Article III

• A. General. No person may drive a taxicab within the city without first obtaining a driver's permit under this section, unless an exception applies under Section 5.60.030(C). (See also Government Code Section 53075.5(b).) If an owner is also a driver, that owner would need two permits: the owner's permit and the driver's permit.

• B. Application. The prospective driver shall submit a complete application in the form provided by the city. The application will include information regarding the driver, the driver's age as twenty-one years or older, the driving record, fingerprinting for criminal background check, and passport style photograph for the driver's permit. The applicant shall submit a nonrefundable application fee in the amount established by resolution of the city council, to cover the costs of fingerprinting, background investigation, vehicle inspections, and general administrative costs in administering the permit program.

• C. Determination. The driver's permit shall be granted unless the city finds any one or more of the following:

  1. The applicant fails to submit a complete application;

  2. The applicant makes any omission, untrue or material misstatement or provides fraudulent documentation with the application;

  3. Department of Motor Vehicle records of any state of the United States that indicate the department has taken administrative action which resulted in actual suspension or revocation of the applicant's driver's license, unless such suspension or revocation was based on a nondriving related matter;

  4. The applicant has violated this chapter three or more times within the last three years;

  5. There is an absence of satisfactory proof that the vehicle will be operated in compliance with the provisions of this chapter;

  6. The applicant does not possess a valid California driver's license;

  7. The applicant has been convicted of any felony offense, or of any misdemeanor offense, involving moral turpitude, theft or fraud, including a conviction following a plea of no contest or nolo contendere, taking into consideration the nature of the conviction, the age of the applicant at the time of the conviction, any evidence of rehabilitation, and the relationship of the conviction to the propriety of the applicant operating a vehicle for hire;

  8. The applicant has failed to obtain a certificate of a negative test for controlled substances and alcohol from a city-approved lab, in conformance with Government Code Section 53075.5(b)(3).

• D. Terms.

  1. The term of the permit is one year and may be renewed.

  2. The issuance of a driver's permit is conditioned upon the driver ensuring that he or she will only operate a vehicle approved for an owner who has a valid owner's permit. The driver's permit shall state the name of the employer.

3. The driver's permit shall become void upon termination of the driver's employment, including termination of self-employment as an independent driver, and the driver shall immediately return his or her permit to the police department upon the termination of employment.

   4. The issuance of a driver's permit is conditioned upon the driver complying with the mandatory controlled substance and alcohol testing and program certification set forth in Government Code Section 53075.5(b)(3).

• (Ord. 913 § 1, 2013)

Each driver licensed under this chapter shall abide by the following standards:

• A. Posting. A driver shall abide by the posting and carrying requirements of Section 5.60.060(A): driver's license, driver's permit, vehicle registration, and rate schedule.

• B. No Misrepresentation. A driver may not misrepresent the rates, travel time or distance, or identity of the vehicle owner.

• C. No Obstruction of Public Right-of-Way. A driver may not obstruct a street or sidewalk, and shall remain in or beside the vehicle when the vehicle is standing on a public street.

• D. Reasonable Assistance. A driver shall offer to provide assistance to each passenger entering and leaving the vehicle unless the passenger indicates otherwise.

• E. Seating Capacity. No driver may accept into his or her vehicle any greater number of passengers than the rated seating capacity of the vehicle.

• F. No Denial of Service. A driver may not refuse a prospective fare based on the distance of the route (within fifty miles of the city) or on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or physical disability, including use of service animals.

• G. Lost Property. A driver shall report and deliver to the police department any property found in the vehicle and not claimed and returned to the passenger within forty-eight hours.

• H. Mandatory Testing. A driver shall submit a certificate of a negative test for controlled substances and alcohol from a city-approved lab, in conformance with Government Code Section 53075.5(b)(3).

• (Ord. 913 § 1, 2013)