(a) Standing. No operator of a taxi, while awaiting employment shall stand his/her vehicle in any street except:
(1) At an authorized taxi stand.
(2) In front of fire hydrants where standing or stopping is not prohibited by signs or rules, provided that the operator remains in the operator's seat ready for immediate operation of the taxi at all times and starts the motor on hearing the approach of fire apparatus, and provided further, that the operator shall immediately remove the taxi from in front of the fire hydrant when instructed to do so by any member of the police, fire, or other municipal department acting in his/her official capacity.
(b) Cruising prohibited. An operator of a vehicle other than a taxi shall not operate his/her vehicle along a street for the purpose of soliciting passengers or searching for passengers.
(c) Pickup and discharge of passengers by taxis, commuter vans and for-hire vehicles. Operators of taxis, commuter vans and for-hire vehicles may, in the course of the lawful operation of such vehicles, temporarily stop their vehicles to expeditiously pick up or discharge passengers at the curb in areas where standing or parking is prohibited. Taxis, commuter vans and for-hire vehicles, while engaged in picking up or discharging passengers must be within 12 inches of the curb and parallel thereto, but may stop or stand to pick up or discharge passengers alongside a vehicle parked at the curb only if there is no unoccupied curb space available within 100 feet of the pickup or discharge location; however, picking up or discharging passengers shall not be made:
(1) Within a pedestrian crosswalk.
(2) Within an intersection, except on the side of a roadway opposite a street which intersects but does not cross such roadway.
(3) Alongside or opposite any street excavation when stopping to pick up or discharge passengers obstructs traffic.
(4) Under such conditions as to obstruct the movement of traffic and in no instance so as to leave fewer than 10 feet available for the free movement of vehicular traffic.
(5) Where stopping is prohibited.
(6) Within a bicycle lane.
(7) Within horse-drawn cab passenger boarding areas.
(d) Pickup and discharge of passengers by certain diplomatic and consular vehicles. A vehicle bearing "A", "C" or "D" series license plates issued by the U.S. Department of State and displaying a valid non-transferable service vehicle decal issued by the City of New York that is affixed to the inside of the operator's side of the windshield shall be treated like a for-hire vehicle while actively engaged in and for the purpose of expeditiously picking up or discharging passengers, in a manner that does not obstruct traffic, provided that the operator of such vehicle bearing such "A" "C" or "D" series license plates and displaying such non-transferable service vehicle decal:
(1) may not pick up or discharge passengers in a for-hire vehicle stop;
(2) remains in attendance at the vehicle; and
(3) shall immediately remove such vehicle when instructed to do so by any law enforcement officer.
(Amended City Record 7/2/2018, eff. 8/1/2018; amended City Record 1/4/2019, eff. 2/15/2019)