(a) General. Charter/sightseeing vehicles shall not be used for transportation of passengers except on sightseeing tours or charter trips.
No person shall solicit passengers for sightseeing tours upon any public way except at stands specially designated by the City Council for sightseeing vehicles.
Each charter/sightseeing vehicle that is not subject to requirements to display identification or information pursuant to rules imposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Illinois Commerce Commission, or federal or state law shall display the City of Chicago public vehicle (for purposes of this section, "COCPV") license number, preceded by the initials "COCPV", and the name of and a contact telephone number for the owner. For purposes of this section, a license plate is not "identification information". The markings required by this section must:
(1) Be painted or otherwise permanently affixed to, and appear on both sides of the vehicle;
(2) Be in letters that contrast sharply in color with the background on which the letters are placed;
(3) Be readily legible, during daylight hours, from a distance of 50 feet while the vehicle is stationary; and
(4) Be kept and maintained in a manner that retains the legibility required by the preceding paragraph (3).
The driver of a charter/sightseeing vehicle shall keep an itinerary identifying the point of origin and each stop for the current trip, in such form and format as the Commissioner specifies, and shall present that itinerary to Authorized City Personnel, as that term is defined in Section 9-114-315, upon request.
The owner of each charter/sightseeing vehicle subject to City licensure under this chapter shall include their City license account (I.R.I.S.) number on all advertising and promotional materials for the charter/sightseeing service, on any web page promoting or describing the charter/sightseeing service, and on any trip contract used for the trip.
(b) Trips that include alcohol. In addition to the requirements of subsection (a), the requirements and restrictions of this subsection (b) apply to each trip with fifteen or more passengers that includes the opportunity for passengers to consume alcoholic liquor either: (i) while on the vehicle, or (ii) during an interim stop on the trip (i.e. a stop other than the point of origin or final destination).
(1) Each charter/sightseeing vehicle subject to this subsection (b) that: (i) has no itinerary stops (i.e. hired for the opportunity for social or recreational activity on the vehicle); or (ii) serves or allows the consumption of alcoholic liquor on the vehicle shall comply with all of the following requirements: (i) contain a security guard to accompany the driver for the entire trip; (ii) be equipped with one or more fully operational security cameras meeting specifications set by rule; and (iii) have a written plan of operation addressing safety protocols which shall be kept in the vehicle and shall be available for inspection by Authorized City Personnel, as that term is defined in Section 9-114-315, upon request.
(2) Each charter/sightseeing vehicle subject to this subsection (b) with an itinerary of listed stops shall comply with all of the following requirements: (i) contain personnel, who could be the driver or another individual, trained in safety protocols to ensure the safety of the passengers, the chauffeur/driver and the public for the entire trip, and (ii) be equipped with one or more fully operational security cameras meeting specifications set by rule; and (iii) have a written plan of operation addressing safety protocols which shall be kept in the vehicle and shall be available for inspection by Authorized City Personnel, as that term is defined in Section 9-114-315, upon request.
The owner, driver of a charter/sightseeing vehicle or security guard shall take affirmative measures to determine that no passenger is in violation of Section 9-114-315(b)(4).
Upon commencing a trip in the City of Chicago, or upon or prior to entering the City of Chicago, the driver of a charter/sightseeing vehicle or security guard shall present to each passenger the text of subsections 9-114-315(b) and (c). This text may be presented via an information sheet or placard, a spoken presentation to the passengers, or a video. The presentation shall be subject to discretionary audit by Authorized City Personnel, as that term is defined in Section 9-114-315.
No charter/sightseeing vehicle shall include a stop for purposes of visiting any public park during the hours the park is closed.
(Added Coun. J. 1-18-12, p. 19118, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 4-19-17, p. 47373, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-7-18, p. 88803, § 26; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 31925, Art. VI, § 7)