(A) Required. It is unlawful for any person to operate a taxicab or a taxicab service or business within the city unless that person or business is the holder of the taxicab service permit issued as provided in this chapter, provided, however, that taxicabs licensed by other cities may be driven into and out of this city when the taxicab and driver are properly licensed in the city of origin.
(Prior Code, § 128.04)
(B) Application.
(1) The prospective taxicab service permittee shall file with the Common Council his, her, or its application for a permit upon the forms to be supplied by the Council Clerk. The application shall contain the following information:
(a) The name and address of the applicant;
(b) If the applicant is a partnership, a copy of the partnership agreement shall be filed, together with the full names and address of all the partners;
(c) If the application is a corporation, a copy of the articles of incorporation shall be filed, and the application shall show the names and addresses of all the officers and directors of the corporation;
(d) The number of taxicabs which will be covered by the permit;
(e) A complete description of each taxicab, including the make, year of manufacture, engine number, serial number, and color, and the applicant shall designate the color to be used;
(f) Any other information the Common Council may deem necessary to show compliance with this chapter;
(g) Attached to or accompanying the application shall be an insurance policy or bond, as required in this chapter, and cash or check for a basic license fee or individual taxicab fees, as provided in this chapter; and
(h) The application shall be signed by the owner of the taxicab company and the application shall be sworn to by the applicant.
(2) All applications for the taxicab service permit shall be made and received by the Common Council no later than February 28, 1994.
(Prior Code, § 128.05)
(C) Fees. A basic annual permit fee of $150 per year shall be paid for each taxicab.
(Prior Code, § 128.06)
(D) General procedures for determination. Within 30 days of the close of permit applications, the Common Council, after a public hearing, shall by resolution, award and designate the taxicab service permittee. In making this determination, the Council shall take into consideration the qualifications of the applicant, including financial responsibility, experience in the taxicab business, age and quality of taxicabs, experience and reliability of drivers, the color scheme to be used by the applicant, and any other factors that the Common Council shall deem desirable or necessary.
(Prior Code, § 128.07)
(E) Issuance of licence; nontransferability of license plates. Upon issuance of the taxicab service permit by the Common Council and after providing proof of insurance and payment of the license fee, as provided herein, the City Controller shall issue to the permittee a license authorizing the permittee to operate each taxicab upon the streets and alleys of this city. The individual license plates shall not be transferred to any other taxicab, other than that taxicab for which it was issued, except under the following conditions:
(1) If a taxicab is to be retired permanently from service during the year, then an application for the transfer of the city license shall be made to the City Controller showing the information required in division (F) below and having attached thereto the rider to the insurance policy covering the substitute taxicab; and
(2) In the event that a taxicab operator wishes to substitute temporarily a taxicab for one that is undergoing repairs, he or she shall notify the Chief of Police and advise him or her of the serial number of the substitute taxicab and give him or her the name and telephone number of the insurance agent who issued the liability policy to cover the substitute taxicab during the period. The Chief of Police shall make an investigation, as he or she deems proper, to assure that the substitute taxicab is in a safe operating condition and is properly insured. Upon these findings, he or she shall notify the taxicab owner that he or she may transfer the city license to the substitute taxicab and shall enter this decision on the police daily case sheet. Upon return of the original taxicab to service, the owner shall again notify the Chief of Police that he or she is returning the original taxicab to service and transferring the city license back to the original taxicab, which facts shall be entered in the daily police case sheet.
(Prior Code, § 128.08)
(F) Vehicle descriptions; driver information. The permittee shall also provide to the City Controller the following:
(1) A description of each vehicle to be operated including the:
(a) Make;
(b) Model;
(c) Motor and chassis numbers;
(d) Seating capacity;
(e) Age of vehicle;
(f) State license number;
(g) State registered owner; and
(h) Color scheme to be used.
(2) A statement concerning each proposed driver showing compliance with the following:
(a) No person shall act as a driver of a taxicab licensed under this chapter unless possessing the following qualifications:
1. Have attained the age of 21;
2. Possess good physical health and having no history or symptoms of any disease or disorder which might render him or her unfit for the safe operation of a taxicab;
3. Be able to read and write the English language;
4. Be clean in dress and person and not be addicted to the use of intoxicating liquors or narcotics;
5. Have the proper state license to operate a taxicab; and
6. Be of good moral character.
(b) No person shall engage in operating a taxicab required to be licensed under this chapter until he or she has obtained an identification card from the Chief of Police, three inches by six inches in size, bearing the photograph and name of the driver which shall, at all times when he or she is driving a taxicab, be mounted above the meter in a manner so that it will be plainly visible and in view of the passenger at all times. Each cab company shall make available the proper facilities to hold this identification card plus the number of the cab, and shall pay a reasonable sum to the proper authorities for the cost of the identification card and photograph of each driver.
(Prior Code, § 128.09)
(Ord. 0-93-0028, passed - -1994) Penalty, see § 115.999