CHAPTER 115: TAXICABS
Section
   115.01   Definition
   115.02   License required for operation
   115.03   Experience required of drivers
   115.04   Application for license; residence requirement
   115.05   Liability insurance required; issuance of license; form of license
   115.06   Denial of license; grounds
   115.07   Cancellation of license; grounds
   115.08   Substitution of replacement vehicles
   115.09   Number of licenses
   115.10   License fees; amount
§ 115.01 DEFINITION.
   For the purpose of this chapter, the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
   TAXICAB. Any motor vehicle for hire, designed to carry ten passengers or less, operated upon any street or highway, on call or demand, accepting or soliciting passengers indiscriminately for transportation for hire between such points along streets or highways as may be directed by the passenger(s) so being transported. This classification shall not include:
      (1)   Motor vehicles of ten-passenger capacity or less operated by the owner where the cost of operation is shared by fellow workers between their homes and the place of regular daily employment, when not operated for more than two trips per day;
      (2)   Motor vehicles operated by the owner where the cost of operation is shared by the passengers on a `share the expense' plan;
      (3)   Motor vehicles transporting students from the public school system when the motor vehicle is so transporting under contract with public, private, or parochial school board or governing body; or
      (4)   Motor vehicles operated by an individual or entity which has contracted with the city to provide transportation services in the community.
(47 O.S. § 1-174) (`83 Code, § 16-101) (Ord. 98-56, passed 12-21-98; Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16)
Statutory reference:
   Taxi licensing, city authority, see 11 O.S. §§ 22-106, 22-118
§ 115.02 LICENSE REQUIRED FOR OPERATION.
   No person, firm, or corporation shall operate a taxicab within the city until a license has been issued therefor as hereinafter provided. The term OPERATE A TAXICAB, as herein used, is defined to permit the actual physical operation of any taxicab for which a license has been duly issued as herein provided, by the servant, agent, or employee of the owner or lessee of such duly licensed taxicab without the necessity of such servant, agent or employee procuring any license provided for in this chapter.
(`83 Code, § 16-102) (Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 115.03 EXPERIENCE REQUIRED OF DRIVERS.
   No taxicab licensed under this chapter shall be driven by any driver who has not had at least 12 months' experience in the operation of the type of vehicle to be used by such driver as a taxicab.
(`83 Code, § 16-103) (Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 115.04 APPLICATION FOR LICENSE; RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT.
   (A)   Before any license shall be issued for the operation of a taxicab, the owner or lessee thereof shall file with the City Clerk his verified application in writing setting forth:
      (1)   The kind and character of vehicle or vehicles to be operated;
      (2)   The motor or other identification numbers thereof;
      (3)   The current license numbers thereof in the case of automobiles; and
      (4)   The mechanical condition thereof.
   (B)   The applicant shall also furnish proof, satisfactory to the Mayor and Council, that such owner or lessee is a bona fide resident of the city, or in the case of a firm or corporation is prepared to establish and maintain a place of business therein.
(`83 Code, § 16-104) (Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16)
§ 115.05 LIABILITY INSURANCE REQUIRED; ISSUANCE OF LICENSE; FORM OF LICENSE.
   (A)   Any application so filed with the City Clerk shall be presented to the Mayor and Council by the City Clerk. If such application is approved by the Mayor and Council, and the applicant has paid the fees as provided in this chapter, and has filed with the City Clerk a certificate of the insurance carrier certifying that there is in effect insurance as provided in this section, the City Clerk shall thereupon issue a separate license to the applicant for the operation of each taxicab authorized by the Mayor and Council in the application. The policy of insurance shall be issued by an insurance carrier authorized to do business in the state and it shall insure the owner and operator of the taxicab business, his agents, and employees while in the performance of their duties against loss from any liability imposed by law for damages including damages for care and loss of services because of bodily injury to or death or any person and injury to or destruction of property caused by accident and arising out of the ownership, use or operation of such taxicab or taxicabs, subject to minimum limits, exclusive of interest and cost, with respect to each such motor vehicle as follows: $25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident and, subject to the limit for one person, to a limit of not less than $50,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and if the accident has resulted in injury to or destruction of property to a limit of not less than $25,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.
   (B)   Each such license shall bear the date of issuance thereof, the name of the applicant to whom it is issued, a complete description of the vehicle for which it is issued and the name of the insurance carrier thereon.
(`83 Code, § 16-105) (Ord. 87-16, passed 9-8-87; Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16)
§ 115.06 DENIAL OF LICENSE; GROUNDS.
   The Mayor and Council shall have the right to deny the application of any applicant who is not a bona fide resident of the city or, in the case of a firm or corporation, is not prepared to establish and maintain a place of business therein, or of any applicant who has been convicted for violation of any of the penal laws of the city or of the state, or of the United States of America. The Mayor and Council shall have the further right to deny any application as to any vehicle therein listed and described, which is not in a safe and sound mechanical condition.
(`83 Code, § 16-106)
§ 115.07 CANCELLATION OF LICENSE; GROUNDS.
   (A)   The violation of any of the ordinances of the city or of the laws of the state or of the laws of the United States Government, by any person, firm, or corporation while engaged in the actual physical operation of a taxicab duly licensed under and by virtue of this chapter shall be grounds for the cancellation by the Mayor and Council of the license of such taxicab, as well as any and all other licenses issued hereunder to the owner, or operator of such taxicab.
   (B)   The failure of any licensee hereunder to keep and maintain its taxicabs in a safe and sound mechanical condition, and to keep them properly covered by insurance as in § 115.05 of this chapter shall be grounds for cancellation by the Mayor and Council of the license covering any such taxicab.
(`83 Code, § 16-107) (Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16)
§ 115.08 SUBSTITUTION OF REPLACEMENT VEHICLES.
   Any person, firm, or corporation duly licensed to operate a taxicab hereunder may from time to time substitute other taxicabs for any of those then in use by such person, firm, or corporation, by surrendering the license covering the taxicab no longer to be used and procuring from the City Clerk a new license for the new taxicab to be used. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to issue without additional charge such new license upon being furnished with proof, satisfactory to him, that such new taxicab is in a safe and sound mechanical condition, and upon being furnished with written evidence that such new taxicab is properly covered with insurance as provided in § 115.05 of this chapter.
(`83 Code, § 16-108) (Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16)
§ 115.09 NUMBER OF LICENSES.
   No applicant shall be issued more licenses than he has taxicabs to operate. The failure of any licensee hereunder to operate any taxicab duly licensed other than when being repaired shall be grounds for cancellation by the Mayor and Council of the license covering such taxicab.
(`83 Code, § 16-101) (Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16)
§ 115.10 LICENSE FEES; AMOUNT.
   There shall be paid to the City Clerk the sum of $100 for the first license issued to any applicant, and the sum of $10 additional for each additional license issued to such applicant which increases the total number of taxicabs to be operated by such applicant. Each license shall expire on June 30 of each year and shall be nontransferable.
(`83 Code, § 16-110) (Ord. 98-08, passed 4-6-98; Am. Ord. 2016-11, passed 3-21-16; Am. Ord. 2016-38, passed 10-17-16)