The following definitions shall apply for purposes of this chapter:
"Charter/sightseeing vehicle" means a public passenger vehicle for hire principally on charter trips or sightseeing tours or both. Provided, however, in Sections 9-114-315 and 9-114-320, the term "charter/sightseeing vehicle" shall refer to a vehicle for hire principally on charter trips or sightseeing tours or both, with a passenger capacity of fifteen or more, regardless of whether it is licensed as a public passenger vehicle or regulated as to licensure or registration by another jurisdiction.
"Charter trip" means a group trip in a charter/sightseeing vehicle arranged in advance at a fixed rate per vehicle.
"Commissioner" means the City's Commissioner of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection or the Commissioner's designee.
"Council" means the City Council of the City of Chicago.
"Licensee" means any person to whom one or more licenses have been issued pursuant to this chapter.
"Livery vehicle" means a public passenger vehicle for hire only at a charge or fare for each passenger per trip or for each vehicle per trip fixed by agreement in advance.
"Low-speed electric public passenger vehicle" means: (i) a three-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle; (ii) exclusively powered by an electric motor that is capable of propelling the vehicle at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour on a paved level surface; and (iii) which is used for the transportation of passengers for hire.
"Medical carrier" means any privately owned public passenger vehicle which is specifically designed, constructed or modified and equipped and is maintained or operated for the nonemergency transportation of persons for compensation for the purpose of obtaining medical services, or persons with disabilities for any purpose.
"Medical carrier owner" means a person engaged in business as owner of one or more medical carriers.
"Operation expenses" means all charges, costs and expenses properly incurred for any given period in accordance with good accounting practice in connection with a licensee's public passenger vehicle operations.
"Place of business in the City of Chicago" means: (1) a location within the City where the City may send, and the licensee shall accept, notices of hearing or other notices from the City; and (2) a location within the City where a licensee maintains its business and financial records relating to the licenses involved.
"Public passenger vehicle" means a motor vehicle, as defined in the motor vehicle law of the State of Illinois, which is used for the transportation of passengers for hire, excepting those (1) devoted exclusively for funeral use; (2) in operation of a metropolitan transit authority; (3) interstate carriers licensed for the transportation of passengers by the United States Department of Transportation solely to the extent that specific regulation of such vehicles by the City is preempted by federal law; (4) interstate carriers operating pursuant to and in conformity with a certificate of authority issued by the Illinois Commerce Commission solely to the extent that specific regulation of such vehicles by the City is prohibited by federal or state law; (5) taxicabs regulated pursuant to Chapter 9-112 of this Code; and (6) vehicles used to provide a transportation network service pursuant to Chapter 9-115. Public passenger vehicles included in the provisions of this chapter include, but are not limited to, livery vehicles, charter/sightseeing vehicles, jitney car services, medical carrier vehicles, and low-speed electric public passenger vehicles.
"Restricted chauffeur" means the driver of a public passenger vehicle licensed by the City as a restricted public chauffeur and who may drive any public passenger vehicle except a taxicab.
"Sightseeing tour" means a tour in a public passenger vehicle which is available to the general public, including prearranged groups, in accordance with a published schedule or itinerary at a charge per passenger or per vehicle and which includes a lecture or material regarding the subject matter of the sightseeing tour.
"Solicit" means an appeal by words or gestures for immediate patronage of a public passenger vehicle by the licensee or his agent upon the public way attempting to direct people to a public passenger vehicle that is parked, stopped, standing or moving upon the public way.
"Two-way dispatch system" means a method of communication by which a dispatcher may communicate simultaneously or individually with the drivers of all vehicles in an organization and for each driver to communicate with the dispatcher, so long as the manner of usage of such device while driving a public passenger vehicle does not violate City, State or Federal regulations. For purposes of this definition the term "organization" refers to the licensee and all vehicles for which a license is owned or controlled by the licensee.
"Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle" or "WAV" means a vehicle that a person in a wheelchair may enter and exit independently or with assistance while seated in a wheelchair. A WAV shall safely secure and restrain the wheelchair.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 5-28-14, p. 82771, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 4-19-17, p. 47373, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61913, § 11; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 31925, Art. VI, § 7; Amend Coun. J. 10-27-21, p. 39525, § 11)