licensed under this section shall not be required to obtain an additional license under 9-112-450.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 17)
(a) No person shall operate as a license broker without first being licensed by the Commissioner, unless such person is an attorney in good standing licensed in the State of Illinois or holds a Section 9-112-440 license manager license. An applicant must apply for a license broker license using a print or electronic form prescribed by, and as directed by, the Commissioner and accompanied by such documents as the Commissioner may require and shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Proof that the license broker has a place of business in Chicago; and
(2) Information as to whether the applicant for the license or any principal thereof has a financial interest in any lender, insurance brokerage firm or automobile dealership.
(b) Applicants for a license broker license are subject to an investigation pursuant to Section 9-112-110 of this Code.
(c) All applicants for a license broker license shall deposit with the Commissioner a bond, in the penal sum of $200,000.00, containing one or more sureties to be approved by the Commissioner. Such bond shall be payable to the City of Chicago and shall be conditioned that the license applicant or licensee will comply with the provisions of the Municipal Code of Chicago and the rules promulgated thereunder. The applicant shall pay all fines, orders of restitution, or judgments for damages ordered by the Department of Administrative Hearings, or a court of competent jurisdiction, based on a violation of the Municipal Code of Chicago and the rules promulgated thereunder, committed by such licensee, his agents or employees, while acting within the scope of their employment. The broker is immediately liable for satisfaction upon determination of the fine or award judgment, or, if timely appeal is taken, upon final determination of the appeal.
(d) The annual fee for each license broker license is $500.00. All license broker licenses expire on October 31. Renewal of such license must be made during the month of October. The fee shall be paid in advance before the license is issued. In order to avoid lapse of the license broker license, the licensee must renew the license before the expiration date of the licensing term. License broker licensing renewal fees must be paid before the first day of the licensing term. Any license broker licensing fee paid on or after the first day of the licensing term is considered a late payment, and is subject to late payment fees and interest accrued as specified in the Code and promulgated in rules by the Commissioner.
(e) A license broker shall conspicuously display a license or copy thereof at all times in every place of business maintained by such broker.
(f) A license broker shall not display a taxicab broker's license which is expired, suspended or revoked, but shall surrender same to the Commissioner immediately.
(g) A license broker:
(1) must not accept, request nor permit a party to sign a document or instrument, including but not limited to a power of attorney, which is incomplete or which does not include all material facts required under this Code;
(2) must provide any party referenced in the documents with a duplicate copy of the executed instrument for the party's own records; and
(3) must upon completion of a closing, or other transaction deliver, to the party referenced in the documents, copies of all documents prepared by the broker or under the broker's supervision within ten business days of such completion and request the party receiving such papers to acknowledge, in writing, receipt of same.
(h) A license broker shall keep and maintain for a period of three years all records involving the sale or encumbrance of a license.
(i) A license broker shall furnish the Commissioner with copies of any requested documents within three business days of such request.
(j) The Commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules governing the conduct of license brokers including, but not limited to: the form, duration and limitations on listing agreements for the transfer of licenses; disclosures by the license broker to any client or potential client regarding possible conflicts of interest based on the license broker's activities as a lender, insurance broker, or automobile dealer or the license broker's contractual relationship or financial or other interest in a lender, insurance broker or automobile dealer; advertising by the broker; forms to be used in the transfer or encumbrance of a license; and applicable penalties including but not limited to fines, license suspension, or license revocation for violation of any provision of this ordinance or the rules promulgated thereunder.
(k) Any monies paid in connection with the transfer of a license, must be held in a separate interest- bearing escrow account until the Department approves the transfer of the license.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 31925, Art. VI, § 6)
Every taxicab shall be operated regularly to the extent reasonably necessary to meet the public demand for service. Licensees must notify the Commissioner if the service of any taxicab vehicle is discontinued for a period of 30 continuous days for any reason. Additionally, licensees must surrender the license card and the license decal for any taxicab that is discontinued for a period of 30 continuous days for any reason. The Commissioner has the authority to demand that the licensee place into service a taxicab within five business days of the notice.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 19; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. VII, § 9)
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9-112-575, the commissioner shall promulgate regulations to set forth procedures by which all available taxicab licenses shall be distributed periodically (by sale, lease, or otherwise) pursuant to open and competitive bidding procedures. The procedures shall be designed to produce the maximum amount of revenues to the city consistent with serving the public interest, and to ensure that only applicants that are qualified under this chapter are awarded licenses.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-10-16, p. 18543, § 1)
Every taxicab shall have the taxicab vehicle license number painted in one of the following locations: (1) the center of the main panel of the rear doors of the vehicle, or (2) on the rear panels of the vehicle if an advertising permit has been issued for the rear door. If the medallion licensee is affiliated with a taxicab affiliation, the affiliation’s color scheme, name, and telephone number shall be substituted.
