(A) Taxicab business license requirements; insurance; fees.
(1) Taxicab business license required. No person may operate a taxicab alone or as part of a taxicab business without first having obtained a taxicab business license from the City Clerk after approval by the City Council.
(2) Application for taxicab business license.
(a) An application for a taxicab business license must be filed with the City Clerk's office on a form provided by the City Clerk.
(b) The Chief of Police will investigate each applicant for a taxicab business license and a
report of such investigation will be attached to the application for consideration by the City Clerk.
(3) Consideration of application. The City Council will, in consultation with the Chief of Police and upon consideration of the application and the required reports attached thereto, approve or reject the application.
(4) Insurance prerequisite to issuance; continuance in effect. Every operating licensee shall obtain and keep in force, public liability and property damage insurance with solvent and responsible insurers, as required by the Illinois Secretary of State, to secure the payment of any loss or damage which may result from any occurrence arising out of the operation, use or possession of any of the licensee's public passenger vehicles.
(5) Fees. An application for a new license, or for renewal of an existing license, shall be made to the City Clerk, and shall be on a form provided by the City Clerk. Said application shall include the annual taxicab license fee and the fee for each vehicle, both as established by the City Council. Fees shall be paid at the time of application. An application for a taxicab business license may be made at any time during the calendar year, provided that the full license fee is paid, and said fee shall not be prorated.
(6) Denial, suspension, or revocation of license.
(a) The City Council may deny, suspend, or revoke issuance of a taxicab business license for good cause, including, but not limited to, any of the following.
1. Violation of any of the provisions of this section.
2. Discontinuation of operations for more than 60 days.
3. Violation of any ordinances of the city or laws of the United States or the State of Illinois or any other state that demonstrates the lack of fitness of the taxicab vehicle permit holder to offer public transportation.
4. Misrepresentation on the application for a taxicab business license.
(b) Prior to the denial, suspension, or revocation, the taxicab business license holder must be given not less than ten days' written notice by the City Clerk.
(c) In the event of a revocation of a taxicab business license, no other taxicab business license may be issued to such person for a period of two years thereafter.
(7) Appeal. Within ten days after written notice of the revocation, suspension, or denial of issuance of a taxicab business license, an applicant or license holder may file with the City Clerk a written notice of appeal to the City Council from such revocation, suspension, or denial. The City Council must provide the taxicab business with notice and an opportunity to be heard on the issue of whether the taxicab business license was properly revoked, suspended, or denied.
(8) Taxicabs registered with City Clerk. The applicant or license holder must register all vehicles operating as taxicabs for the taxicab business with the City Clerk. Any new vehicles that begin operating as taxicabs after the taxicab business license is obtained must be registered with the City Clerk within 14 days after such vehicles are acquired.
(9) Display of taxicab business license. The taxicab business license must be displayed at the taxicab business location. A copy of the taxicab business license also must be displayed in each vehicle operating as a taxicab for the business and may not be removed until the expiration of the license.
(10) Personal nature; transferability. The taxicab business license is personal to the business and may not be sold, assigned, mortgaged, or otherwise transferred. The taxicab business license applies to all registered vehicles operating as taxicabs for the license holder.
(11) Property of City Clerk upon loss or closure. If any taxicab business license issued under this section is lost or mislaid or the taxicab business closes or ceases operations, the license holder must report such fact to the City Clerk immediately. Where a taxicab business license is lost or mislaid, a duplicate license will be issued upon payment of an amount equal to 50% of the annual license fee.
(B) Driver's permit requirements; fee.
(1) Permit required. No person may drive a taxicab for hire upon the streets of the city and no person who owns or controls a taxicab may allow it to be so driven, unless the driver of said taxicab holds a valid taxicab driver's permit issued under the provisions of this section.
(2) Application for driver's permit.
(a) An application for a taxicab driver's permit must be filed with the City Clerk's office on a form provided by the City Clerk.
