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A. Definitions:
ELIGIBLE DISABLED CITIZEN: Any person who receives supplemental security income (SSI), social security disability (SSD), or has their physician certify their disability whose residence is located within the corporate limits of the city.
PARTICIPATING TAXI SERVICE COMPANY: Any taxi service company providing taxi service within the city that executed an agreement with the city by which, under certain conditions, the city shall subsidize cab fares for senior citizens and eligible disabled citizens.
SENIOR CITIZEN: Any person of sixty five (65) or more years whose residence is located within the corporate limits of the city.
SENIOR CITIZEN/DISABLED CITIZEN LIST: A list compiled by participating taxi services of senior citizens and eligible disabled citizens gathered by securing the signature of each senior citizen or disabled citizen each time such citizen employs a taxicab to secure the reduced rate provided for senior citizens and disabled citizens by the taxi service program for senior citizens and disabled citizens.
TRIP: Only those excursions the routes of which begin or end within the corporate boundaries of the city.
B. Application For Senior Citizen/Disabled Citizen Voucher Program: An application for voucher issued by the city or its agents containing the following information:
1. The applicant's residence.
2. The applicant's signature.
3. A statement that the voucher is nontransferable.
4. A statement that the above named disabled citizen has shown proof of receiving SSI, SSD, or has their physician certify their disability; has shown proof of being a resident of the city and is hereby entitled to all privileges specified of the taxi service program for senior citizens and disabled citizens.
5. A statement that the above named senior citizen has shown proof of attaining age sixty five (65), has shown proof of being a resident of the city and is hereby entitled to all privileges specified by the taxi service program for senior citizens and disabled citizens.
C. Creation Of Program: The city does hereby establish a taxi service program for senior citizens and eligible disabled citizens. Pursuant to this program, the city shall be authorized to enter into subsidy agreements with participating taxi services. Among other provisions, these agreements shall provide that upon presentation by a senior citizen or a disabled citizen of a valid senior citizen or disabled citizen voucher, and his signature on the taxi customer list, the senior citizen or disabled citizen shall be enabled to secure a reduced rate for trips from taxicab companies and drivers licensed by the city of Des Plaines.
D. Rates Established: The agreements entered into between participating taxi services and the city shall provide for rates as follows:
1. Rates to be charged to eligible disabled citizens or senior citizens sixty five (65) years of age or older shall be as follows:
a. A rate shall be charged by taxicabs licensed to operate in the city to such persons for transportation based on the fare shown on the taxicab meter; three dollars ($3.00) shall be billed to the city and the remaining balance due shall be paid directly by the rider.
b. When more than one senior citizen and/or eligible disabled citizen is transported to the same destination, then each additional person shall be required to pay ten cents ($0.10) in addition to the established rate.
c. Persons eligible for the rates set forth in this subsection D1 must apply for and obtain a voucher issued by the city. The health and human services division of the city shall establish the standards and procedures for the issuance of such cards.
d. A driver of a taxicab who fails to abide by the provisions of this program shall be fined as provided in the general penalty in section 1-4-1 of this code for each offense and possibly the revocation or suspension of his chauffeur's license.
2. No taxicab company shall require that a prospective passenger identify, prior to pick up of said passenger, if he is a "senior citizen" or disabled citizen as defined in this section.
3. No taxicab company, owner or operator of a taxicab shall refuse to convey any orderly senior citizen or eligible disabled citizen holding a voucher issued by the city.
4. Those taxicab company owners or drivers of taxicabs licensed by the city shall bill the city on a regular basis for the city's share of such senior citizen or disabled citizen subsidized taxicab rate program, provided the following procedures have been met:
a. The senior citizen or disabled citizen has presented their voucher issued by the city at the inception of the taxicab ride.
b. Said passenger vouchers shall be forwarded to the city for payment on a monthly basis. (Ord. M-19-13, 10-7-2013)
A. Stickers And License Plates:
1. Sticker Displayed: The chief of police, or his designee, is hereby authorized and directed to issue a taxicab vehicle license sticker for each public conveyance vehicle licensed under this chapter. No public passenger vehicle shall receive patrons within the city unless this license sticker is displayed in the vehicle on the driver's lower left corner of the front windshield in plain view of the public.
2. Penalty: Any person violating any of the provisions of this subsection A shall be fined as provided in the general penalty in section 1-4-1 of this code for each offense. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
B. Driver's Identification Card, Appearance:
1. Each public conveyance vehicle licensed hereunder shall have a Des Plaines chauffeur license of the operator of the public conveyance vehicle displayed prominently in the vehicle, clearly visible from the rear seat, said card to contain a current photo of the operator of the vehicle.
2. Each public passenger vehicle driver shall be well groomed, maintain personal hygiene, be clean and orderly in hair (face and head) and dress. Such operator will be required to wear a collared shirt with full or part sleeve, full length pants and shoes which fully cover the driver's feet. Clothing shall not have any visible rips or tears.
C. Taximeters:
1. Each taxicab licensed and operated under the provisions of this chapter shall be equipped with a meter which will visibly register, electronically or mechanically, the distance traveled by such vehicle, the time such vehicle is in waiting and the total fare to be charged in dollars and cents. Said taximeter shall be operated from the transmission of the taxicab to which it is attached.
2. No taxicab appearing at inspection site shall be issued a city taxicab vehicle license sticker until its taximeter is tested and certified to be accurate and sealed. Annual certification is required in January to be conducted at a designated location determined by the chief of police or his designee.