The Commissioner may also provide, pursuant to rule, that other information of interest to the public, including, but not limited to, the licensee’s or taxicab affiliation’s website or e-mail address and/or the current taximeter rates of fare be permanently and prominently affixed to the outside of the vehicle. No other name, number, emblem, or advertisement of any kind excepting signs or advertisements required or permitted by this chapter, official license emblems or a license decal shall be painted or carried so as to be visible on the outside of any taxicab unless otherwise required by state law.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. VII, § 10)
A licensee is responsible for ensuring that his taxicab(s) permanently display the information in a manner set forth by the commissioner. The information must be displayed, in letters and numerals large enough to be plainly visible to the passenger. The information contents shall include at a minimum: the license number, and the taxicab meter rates and charges set by ordinance. The commissioner may promulgate rules governing the form, the placement and the contents of the information to be displayed.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1)
A licensee is responsible for ensuring that his taxicab(s) are equipped with a taximeter connected with and operated from the transmission of the taxicab to which it is attached. The taximeter must be active whenever the taxicab is engaged for hire within the city limits.
Taximeters must register the rates and charges accrued as set by this chapter. The taximeter shall display the fare in a manner and size so as to be plainly visible to the passenger while riding in the back seat of the vehicle. All taximeters must be equipped with a receipt-dispensing mechanism. The commissioner may promulgate rules governing taximeter and receipt specifications.
The fare-indicating mechanism of the taximeter shall be actuated by the distance mechanism whenever the vehicle is in motion at such a speed that the rate of distance revenue equals or exceeds the time rate, and may be actuated by the time mechanism whenever the vehicle speed is less than this and when the vehicle is not in motion.
Taximeters shall be designed, calibrated and tested to register fares pursuant to the standards published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (N.I.S.T.) in N.I.S.T. Handbook 44, or standards approved by a United States governmental weights and measurements agency with authority over such standards and approved through rules promulgated by the Commissioner.
It is unlawful for a licensee to operate or lease a taxicab or a public chauffeur to operate a taxicab for hire within the city unless (1) that taxicab's meter has been sealed by the commissioner and (2) the meter is in proper and accurate working condition in accordance with this chapter and applicable rules.
The commissioner is authorized to issue rules necessary to regulate the payment of fares, including but not limited to, cash, credit cards, debit cards, cyber-cash and other generally acceptable means of purchasing goods and services. Such rules may also specify the type and placement of non-cash payment devices, providing that all non-cash payment methods shall be located in the rear passenger compartment for use by the passenger.
Such rules may also provide the maximum amount charged to the chauffeur, directly or indirectly, by any taxicab licensee or taxicab affiliation in processing any non-cash payment of a fare.
As of the effective date of this chapter, any licensee who replaces a taxicab must install in the replacement vehicle a rear seat swipe credit card processing equipment approved by the department.
The commissioner is authorized to issue rules necessary to require and regulate the installation of global position system (GPS) in all taxicabs.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 20)
At the time a taxicab license is issued and annually thereafter the taximeter shall be inspected and tested by the city to determine if it complies with the specifications of this chapter and applicable rules. If it is in proper condition for use, the taximeter shall be sealed by the commissioner. Upon complaint or as part of a random inspection by the department, a taximeter may be again inspected and tested.
The licensee must deliver the taxicab with the taximeter attached for inspection and testing as requested by the commissioner. The commissioner has the authority to suspend the license and the taxicab vehicle if the licensee fails to bring the taxicab for requested taximeter inspection.
The commissioner may by rule set taximeter inspection fees.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 1)
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