HomeMy WebLinkAbout1957-277 - Regulation of Taxi Cabs and Drivers. ~ t3~. ,;
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BILL N0. _
ORDINANCE NO.~
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING AND GOVERNING TAXI CABS AND TAXI DRIVERS
IN THE CITY LIMITS OF RIVERSIDE, MISSOURI.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE,
MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Definitions
A. APPLICATION. The provisions hereof shall apply to all
taxicabs and other motor vehicles of every kind, character and
description which are being used as taxicabs, cabs, for hire cars
or livery cars and engaged as such in the carriage of passengers
for hire on the streets of Riverside.
B. TAXICAB. Wherever the term "taxicab" is used in this
ordinance it shall include, in addition to such motor vehicles as
are commonly known as taxicabs, all motor vehicles of every kind,
character and description which are used as taxicabs, cabs for
hire or livery cars and engaged as such in the carriage of passengers,
for hire; provided, however, that nothing in this ordinance shall
be construed to apply to motor vehicles owned by undertakers and
used exclusively for funeral services nor to motor vehicles for
hire while being used for service at funerals or weddings, nor to
motor busses as herein defined.
C. STREETS. The term "streets" as used herein shall mean
the streets, avenues, boulevards, parkways, highways and other
thoroughfares and public places of Riverside, Missouri.
D. CITY. The term "city" as used herein, shall mean the
City of Riverside, Missouri.
E. PERSON. The term "person" as used herein, shall mean and
include every natural person and every firm, association, corporation
and business organization of any kind, character or description.
F. BUSSES. The term "motor busses" as used herein shall mean
motor vehicles designed and constructed for the general trans-
portation of passengers for hire and possessing a manufacturer's
rated seating capacity of ten or more passengers.
SECTION 2. PERMIT TO OPERATE TAXI CABS.
A. PROHIBITION. No taxicab shall be operated upon the streets
of the city until a permit therefore has been obtained from the
City Clerk as provided herein.
B. APPLICATIONS. Any person desiring to operate a taxicab
or taxicabs in the city (except those hereinafter specifically
exempted) shall make written application for such permit to the
Board of Aldermen and such application shall be verified under
oath and shall set forth:
(a) A full identification of the applicant and all persons
to be directly or indirectly interested in the permit, if granted;
(b) The residence and business address and the citizenship
of the applicant, and all members of any firm or partnership, and
of all officers and directors of any corporation applying;
(c) Whether or not the applicant, or any of the persons to
be interested in the permit, if granted, has been convicted of the
violation of any federal, state or municipal law;
(d) Whether or not the applicant, or any person, firm or
corporation with whom he has been associated or employed, has unpaid
claims or unsatisfied judgments, against him, them or it for damages
resulting from the negligent operation of a vehicle;
(e) Facts showing the demand for such service;
(f) The past experience, if any, that the applicant has had
in rendering taxicab service and location and the period of time
that he has rendered such service at each location;
(g) Whether or not any permit issued to him has been revoked,
and if so, the circumstances of such revocation;
--(h) The number of taxicabs proposed to be operated;
(i) A complete description of the taxicabs proposed to
be operated and of the proposed operation;
(j) The color sche8e, name and characteristic insignia
to be used to designate the taxicabs of said applicant;
(k) Such further information as the City Council may
reasonably require.
C. HEARING. Upon receipt of such application, the City Clerk
shall, within thirty (30) days from the receipt thereof, present
the application to the Board of Aldermen at a regular meeting. At
lease one hearing before the Board of Aldermen shall be held, and {not
less than five (5) days notice of such hearing shall be given
by the City Clerk, by mail, to the applicant and to all holders of
permits, at the addresses shown on their respective applications,
and also by causing at leapt five (5) days notice of such hearing
to be published in one newspaper published in the city, the cost
of such publication to be paid by the applicant.
D. PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY. The Board of Aldermen
in determining whether the public convenience and necessity for
additional taxicabs exists, will consider, among other things, the
following:
(a) The resulting effect upon the business of the then
existing holders of permits and upon the existing agencies of
mass transportation;
(b) The effect on traffic congestion and safety of the
public streets;
(c) The effect upon working conditions and wages or other
compensation paid to drivels of taxicabs of existing holders of
permits;
(d) Whether persons holding permits for the operation of
taxicabs are, under normal conditions, adequately serving the
public ;
(e) Whether the requirements of public convenience and
necessity can be adequately met and complied with only by the
issuance of additional permits.
E. FINDINGS. If the Board of Aldermen shall find and
declare that public convenience and necessity require the granting
of such permits as are required in such application, the Board of
Aldermen shall thereupon, after compliance by the applicant with
all the requirements of this ordinance direct the City Clerk to
issue such permit or permits.
