A. Prior to the use and operation of any taxicab or livery car under the provisions of this chapter and before any license for such vehicles are issued by the city, the vehicle shall have been thoroughly examined and inspected by a duly authorized state motor vehicle inspection station and documentation showing such current inspection for the year in which a city license is being sought must be presented to the city clerk for each vehicle which will be operated within the city for the purpose of conducting taxicab or livery car service;
B. All taxicabs and livery cars for which a license has been issued to operate within the city must be maintained in a safe and clean condition, including clean interiors with upholstery of seats in good repair, and shall be subject to being periodically inspected by city police department personnel and/or the city garage superintendent at such intervals as may be established by the chief of police to ensure the continued maintenance of safe operating conditions. Upon such inspection, if it is found that the vehicle operating under the provisions of this chapter does not meet the requirements established herein, including the requirement that the vehicle bear a current state inspection sticker, the chief of police or a designee thereof shall cause the vehicle license to be suspended until such time as the vehicle has been made to comply with the provisions of this chapter;
C. All vehicles to be licensed and used as taxicabs or livery cars shall have the following as standard equipment:
1. Four (4) wheel brakes in good operating condition;
2. Parking brake in good operating condition;
3. Front and rear bumpers;
4. Heater, defroster and air conditioner in good operating condition;
5. Right and left side and interior rearview mirrors;
6. Speedometer, exposed to view, and maintained in accurate operating condition;
7. Windshield wipers in good operating condition;
8. Tires with a minimum of two thirty seconds inch (2/32") tread;
9. Factory recommended shock absorbers;
10. Properly operating turn indicators;
11. Properly operating brake lights;
12. In the case of taxicabs only, a taximeter maintained in accurate operating condition and exposed to view of the passenger;
13. All door and window glass shall be safety glazed glass equal to manufacturer standard specifications and without cracks;
14. Seat belts and seat restraints for both the driver and passengers.
If upon an inspection conducted by personnel of the Warr Acres police department or the city garage superintendent it is found that a vehicle operating under a city taxicab or livery car license within the city does not possess any of the above described items of standard equipment or such standard equipment is not found to be in proper operating condition, then the chief of police shall cause said license to be suspended until such time as the vehicle has been made to comply with said requirements;
D. It shall be unlawful for any owner or any driver of any taxicab or livery car operated within the city to interfere with or to prohibit any police officer of the city, the city garage superintendent or any person designated by the chief of police from at any time inspecting or thoroughly examining any taxicab, any taximeter used in any taxicab or any livery car. Any person who interferes with such inspections shall, upon conviction thereof in the municipal court of the city, be subject to a fine not to exceed seventy dollars ($70.00), including costs.
E. Any inspections of taxicabs or livery cars licensed to operate within the city which are conducted by police department or garage personnel of the city, pursuant to police department or garage personnel of the city, pursuant to police as established by the chief of police, and costs for the same shall be included in the license fees as set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 621 §2, 1985)