Sec. 41-131. - Adequate and efficient service required.
Sec. 41-132. - Consent required for change of location of operations.
Sec. 41-133. - Parking while awaiting employment.
Sec. 41-134. - Parking on street in front of taxicab driver's or certificate holder's residence.
Sec. 41-136. - Calls to be accepted in order.
Sec. 41-137. - Use of shortest practicable route required; use of toll facilities.
Sec. 41-138. - Limitation on number of passengers.
Sec. 41-139. - Refusal to carry an orderly person.
Sec. 41-140. - Violation by passengers; misdemeanor; ejection.
Sec. 41-141. - Driver not to permit passengers to enter or leave on traffic side of taxicab.
Sec. 41-142. - Driver's manifest.
Sec. 41-143. - Disposition of property left in taxicabs.
Sec. 41-144. - Cleanliness and condition of taxicabs and drivers.
(a)
All taxicabs operated under certificates issued pursuant to the provisions of this article which are operated under one (1) trade name shall be of unique and uniform color and lettering as approved by the chief of police, shall display the trade name of the taxicab on both sides and rear of the vehicle in letters at least three (3) inches in height, and shall be uniquely numbered with numbers at least three (3) inches in height on both sides and the rear of the taxicab. Such numbers shall be placed on both sides and the rear of each taxicab in a prominent place. Lettering and numbers shall be affixed to the taxicab by painting thereon or by stick-on letters and numbers that are not easily removed without damage to the letters and numbers. Letters and numbers shall not be magnetically attached to the taxicab.
(b)
No advertising shall be displayed in or on a taxicab, except advertising on a panel affixed to the rear bumper of the taxicab. Such panel shall neither obscure the rear view vision of the driver, nor shall it obscure any licensing, lettering, lights or signals required to be displayed on the rear of the taxicab.
(c)
No lights shall be added to a vehicle used as a taxicab other than the outside roof mounted light designating the vehicle as a taxicab and those lights otherwise required by law.
(d)
Outside roof mounted lights shall be turned on and in proper operating order during all times as the taxicab is hired or available for hire.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1; Ord. No. 6851-12, § 1)
Sec. 41-131. - Adequate and efficient service required.
(a)
All taxicab companies shall provide adequate and efficient service throughout the city at all times by:
(1)
Providing radio, mobile telephone or other electronic dispatch service;
(2)
Maintaining a business office and business records within the city; and
(3)
Providing twenty-four-hour service.
(b)
For purposes of this section, a taxicab company includes an association of certificate holders operating taxicabs under the same trade name.
(c)
No taxicab for which a certificate has been issued shall be out of service for a period of forty-eight (48) or more consecutive hours unless authorized by the chief of police for good cause shown prior to being out of service.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-132. - Consent required for change of location of operations.
The location of the business office in the city from which taxicabs are to be operated pursuant to a certificate shall not be changed from that specified in the certificate without the written consent of the chief of police and the issuance of an amendment to the certificate.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-133. - Parking while awaiting employment.
Except while waiting for a passenger who has already engaged the services of such vehicle, no taxicab shall park or stand awaiting employment on any public street, nor on private property in a residential zoning district, except at an approved public taxicab stand. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the parking of a taxicab operated by its owner or designated driver on any street in the city while such owner or designated driver is in the course of transacting private, personal business; however, at such times, the dome light must be turned off indicating that the taxicab is not available for hire.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-134. - Parking on street in front of taxicab driver's or certificate holder's residence.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the chief of police may include in a certificate issued under the provisions of this article permission to park one (1) taxicab on the street in front of the residence of the designated driver or certificate holder of such taxicab.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
It shall be unlawful for the driver of a taxicab to take on passengers from a location at which such taxicab may be parked when parked on the street in front of the residence of the driver or certificate holder of such taxicab.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-136. - Calls to be accepted in order.
It shall be the duty of every certificate holder, dispatcher, and driver to give preference to calls for service in order of their receipt, regardless of the location or destination of the passenger.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-137. - Use of shortest practicable route required; use of toll facilities.
The driver of every taxicab operated in the city shall operate the same over the shortest practicable route, or as otherwise directed by the passenger, from the place of the beginning of the trip to the place of destination. When such route requires the payment of a toll, the driver shall transport the passenger by way of a toll facility when the passenger agrees to pay the toll charge incurred with respect to the trip. The driver shall use a global positioning system (GPS) to determine the shortest practicable route.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1; Ord. No. 6851-12, § 1)
Sec. 41-138. - Limitation on number of passengers.
It shall be unlawful for a taxicab driver to transport, in a taxicab, more than two (2) passengers in the front seat or more than four (4) passengers in the rear seat at the same time.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-139. - Refusal to carry an orderly person.
Drivers of taxicabs operating in the city shall not refuse to carry any orderly person anywhere in the city, unless previously engaged or physically unable to do so.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-140. - Violation by passengers; misdemeanor; ejection.
All persons who fail, while using transportation services of a taxicab to act in an orderly manner so as to permit the safe operation of a vehicle by the driver, or who fail to obey the directions of any such driver, operator, or other person in charge to act in such orderly manner, shall be deemed guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. Furthermore, such persons may be ejected from any such vehicle by any driver, operator, or person in charge of such vehicle, or by any police officer or other conservator of the peace; and in case such persons ejected have paid their fare upon such vehicle, they shall not be entitled to the return of any part of the same. For the refusal of any such passenger to abide by the direction of the person in charge of such vehicle as aforesaid, and his consequent ejection from such vehicle, neither the certificate holder, driver, operator, person in charge, owner, manager, nor common carrier or restricted common carrier operating such vehicle shall be liable for damages in any court.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-141. - Driver not to permit passengers to enter or leave on traffic side of taxicab.