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SECTION 4. TRANSFER OF PERMITS.
A. CONDITIONS. No permit issued hereunder shall be trans-
ferred from one owner to another, except after finding of public
convenience and necessity, arrived at by the Board of Aldermen
in the same manner as in the case of an original application. The
applicant for a transfer of a permit shall file with his application
the consent, in writing, of the former owner of such permit and
shall comply with all the terms and provisions of this ordinance.
SECTION 5. PERMITS REVOKED.
A. FRAUD. Whenever it shall appear upon investigation and
hearing by the Board of Aldermen that a permit or license issued
hereunder has been obtained by misrepresentation or fraud, the
permit shall be revoked.
B. REVOCATION. The Board of Aldermen shall have the power
to revoke any permit after ten (10) days notice to person holding
such permit, for the following causes, and after a hearing, if a
hearing is requested, in writing, by the person holding such permit:
(a) for the violation of any provision or provisions of
this ordinance, or,
(b) when it has been proven to their satisfaction that
the holder of said permit has discontinued taxicab operation, or,
(c) that such person has wilfully and persistently
violated any ordinance of the City, or the laws of the United
States, or the State of Missouri.
C. EFFECT. The person whose permit has been so revoked
shall forthwith cease to operate taxicabs.
D. INSOLVENCY. The permits of any person, firm or corporation
shall be forthwith revoked by the Board of Aldermen ehenever the
City Clerk shall have received a certificate from any court, or the
Clerk thereof, showing that such person, firm or corporation shall
have failed to satisfy, within thirty (30) days, any final judgment
upon which execution has been lawfully issued against such person,
firm or corporation for damages on account of bodily injury,
including death, or damage to property resulting from the ownership,
maintenance, use or operation of a taxicab.
SECTION 6. SURETY BOND, LIABILITY INSURANCE.
A. UNLAWFUL. It shall be unlawful to operate a taxicab, as
defined in this ordinance, or permit the same to be operated, nor
shall any permit be issued hereunder until and unless the applicant
for such permit, in addition to all other requirements in this
ordinance, shall file and maintain with the City Clerk for each
taxicab operated, either a bond or policy of liability insurance,
to wit:
(a) A bond of the applicant with a solvent and responsible
surety company, authorized to do business under the laws of the
State of Missouri, as surety thereon, acceptable to the said City
Clerk and approved as to form by the City Attorney, conditioned
that the applicant will pay all final judgments recovered against
such applicant, for injury to, or death of, one person, by reason
of the carelessness or negligence of the driver or operator of
such taxicab, up 6o the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars ($2500.00)
and five-thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for injuty to, or death of
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more than one person, resulting from a single accident, by reason
of carelessness or negligence of the driver or operator of such
taxicab, and one-thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for damage to
property, including baggage or other property of a passenger or
passengers carried in or on any such taxicab, resultin g from any
single accident, by reason of the carelessness or negligence of
the driver or operator of such taxicab; provided, that an applicant
seeking a permit to operate not more than one (1) taxicab may
file a bond of six thousand dollars ($6,000.00); for more than one
(1) taxicab, and not more than five (5) taxicabs, a bond of eleven
thousand dollars ($11,000.00); for more than five (5) and not
more than ten (10) taxicabs, a bond of fifteen thousand dollars
($15,000.00); for more than ten (10) and not more than fifteen (15)
taxicabs a bond of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00); and said
bond shall contain a further provision obligating the said surety
company to give twenty (20) days written notice, before a can-
cellation by the surety of the said bond, to the said City Clerk,
the said permit to expire or the lapse of said bond or termination
of the same by cancellation; unless within said twenty (20)
days in case of notice of cancellation by a surety, an applicant
shall furnish another bond in conformity herewith, acceptable to
the City and approved as to form by the City Attorney, or,
(b) a policy or certificate of liability insurance issued
by a company authorized and licensed to•do an insurance business
in the State of Missouri; for each taxicab for which a license is
sought, acceptable to and approved by the said City Clerk and
approved as to form by the City Attorney, and indemnifying the
applicant in the sum of at least five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)
for injury to, or death of, one person, by reason of the careless-
ness or negligence of the driver or operator of such taxicab,
and ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) for injury to, or death
of, more than one person, resulting from a single accident, by
reason of the carelessness or negligence of the driver or operator
of such taxicab, and one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for damage to
property including baggage, or other property of a passenger or
passengers, carried in or on said taxicab, resulting fran any
single accident, by reason of the carelessness or negligence of the
driver or operator of such taxicab. The said policy shall further
contain a clause obligating the insurance company to give twenty
(20) days written notice to the said Board of Aldermen before
cancellation of the said policy the said permit to expire upon the
lapse of said policy or certificate, or termination of the same
by cancellation; unless within said twenty (20( days, in case of
a notice of cancellation by the insurance company, the holder of a
permit shall furnish another policy acceptable to the Board of
Aldermen.
