American Canyon Municipal Code Ch. 5.16 Vehicles for Hire/Taxi Services

As used in this chapter: "Driver" means every person in charge or control of any vehicle

for hire as the driver thereof. "Owner" means every person owning or controlling any vehicle for hire. "Taximeter" means an instrument or device attached to a public passenger vehicle for hire by means of which instrument or device the charge authorized for hire of such vehicle is mechanically calculated either on a basis of distance traveled or for waiting time, or a combination thereof, which charge shall be indicated upon such taximeter by means of figures in dollars and cents; and every taximeter shall be installed in such a manner as to permit the passenger to see the amount of the fare as the same is registered. "Vehicle for hire" means a motor vehicle operated for hire in the transportation of a person or persons over the public streets of the city at a rate per mile or for waiting time, or a combination thereof, operating not over a defined route but as to route and destination in accordance with and under the direction of the person or persons hiring such vehicle, irrespective of whether such operation extends beyond the corporate limits of the city; such definition, however, shall not include ambulances.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

It is unlawful for any owner or driver to operate and for any owner to permit the

operation of any vehicle for hire in the city unless both the owner and driver of such vehicle shall have obtained a written permit to do so as herein provided and have paid any license fee required by Section 5.04.410 of this code.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

Application for a vehicle for hire permit shall be

made to the city and shall contain the following information with respect to the applicant:

(A) A statement of whether applicant is the owner or driver, or both of a vehicle(s) for hire;

(B) Applicant's name, address, age and whether he or she is a citizen;

(C) Applicant's past experience in operating motor vehicles and names and addresses of his or her employers during the preceding three years;

(D) The number and type of existing driving licenses issued to applicant by the state Department of Motor Vehicles;

(E) Whether or not a license, issued up to applicant by such department, or any other governmental agency, has ever been revoked;

(F) A list of all crimes of which applicant has been convicted including misdemeanor traffic violations;

(G) If applicant is a driver, the name and address of the owner or the owners by whom he or she will be employed; and if the applicant is an owner, then the name and address of all drives whom he or she employs within the city;

(H) Number, kind, type and condition of vehicles to be operated;

(I) Location of off-street parking stands;

(J) The financial responsibility of the applicant and likelihood of the proposed service being permanent, responsible and satisfactory;

(K) Any additional information which may be required.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

It is unlawful for an owner or driver to make any

false or misleading statement in such application.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

Applicable application and fingerprinting fees shall be paid by each applicant at

the time of submitting an application for a permit under this chapter.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

Applicable business license application fees and

business license taxes shall be paid by owner applicants at the time of submitting an application for a permit under this chapter.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

All applicants shall be fingerprinted and shall

furnish with their application two recent photographs, size one and one-half inches by one and one-half inches, one to be filed with the application and one to be securely attached to the permit if applicant qualifies for the issuance thereof.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

(A) The police chief shall set a hearing for the vehicle for hire "owner" application, and shall give five days written notice of the hearing to all existing licensed vehicle for hire businesses in this city. The police chief shall hear such application and all interested parties, and, if in his or her determination, granting the permit to such applicant would be for the public convenience and in the best interests of this city and its inhabitants, then the police chief may grant such permit. Upon the granting of such permit applicant shall pay all license fees required by the city, and conform to all the regulations of this code and laws relative to the operations of vehicles for hire in this city. If a permit is granted the applicant, the police chief shall issue a nontransferable permit upon such form as he or she may prescribe. The permit will also enable the "owner" to be a "driver" of such vehicles.

(B) The police chief shall consider each vehicle for hire "driver" application. If the police chief finds that there are no grounds to deny such application, the police chief shall issue a permit to drive on such form as he or she may prescribe.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

A permit may be denied any "driver" applicant or "owner" applicant

on the following grounds:

(A) If the applicant is under the age of twenty-one years;

(B) If the applicant has been convicted of a felony;

(C) If the applicant has been convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of an offense involving lewd conduct; or an offense involving the use of force and violence upon the person of another, or a crime requiring regulation under Section 290 of the state Penal Code, or of any violation of Sections 311 through 311.7, 314, 315, 316, 318 or 647(a), (b) or (d) of the state Penal Code;

(D) If the applicant has been convicted of either driving a vehicle upon the highway while under the influence of intoxicating liquors or narcotic drugs, or reckless driving, or is otherwise unfit to operate a vehicle for hire, either as an owner or as a driver;

(E) If the applicant has knowingly and with intent to deceive made any false, misleading or fraudulent statement of facts in the permit application or in any other document required by the city in conjunction therewith;

(F) If the owner applicant is unable to prove that they are covered by an appropriate and required insurance policy;

(G) Applicant's character and reputation are such as to class him/her in the sound discretion of the police chief as morally unfit to operate a vehicle for hire, as an owner or a driver;

(H) If the required findings cannot be made;

(I) For any other reason which the police chief, in the exercise of sound discretion, considers sufficient grounds for denial of a permit.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

(A) Any interested person may appeal the decision of the police chief under this chapter to the council. Such appeal shall be taken by filing with the city clerk a written statement of the grounds for appeal no later than fourteen days after notice of the decision of permit denial, suspension, alteration, or revocation has been given.

(B) The city clerk shall set the appeal for hearing before the council and shall give five days written notice of the hearing to the applicant. In the event that the appeal is relative to an "owner" application, notice shall also be given to all existing licensed vehicle for hire businesses in the city. The council shall hear all interested parties and, if in its determination, public convenience requires the granting of the permit and that the granting of the permit to the applicant would be in the best interests of this city and its inhabitants, the council shall grant such permit. The council may deny a permit to any applicant on the grounds set forth in Section 5.16.090 of this chapter.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

During the month of January each year, drivers shall submit a current California

Department of Motor Vehicles driving record report for review. A permit issued under this chapter shall continue in effect until suspended or revoked.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

When a driver has obtained a permit, the driver must carry it upon his or

her person at all times while he or she is driving a vehicle for hire in the city.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

The police chief may at any time after a hearing,

suspend, alter, amend or revoke any permit or license upon any of the grounds on which he or she might have denied a permit in the first instance.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

If the holder of a permit is an owner, he or she shall notify the

police chief in writing of all changes in the personnel of his or her drivers; and if such holder is a driver, he or she shall notify the police chief in writing, of any changes of the owner for whom he or she is driving. Failure to comply with this requirement within two days of such change shall constitute an additional ground for revocation of a permit.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

(A) Every owner of a vehicle used in the transportation of passengers for hire, including vehicles for hire, shall maintain a public carrier liability insurance policy issued by an insurance company authorized/admitted to do business in California with minimum limits of one million dollars single limit for bodily injury and property damage naming the city of American Canyon as an additional insured. Every such policy of insurance shall continue to the full amount thereof, notwithstanding any recovery thereon, and the liability of the insurer shall not be affected by the insolvency or bankruptcy of the insured.

(B) The insurance policy required hereunder shall extend for the period to be covered by the license applied for and the insurer shall be obliged to give not less than thirty days written notice, to the finance department and to the assured, before any cancellation or termination thereof earlier than its expiration date. The expiration, cancellation or other termination of any such policy shall automatically revoke and terminate the vehicle for hire permit covered by such policy, unless another insurance policy complying with the provisions of this section is provided and in effect at the time of such expiration, cancellation or termination.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004

Every vehicle for hire with a rate based on mileage and

time of less than a one-hour increment shall be equipped with a taximeter.

Ord. 2004-11 § 1, 2004