3. No taxicab shall operate for hire in the city unless the taximeter is accurately recording the fare to be charged.
4. Recertification of meter is required if any of the following changes are made to the vehicle:
a. Change tire or wheel size.
b. Any transmission work.
c. Rear axle work.
d. Connection corrosion.
e. Change in rate of fare.
5. The taxi rates of fare operation shall be printed upon a card in plain and legible type as designated by the chief of police. The card will be affixed to the interior of each taxicab in a conspicuous place so that it may be easily read by any passenger riding in the vehicle.
D. Refusal To Carry Passengers/Unreasonable Delay: No owner or driver of any vehicle, licensed under this chapter, shall unreasonably delay any person or refuse to convey in this city any person with or without baggage when applied to for that purpose; or, having undertaken to convey the person, shall fail or neglect to do so, under a penalty not to exceed the general penalty in section 1-4-1 of this code for each offense. (Ord. M-19-13, 10-7-2013)
A. Cab Stands:
1. No vehicle of any kind shall stand upon, be parked upon, or make use of any public taxi or hack stand in this city unless the owner thereof has obtained a license as provided herein, and the driver thereof has a chauffeur's license as provided for in section 4-14-1 of this chapter. Any person violating this subsection A1 shall be subject to a fine as provided in the general penalty in section 1-4-1 of this code. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each time a violation occurs.
2. Taxicabs entering a cab stand or line shall take the rear position. Overcrowding cab stands or lines is prohibited.
While taxicabs occupy designated cab stands, no other taxicab shall bypass the cab line and accept passengers for service.
3. The first taxicab in line shall be eligible for the first available fare unless a passenger indicates a preference for another cab in that line.
4. Livery vehicles shall not park in taxicab stands.
5. Hotels and motels of more than twenty five (25) rooms shall be required to establish taxicab stands and pick up service for customers of the hotel or motel and shall only be from or by vehicles licensed by the city. Hotel and motel operators shall be responsible to see that pick up of patrons shall only be by vehicles licensed by the city to pick up passengers from Des Plaines locations.
6. It shall be unlawful for any hotel or motel to allow any person to operate an unlicensed public passenger vehicle for hire on its property. Any hotel or motel violating this subsection shall be fined as provided in the general penalty in section 1-4-1 of this code for each offense. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day a violation occurs.
7. It shall be unlawful for any hotel or motel employee to arrange for or allow an unlicensed public passenger vehicle for hire to operate on hotel or motel property, or to allow taxicabs to accept passengers for service in violation of subsections A2 and A3 of this section. Any hotel or motel employee violating this subsection shall be fined as provided in the general penalty in section 1-4-1 of this code for each offense.
B. Parking On Streets:
1. No person in charge of any public taxi or vehicle carrying passengers for hire shall permit the same, except when receiving or discharging passengers or when instructed by their passengers so to do, to stand on any of the streets, avenues or alleys in this city for any longer than five (5) minutes, except as otherwise herein provided.
2. No vehicles, licensed as aforesaid, shall be permitted to use any of the public streets of the city as a station or stand for the carrying on of business; provided, however, that the motor vehicle or other vehicles may be stationed on the private driveways of any railroad company in a suitable manner so as not to impede or block traffic for a period of ten (10) minutes before and five (5) minutes after the arrival of passenger trains at the depot of the railway company; and provided further, that interurban autobuses may be parked at reasonable places designated by the mayor and city council, so as not to impede or block traffic for a period not exceeding fifteen (15) minutes, to receive and discharge passengers.
3. Licensed taxicab companies shall provide the city with a list of vehicles in their fleet and show plans for overnight parking in an off street lot or private garage. (Ord. M-19-13, 10-7-2013)
A. Smoking: Smoking is not allowed in any public passenger vehicle (driver or patron).
B. Soliciting Trade: It shall be unlawful for the owner or driver of any such vehicle to solicit by word, gesture or otherwise, the patronage of any person, at any railroad station, or upon any public street in the city, and it shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to stand or be upon the platform of any railway station in the city while any train shall be approaching the station, and until the expiration of three (3) minutes after the departure of the train, except to assist persons who have indicated a desire of patronizing the vehicle in his charge.
C. Unlawful For Person To Sit In Front Seat: It shall be unlawful for any person not the driver or operator of a public passenger vehicle to sit in the front seat of the vehicle, with or without the presence of the driver or operator while any vehicle is parked at any designated cab stand. It shall be unlawful for any person not the owner or operator of a public passenger vehicle to ride in the front seat of the vehicle, except a passenger for hire, while in or during the course of transporting a passenger to a designated destination.
D. Unlawful For Operator To Permit Person In Front Seat: It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of any public passenger vehicle to permit any person, a passenger for hire excepted, to sit in the front seat while at a cab stand or to ride in the front seat with the driver while a passenger for hire is being transported.
E. Parking On Private Property: It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of any public passenger vehicle to stand or park on private property unless the owner or operator is actively loading or discharging a passenger. Under no circumstances shall the owner or operator of a public passenger vehicle stand or park on privately owned property in excess of ten (10) minutes.
F. Parking In Drive-Up Facilities: It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of any public passenger vehicle to stand or park in a parking lot which is located on the same premises as a restaurant with drive-up facilities for a period longer than fifteen (15) minutes.
G. Parking At Grocery Stores: It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of any public passenger vehicle to stand or park in a parking lot which is located on the same premises as a grocery store, delicatessen, or convenience food store for a period longer than ten (10) minutes. (Ord. M-19-13, 10-7-2013)
Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be fined as provided in the general penalty in section 1-4-1 of this code for each offense; and a separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during which a violation occurs or continues. (Ord. M-19-13, 10-7-2013)