(c) Such bond or policy of insurance shall contain a
provision for continuing liability thereunder to the full amount
thereof, notwithstanding any recovery thereon. If at any time in
the judgment of the Board of Aldermen such bond or policy is deemed
insufficient for any cause the said Board of Aldermen may require
the owner of such taxicab to replace such bond or policy with
another, to be approved by said Board of Aldermen.
SECTION 7. TAXICABS TO BE KEPT CLEAN AND IN GOOD REPAIR.
Every taxicab operated on the streets of the City shall be
maintained in clean and serviceable condition and in adequate repair.
Each such taxicab shall be equipped with brakes capable of stopping
and holding the same under all reasonable conditions. Each such
taxicab shall have two doors affording direct entrance and exit
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to and from the passenger compartment. The passenger compartment
of each taxicab shall have an adequate light therein controlled
by a switch control in the passenger compartment.
SECTION 8. FARES.
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y he~fares for taxicab service shall be as follows:
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SECTION ~. RECEIPTS FOR FARE TO BE GIVEN ON REQUEST.
Every driver, when requested by the passenger, shall give
a numbered receipt showing the owner's name, date and the amount
of fare charged.
SECTION 10. ISSUANCE AND DISPLAY OF RATE CARD AND IDENTIFICATION
CARDS.
A rate card showing the rates charged shall at all times
be displayed in a card frame within the taxicab, so placed as
to be in full view of any passenger, and every person driving a
taxicab in Riverside, Missouri, shall have posted in said cab in
plain view of the passengers, an identification card approved by the
Board of Aldermen showing the driver's race, height, weight, color
of eyes and hair, his signature and photograph.
SECTION 11. DESIGNATION OF TAXICABS.
Each taxicab shall bear on the outside of each front door, in
painted letters not less than two (2) inches nor more than six
{6) inches in height, the name of the owner or corporation and in
addition, may bear an identifying design, approved by the Board
of Aldermen, and the business telephone number of the owner and
no other legend than the name of the owner, the approved design
and the telephone number may be used on the front door. Any name,
legend, or design proposed for use elsewhere on the taxicab shall
be submitted to, and approved by the Board of Aldermen before
being so used.
SECTION 12. SOLICITATION OF OTHER COMMON CARRIER PASSENGERS
PROHIBITED.
No owner, driver, or any other
of persons assembled at the terminal
nor at any intermediate points along
person shall solicit patronage
of any other common carrier,
any established route of such
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carrier, when such persons have assembled for the purpose of using
the service of said common carrier. Nothing herein contained shall
be construed to prohibit or interfere with the response to any
call for a taxicab made from signal from a pedestrian.
SECTION 13. ACCEPTANCE OF ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS PROHIBITED.
Whenever any taxicab is occupied by a passenger or passengers
the driver shall not permit any other person to occupy or ride in
said taxicab, except by permission of the original passenger or
passengers.
SECTION 14. RESTRICTION ON NUMBER OF PASSENGERS.
No driver shall permit more persons to be carried in a taxi-
cab than the seating capacity of the cab, which, in no case, shall
exceed six (6) persons including the driver. A child in arms
shall not be counted as a passenger.
SECTION 15. TAXICAB DRIVERS LICENSE - DEFINITIONS.
The term "license" or "drivers license" when used in this
section means a Taxicab Drivers License; the term applicant when
used in this section means a person making application for a
taxicab drivers license; the term "licensee" when used in this
section means a person to whom a taxicab driver's license has been
issued.
Every person desiring to drive a taxicab on the streets of
Riverside, Missouri, whether as an owner or an employee of the
owner of such taxicab, shall file with the Police Department a
written application therefore a license therefor to be known as
a "Taxicab Driver's License".
Every applicant for a Taxicab Driver's License shall:
(a) be of the age of eighteen (18) years or over.
(b) be of sound physique, have good eyesight, and hearing,
and not subject to epilepsy, vertigo, heart trouble or any other
informity of body or mind which might render him unfit to safely
drive and operate a taxicab on the public streets of the city.
(c) be able to read and write the English language.
(d) submit with his application, certification of his good
character from two reputable citizens who have known him personally
for at least six months, next preceding the date of his application,
and a written statement from his last employer as to his character
and qualifications.