No taxicab driver shall willfully permit any passenger to enter or leave such taxicab on a public street by a left side door, except on one-way streets when such vehicle is lawfully stopped on the left side of the street for the purpose of taking on or discharging a passenger; nor shall such driver willfully permit any passenger to enter or leave such taxicab on a public street by a right side door, except when such vehicle is lawfully stopped on the right side of the street for the purpose of taking on or discharging a passenger.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-142. - Driver's manifest.
(a)
A vehicle manifest shall be maintained by the certificate holder and taxicab driver in and for each vehicle used as a taxicab in the city. The certificate holder shall furnish the driver with a driver's manifest on a form approved by the chief of police, which form shall have spaces provided for a record of the following:
(1)
Certificate holder's full name and business trade name, business telephone number, and Newport News business address.
(2)
Taxicab driver's full name and taxicab driver's permit number.
(3)
Date and time taxicab driver begins duty and ends duty.
(4)
Taxicab vehicle number.
(5)
Odometer reading at beginning of duty and ending of duty.
(6)
Starting point of the trip (address or place), finishing point of the trip (address or place) and time of each trip.
(7)
Number of passengers for each trip.
(8)
Taximeter rates for each trip.
(9)
Additional fees and total amount charged to passengers, including tolls.
(b)
A manifest shall be in the possession of and maintained by the taxicab driver in the taxicab at all times during the operation of the taxicab, and a separate manifest shall be kept for each day of operation of the vehicle, provided that a driver operating a taxicab at 12:00 midnight may continue to use the manifest bearing the date the work period commenced through the end of such work period. The manifest shall be delivered to the certificate holder within twenty-four (24) hours of the termination of each driver's assignment.
(c)
Each taxicab driver shall maintain the manifest in a clear, neat and readable condition.
(d)
At the beginning of each trip, the taxicab driver shall record on the manifest the time of beginning the trip and the place where the passenger is picked up. At the end of the trip, the driver shall record the total trip meter rate, time of ending and place where the passenger was discharged. The fare collected for each trip shall be recorded immediately after collection.
(e)
For the purpose of this section, the word "trip" shall mean the entire time and distance that one (1) person, or more than one (1) person, as provided for in section 41-53 of this article, has engaged the service of a taxicab beginning with the actual service until such time as service has been terminated and the fare has been paid.
(f)
Manifests and any other record required by this article shall be available for inspection, either in the taxicab while it is in operation, or at the certificate holder's place of business in the city, by any law enforcement officer. All such manifests and records shall be preserved for at least twelve (12) months; however, a manifest may be required to be preserved for a longer period as the chief of police shall require upon written notice to the certificate holder.
(g)
It shall be unlawful for a driver or certificate holder to refuse or fail to immediately make the driver's current manifest available for inspection upon request by a law enforcement officer.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1; Ord. No. 6493-08, § 1; Ord. No. 6851-12, § 1)
Sec. 41-143. - Disposition of property left in taxicabs.
It shall be unlawful for the driver of a taxicab to knowingly fail, refuse or neglect to preserve any property left in such taxicab by any passenger. The driver shall deliver such property to the certificate holder's place of business in the city, and such certificate holder shall inventory and preserve same for the passenger who left the property in the taxicab. The inventory shall include the date the property was discovered in the taxicab, a description of the property, the driver, the date of disposition and the disposition of the property. Property of an apparent value in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be delivered to the chief of police on a weekly basis, who shall mark the same for identification and preserve same for the passenger who left the property in the taxicab. When the property has been identified and ownership established, it shall be promptly delivered to its owner upon the owner's request. Any property which is not called for within sixty (60) days of the date of the inventory or delivery to the chief of police may be disposed of according to law.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1)
Sec. 41-144. - Cleanliness and condition of taxicabs and drivers.
(a)
The interior of all taxicabs shall be maintained in a clean condition, free of trash and debris at all times while available for service.
(b)
The interior seats, floor coverings, headliners, window shelves, interior panels, and dashboards of all taxicabs shall (i) be maintained in a clean condition, free of holes, tears, and frays; and (ii) contain no sharp corners or protrusions which may cause injury or damage to passengers, their clothing or carry-ons.
(c)
The exterior of all taxicabs shall be clean, well maintained, free of major damage, and contain no sharp corners or protrusions which may cause injury or damage to passengers, their clothing or carry-ons.
(d)
At all times while operating a taxicab, taxicab drivers shall be fully and neatly dressed and shall exhibit good personal hygiene without offensive body odor. All clothing shall be clean, free of rips, holes or tears, and shall present a professional appearance. Clothing shall not exhibit any obscene symbols, phrases or renderings. Clothing shall comply with the following standards:
(1)
Male drivers are required to wear long pants or knee-length shorts, shirts with sleeves and fold-down collars, and shoes. Pullover "polo" shirts, with fold-down collars, buttons and short sleeves are permitted. Sweaters may also be worn. Shoes shall be clean, closed-in and worn with socks. Hair, beards and/or moustaches must be neat, must be trimmed and must present a groomed appearance.
(2)
Female drivers are required to wear long pants, knee-length shorts, or a knee-length skirt or dress, shirts with sleeves and fold-down collars or a dress blouse, and shoes. Pullover "polo" shirts, with fold-down collars, buttons and short sleeves are permitted. Sweaters may also be worn. Shoes shall be clean, closed-in and worn with socks or stockings. Hair must be neat and must present a groomed appearance.
(Ord. No. 6428-07, § 1; Ord. No. 6851-12, § 1)