It is unlawful for any person to drive, operate or cause to be operated, or to employ, permit or allow another to drive, operate or cause to be operated, any taxicab, or non- emergency medical transportation vehicle over any street of this City regardless of whether such operation extends beyond the boundary limits of the City, or to advertise for, solicit, induce, persuade, invite, or procure such transportation of passengers, or sick or injured persons for non-emergency transportation without first obtaining a permit from the City, subject to the exceptions set forth in the following subsections:
A. A vehicle or medical transportation vehicle which is lawfully transporting a passenger or a patient from a point outside the City to a destination within the City, or en route to a destination outside the City, is excepted; provided, that no such vehicle shall solicit or accept a passenger or patient from within the City for transportation to any destination whatsoever without such permit.
B. Any private medical transportation vehicle accepting and transporting a patient within the City when such private medical transportation vehicle has been requested or summoned by any police, fire, or civil defense authority or has been informed by the person requesting such transportation that no permittee hereunder is willing or able to render such transportation and the Police Department of the City has been notified that such transportation will be made is excepted; provided, that the City may revoke the permit of any permittee refusing such transportation unless the following conditions exist:
1. The permittee has notified the City in writing of the time and date of each such refusal and the reasons therefore on or before the tenth day of the following month; and
2. The City finds that the permittee refusing service was not able by reason of unavailability of equipment and personnel to render such service. In making this finding, the City may require the permittee to furnish any further information reasonably necessary for such determination.
C. A vehicle being operated pursuant to franchise issued by the authority of the State Public Utilities Commission or Interstate Commerce Commission is excepted.
D. A vehicle being operated for the purpose of transporting bona fide pupils attending an institution of learning between their homes and such institution is excepted.
E. A vehicle being operated under what is commonly referred to as a " ride share" plan or arrangement, as where a person en route from his place of residence to his place of business, or vice versa, transports another person living and working in the same general vicinity upon payment of a sum estimated to cover the actual or approximate cost of operation of the vehicle is excepted.
F. A vehicle rented or leased for self-operation by a person using such vehicle under a plan commonly known as "U-Drive" unless it is used by such person to transport other persons for compensation, is excepted.
G. Any ambulance or medical transport vehicle maintained, owned or operated by any firm, corporation, copartnership or individual engaged in any business other than the ambulance business in this City, which ambulance or medical transport vehicle is maintained, owned or operated exclusively or primarily for the use and benefit of officers, servants or employees of such firm, corporation, co-partnership or individual is excepted.
H. Any disabled transportation van operated pursuant to an agreement with the City subject to the terms, covenants and conditions of such agreement and any applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Mayor and City Council provided, that such rules and regulations may be modified or amended by the Mayor and City Council at any time.
I. One handicapped transportation van for the handicapped operation pursuant to an agreement with the City subject to the terms, covenants and conditions of such agreement and any applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Bureau of Franchises; provided, that such rules and regulations may be modified or amended by the Mayor and Common Council at any time.
(Ord. MC-1480, 4-18-18; Ord. MC-947, 7-12-95; Ord. MC-943, 6-06-95; Ord. MC-460, 5-15-85; Ord. 3486, 3-19-75; Ord. 2979, 3-18-69; Ord. 1987, 7-07-53)