Such application shall be made upon a printed form to be
provided by the Police Department and shall have printed thereon
such questions as will, in addition to the foregoing requirements,
elecit from the applicant his name, age, residence, color, height,
color of eyes and hair, nationality, place of birth, length of
time he has resided in the city, whether a citizen of the United
States, married or single, whether he has ever been convicted of
a crime, including the violation of any city ordinance; whether
he has previously been licensed in any city or state as a taxi-
cab driver, and if so, whether such license was ever revoked, and
if revoked, the cause thereof, and such other information as may
be deemed proper.
The form of the printed application blank, referred to in
this section shall be approved by the Board of Aldermen. The
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application shall be signed by the applicant, and shall bear, in an
appropriate place thereon, the fingerprints of each applicant.
__ Each applicant shall file with his application three (3) recent
photographs of himself, of such size as may be required by the
Police Department. If a license is granted, one of such photographs
shall be attached thereto by the police Department in such manner
as will, insofar as may be possible, prevent its removal and the
substitution of another without detection.
The license provided for herein shall not be issued to
any person who is not at such time a registered chauffeur under
the laws of Missouri. The number of such chauffeur's license
shall be noted on the application for a license under this section.
A fee of one dollar ($1.00) shall accompany each application. If
a license is not granted such fee shall be returned to the
applicant.
Upon satisfactory compliance with the foregoing requirements
there shall be issued to each applicant by the Board of Aldermen
a Taxicab Driver's License. Such license shall bear the genuine
signature of the licensee and appropriate space shall be provided
thereon upon which a record may be made of any conviction of the
licensee of any violations of the Traffic Code or any provisions
of this Ordinance. Any licensee who removes, obliterates or
defaces any official entry made upon his license shall, in
addition to any other punishment provided by this Ordinance, have
his license revoked.
All Taxicab Driver's License, regardless of the date issued,
shall expire on December 31st next succeeding.
An appropriate identification card shall be furnished to each
licensed taxicab driver by the Police Department, showing his
license munber and the year for which the same is issued. Such
changes in the size, shape or general appearance of the card
shall be made from year to year as will make it easy to distinguish
the card adopted for any year from those in use during the year
immediately proceeding. Every taxicab driver while on duty as
such, shall display in a card frame within the taxicab, so
placed as to be in full view of any passenger.
A Taxicab Driver's license may be renewed from year to
year by the Police Department on the written application of any
licensee by an appropriate endorsement upon the application for
renewal. Such application for a renewal shall show thereon the
date upon which his original license was granted and the number
thereof. The fee for such renewal shall be one dollar ($1.00) and
shall be transmitted to the City Collector.
Any false statement or misrepresentation of a material fact
made by an applicant for the purpose of securing a Taxicab Driver's
license shall be deemed good and sufficient cause for the refusal
or revocation of such license.
Any person holding a license, if found guilty of a violation
of this ordinance, may, in the discretion of the court, in addition
to the other punishment herein provided, have his license suspended
or revoked and if such person is found guilty of violation of any
law of the State of Missouri or of the United States, the Bmgrd of
Aldermen may thereon suspend or revoke his license.
In case of suspension or revocation of alicense, the same,
together with the card of the licensee, shall be surrendered to
the Policg Department, and a statement of such suspension or
revocation and the reason therefor shall be noted on the license.
In case of suspension, the driver's card and his license
shall be returned to the licensee at the expiration of the period
for which his license was suspended. In case of the revocation of
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a license held by any taxicab driver, he shall not again be issued
a license.
All applications for a Taxicab Driver's License shall be kept
on file in the Police Departrnent a
name and address of all persons to
may be issued shall be kept by the
appropriate book, to be maintained
any suspension or revocation of any
information shall be noted on such
a permanent record, and the
whom a Taxicab Driver's License
Police Department in an
as a permanent record, and
such license or other pertinent
record.
SECTION 16. TO WHOM ORDINANCE APPLIES.
This ordinance shall not apply to motor vehicles engaged
exclusively in the transportation of pupils to and from schools
commonly known as school busses, nor to motor vehicles owned by
any person, firm or corporation and used exclusively to transport
his or its bona fide employees to and from the office or plant
of such person, firm or corporation; nor shall this ordinance
apply to motor busses engaged exclusively in interstate or inter-
urban service under certificate of convenience and necessity issued
by the public service commission of Missouri where less than one-
third (1/3) of the mileage of the route is within the city limits,
nor shall this ordinance apply to motor busses or trolley busses
operated as a part of the street railway system.
SECTION 17. VIOLATION.
Violation of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall
be subject to a fine of not less than one dollar ($1.00) nor
more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).
SECTION 18. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its
passage and approval by the Mayor.
Passed this ~~day of i~'wie~C„ 1957.
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Mayor
ATTEST:
~~~ity Clerk
Approved this ~ day of G~~~.-., 1957.
Mayor
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