(b) An applicant must have, at a minimum, a valid Illinois driver's license or equivalent license issued by another state to obtain a taxicab driver's permit. Temporary restricted licenses or work permit privileges are not sufficient to obtain a taxicab driver's permit.
(c) An applicant must present a court purpose driver's abstract obtained from the Illinois Secretary of State within the last 30 days.
(d) An applicant must provide two two inch by two inch photos clearly showing the face and shoulders of the applicant. The photos must have been taken within the last 30 days. As an alternative, the city will take a photo of the applicant at the time of application.
(e) The Chief of Police will investigate each applicant for a taxicab driver's permit and a report of such investigation will be attached to the application for consideration by the City Clerk. Such report will state whether the applicant has, at a minimum, a valid Illinois driver's license or equivalent license issued by another state.
(3) Consideration of application. The City Clerk will, in consultation with the Chief of Police and upon consideration of the application and the required reports attached thereto, approve or reject the application within five business days of receipt. An application will be denied if it is determined that the applicant has been convicted of any of the following crimes, or those of a similar nature: reckless driving, murder, rape, vehicular manslaughter, hit and run, robbery, indecent exposure, lewd or obscene conduct, pandering, crimes related to the sale, possession, or transportation of narcotics or intoxicating liquors, assault, battery, or a conviction of three or more moving violations within three years previous to the submission of the application.
(4) Issuance of permit; duration; annual fee.
(a) Upon approval of an application for a taxicab driver's permit, the City Clerk will issue a permit to the applicant upon the payment of the fee as established by the City Council. Such permit will be in effect for the remainder of the year ending April 30. The permit must be renewed every year on May 1 thereafter upon the payment of the fee as established by the City Council unless the license for the preceding year is suspended or has been revoked.
(b) The driver must wear the taxicab driver's photo identification permit upon the clothing of the driver at all times while operating the taxicab. The driver shall be well groomed and dressed in a neat and clean fashion at all times while on duty.
(5) Compliance with city, state, and federal laws. A taxicab driver permitted under this section must comply with all city, state, and federal laws.
(6) Denial, suspension, or revocation of permit:
(a) The City Council may deny, suspend, or revoke a taxicab driver's permit for good
cause, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
1. Failure or refusal to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
2. Violation of any ordinances of the city, or laws of the United States, the state of Illinois or any other state that demonstrates the lack of fitness of the holder to offer public transportation.
3. Misrepresentation on the application for a taxicab driver's permit.
4. Violations against or loss, denial, suspension, or revocation of a taxicab driver's Illinois license or equivalent license issued by another state.
(b) Prior to suspension or revocation, the taxicab driver must be given not less than ten days written notice by the City Clerk.
(c) In the event of revocation of a taxicab driver's permit, no other taxicab driver's permit will be issued to such person for a period of two years thereafter.
(7) Appeal. Within ten days after written notice of the denial, suspension, or revocation of a taxicab driver's permit, a taxicab driver may file with the City Clerk a written notice of appeal to the City Council from such revocation, suspension, or denial. The City Council must provide the taxicab driver with notice and an opportunity to be heard on the issue of whether the taxicab driver's permit was properly revoked, suspended, or denied.
(8) Personal nature; transferability. The taxicab driver's permit is personal to the driver and may not be sold, assigned, mortgaged, or otherwise transferred.
(9) Job change. The taxicab driver's permit remains valid and personal to the driver through a change of employment. If a taxicab driver becomes employed by another taxicab company after the issuance of the taxicab driver's permit, such a change of employment must be reported to the City Clerk within 14 days.
(10) Property of City Clerk upon loss. If any taxicab driver's permit issued under this chapter is lost or mislaid, the taxicab driver must report such fact to the City Clerk immediately. A duplicate permit will be issued upon payment of a fee equal to 50% of the license fee.
(11) Reporting requirements. If suspension, revocation, or any other disciplinary action is taken against a taxicab driver's State of Illinois driver's license or equivalent license issued by another state, the taxicab driver must report such action to the City Clerk's office.
(Ord. O-14-15, passed 10-27-14)