(A) Application for driver’s permit.
(1) A driver’s permit may be requested from the City Clerk by submitting an application on the form prescribed by the Mayor, or his or her designee, and in accordance with regulations promulgated under this chapter. The application shall be verified under oath and shall contain the following information:
(a) Applicant’s name, address, Social Security number and telephone number, if any;
(b) Applicant’s place and date of birth;
(c) Applicant’s age, sex, weight, color of eyes and hair, race and nationality;
(d) Applicant’s residences for two years preceding the date of application;
(e) Applicant’s operator’s license number;
(f) Applicant’s chauffeur’s license number;
(g) Whether the applicant has ever been licensed as a chauffeur or as a taxicab driver and, if so, where and when;
(h) Whether any such license has ever been suspended or revoked and, if so, why;
(i) Whether the applicant has ever been convicted of a felony, a sexual offense, a prostitution-related offense, any state or local motor vehicle or traffic moving violation, any offense relating to intoxication by alcohol or controlled substance or any offense relating to the trafficking in controlled substances; and
(j) The names and address of three residents of the city who have known the applicant for a period of one year next preceding the date of the application and who will attest to the applicant’s sobriety, honesty and general good character.
(2) Each application shall be accompanied by an “intent to hire” form signed by the certificate holder and by any other information deemed necessary by the Mayor. A new intent to hire form must accompany any change in holder or cab company affiliation.
(3) Each applicant and, when licensed, each driver shall inform the City Clerk within 72 hours whenever the information required by this section changes.
(B) Consideration of applications; standards for issuance.
(1) The City Clerk shall, on consideration of the application and the information required to be submitted with it, approve the application whenever the following findings are made:
(a) The applicant has provided all information required by this chapter;
(b) All information provided by the applicant is true;
(c) The applicant is at least 18 years of age;
(d) The applicant possesses a valid state operator’s license and state chauffeur’s license;
(e) The applicant has not been convicted of a felony involving the use or threatened use of violence, force or deadly instrument, or a sexual offense, or a prostitution related offense, or an offense involving intoxication by alcohol or drugs or of an offense involving the trafficking in controlled substances; and
(f) The applicant has paid a license fee of $15.
(2) The Mayor may waive the findings required by division (B)(1)(e) above on a showing of good cause by the applicant. The waiver shall be in writing and include the specific reasons for the waiver and shall be attached to the applicant’s file maintained by the City Clerk. It is a legislative finding that good cause may be shown either by person’s compliance with or participation in a rehabilitation program for ex-offenders or by the fact that a conviction for an offense described in division (B)(1)(e) above has not occurred within five years last preceding the date of application.
(3) The permit shall be in effect for a period not to exceed 90 days.
(C) Driver training program. The Mayor will establish, with consultation of the taxicab industry, a driver training program to enhance each driver’s qualification to operate a taxicab within the city. This training program will, at a minimum, include instruction on the location of accommodations and attractions within the city and surrounding area, the history of the city area, customer relations and the content of city taxicab regulations. Upon satisfactory completion of the program, a certificate will be issued to the driver.
(D) Issuance of the annual driver’s permit.
(1) Upon satisfactory completion of the driver training course established herein, an annual permit shall be issued to replace the temporary permit. The annual permit shall be in effect until the end of the calendar year through the last day of the month of birth of the permit holder unless suspended or revoked by the City Clerk.
(2) An annual renewal permit for each subsequent year shall be issued upon a finding that the information required by the original application is currently valid and correct, payment of a $10 fee and certification of satisfactory attendance at a refresher training class.
(3) A new permit and the accompanying $10 fee, is required each time a taxi driver changes affiliation from one holder or taxicab company to another.
(E) Suspension or revocation of driver’s permit. The City Clerk is authorized to suspend or revoke a driver’s permit, whether temporary or annual:
(1) For violation of any federal, state or local law which would constitute grounds for denial of a permit; and
(2) For a driver’s failure or refusal to comply with the requirements of this chapter or any regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter, or refusal to cooperate with reasonable requests made by an inspector investigating complaints or conducting periodic random inspections pursuant to the instruction of the Mayor.
(F) Display of driver’s permit. Every driver under this chapter shall post his or her temporary or annual taxicab driver’s permit in such a place as to be in full view of all passengers while the driver is operating a taxicab and in such a manner as is otherwise prescribed by the Mayor.
(Ord. 997-416, passed 11-10-1997) Penalty, see § 114.99