All tour service vehicles shall conform to all pertinent local, state and federal codes, whether or not explicitly mentioned within this chapter. In addition, the following regulations shall apply:
(A) External advertising. No external advertising, other than lettering identifying the name of the tour service business and/or any information as may be required by the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code. Said lettering shall not exceed 18 inches in height.
(B) Vehicle license. Each tour service vehicle shall be licensed as may be required by the State of Illinois for such vehicle.
(C) Oversize and/or underpowered vehicles. Oversized and/or underpowered vehicles can pose a threat to safety, health and general welfare when operated on the steep hills and various places with narrow pavements and/or tight turns within the city. Therefore, use of tour service vehicles powered by diesel fuel or weighing over 22,500 pounds, measuring over 31 feet in length, over eight feet in width, over 11 feet in height, are hereby restricted to those streets approved and designated as bus routes by the City Council. Underpowered vehicles are defined as those unable to climb any street grade within the city at greater than 20 miles per hour under normal conditions, and such are also restricted to the bus routes as approved by the City Council.
(D) Operations, impeding traffic flow. It shall be unlawful to operate a tour service vehicle in any manner which places the occupants of the vehicle in immediate harm, or in any manner which impedes standard traffic flow on city streets. Impeding standard traffic flow shall include moving slower than the standard traffic flow or stopping in traffic lanes for other than such slowing or yielding as may be required by traffic law.
(E) Standing, idling. It shall be unlawful to allow or cause to be allowed any tour service vehicle to be parked with the engine idling or running, or otherwise left standing with the engine running, either attended or unattended, for a period of greater than 15 minutes. Said requirement shall not apply to tour service vehicles parked on private property, unless said idling is creating a nuisance.
(F) Parking, loading. No tour service vehicle may be parked on a city street in other than designated bus parking areas except as provided in this division. No tour service vehicle may load or unload on a city street in other than a designated bus loading zone. Tour service vehicles may also be parked to load and unload at the places of business designated by each licensee under § 114.06, provided that the entire tour vehicle is located on the property of the licensee and not on any neighboring property, sidewalk, street, or right-of-way at the time of parking, loading, and unloading. Loading and unloading of previously ticketed and transported passengers shall be permitted at businesses and historical attractions and/or sites provided that the tour service vehicle is otherwise standing, idling and/or parked in compliance with this chapter and all other applicable laws. In no instance shall a tour service vehicle load or unload, whether on a city or private property, in such a way as to require the passenger to step or proceed into the portion of the right-of-way that is commonly traveled by motorized vehicles.
(G) Route. All vehicles, either tour service vehicles or vehicles guided by tour guides, shall be restricted to the route, routes, or streets approved by the City Council on file at City Hall. The City Council may approve one or more routes based on vehicle type, size, weight, and/or passenger loads.
(H) Prohibited vehicles. Only those vehicles that are designed specifically for travel on streets or highways are allowed as tour service vehicles. Multi-terrain vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, or any other form of vehicle shall be prohibited from the operation of any form of tour services within the city limits, the Galena River, and the airspace above the city proper, regardless of the point of origin of the tour.
(I) Maintenance. All tour service vehicles shall be kept neat and clean and in proper working order at all times that the vehicles are in operation or parked on city streets. Proper maintenance shall be evidenced by a State of Illinois Vehicle Safety Inspection sticker and other state or federal maintenance and/or safety inspection certification that may be required.
('69 Code, § 12-120) (Ord. O-88-15, passed 5-9-88; Am. Ord. O-93-45, passed 6-14-93; Am. Ord. O-98-21, passed 10-26-98; Am. Ord. O-05-21, passed 7-11-05; Am. Ord. O-07-10, passed 5-29-07; Am. Ord. O-14-16, passed 11-10-14) Penalty, see § 110.99