A. License Required: No motor vehicle, other than taxicabs licensed and operated under the terms and provisions of this Chapter, shall be operated along or upon any street or public way of the Village for the carriage of passengers for hire, indiscriminately accepting and discharging such persons as may offer themselves for transportation.
B. Application: Application for a license to operate and conduct a taxicab business shall be made by the owner or operator upon forms furnished by the Village. Such application shall be filed with the Village Administrator and shall contain the full name and address of the owner and operator; the officers thereof if corporation or partners thereof if a partnership; information as to the applicant's financial responsibility; names of sureties signing bonds of the applicant or name of the company issuing public liability and property damage policies; a complete description of the vehicle or vehicles for which the license is desired, including kind and make of vehicle, motor and serial number, seating capacity (excluding driver's seat or any part thereof); State license number, cab number, color of vehicle and horsepower; and such other data as the President may prescribe. If the vehicle is to be leased or rented to the driver, a copy of the leasing contract must accompany such application; provided, however, that no license shall hereafter be issued originally or in the annual renewal of such license unless the applicant shall have accepted the provisions of this Chapter and agreed to observe and abide by this schedule of fares and charges and all other regulations contained herein or as may be hereafter adopted by the President and Board from time to time.
C. Bond: Before any license to conduct and operate a taxicab business shall be issued as herein provided, the person applying therefor shall file with the Village Administrator satisfactory evidence that a bond or insurance policy covering property damage in the amount of one thousand five hundred dollars has been issued and is in force covering each vehicle used or operated as a taxicab. Said policy shall be issued by a solvent and responsible company authorized to do such insurance business in the State and shall be in a form and substance satisfactory to the Village. The company issuing any such policy shall agree, in writing, to notify the Village Clerk in writing of the cancellation or expiration of such policy at least thirty days prior to such cancellation or expiration. The aforesaid bond or insurance policy covering property damage is in addition to the bond or insurance policy covering liability for personal injury or wrongful death in the amount as prescribed by the laws of the State pertaining to the operation of licensed taxicabs and public vehicles. Proof of compliance with the State law in respect to insurance shall at all times be on file with the Village Clerk and such evidence shall cover all licenses held by any person.
D. Issuance Of License: The Village Administrator is hereby authorized and empowered to issue licenses to operate and conduct a taxicab business in the Village in the manner herein provided, upon compliance with the requirements of this Chapter. No taxicab business shall be conducted by any person with less than a minimum of five taxicabs. The fee for such license shall be as set forth in Section 3-2-3 of this Title.
E. Register: It shall be the duty of the Village Clerk to keep a register of the names of persons to whom such licenses are granted, the date or dates when issued, the number of license or licenses and the description of the taxicab or taxicabs so licensed.
F. Inspection: No taxicab shall be licensed until it has been inspected under the direction of the Chief of Police and found to be in safe condition for the transportation of passengers, clean, of good appearance and well painted, and a certificate of inspection for its taximeter issued as herein provided. Provided, further, that each such taxicab shall carry outside on both the left and right side in lettering not less than two inches in height the name of the person owning or operating such taxicab and the number of such taxicab. No taxicab shall be equipped with or display any lights other than white or amber on the front and other than red on the rear of such taxicab. Such license for a particular taxicab shall be transferable to a different taxicab only by authority of the Chief of Police.
No taxicab so licensed shall be operated or driven in the Village unless it is inspected and approved at least once in every six months under the direction of the Chief of Police. Such inspection shall be made at such time and place, and in such manner, as determined by the Chief of Police.
G. Certificate Of Registration: Upon the proper payment of the required license fee, a decalcomania transfer certificate of registration shall be issued by the Village Clerk. Such certificate shall be affixed to the windshield of the taxicab in the lower right-hand corner.
H. Transfer: It shall be unlawful to transfer any license to operate and conduct a taxicab business from one person to another person.
I. Suspension: If any licensed taxicab shall become unsafe for the transportation of passengers or shall become unclean or unsightly in appearance, as determined by the Chief of Police, such license for such particular taxicab shall be suspended by the Chief of Police until the said taxicab and all its appurtenances shall, in the opinion of the Chief of Police be put in fit condition for public use. Failure to keep such taxicabs in a safe and clean condition may also be grounds for suspension or revocation of the business license. Any such suspension or revocation shall be governed by the procedures set forth in Sections 3-1-11 and 3-1-12 of this Title. (Ord. 2668, 2-12-1996)