Concord Municipal Code Art. IV Driver’s Permits

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any taxicab in the city unless he has a valid taxicab driver’s permit as herein provided.

(Code 1965, § 6337; Code 2002, § 118-69. Ord. No. 854; Ord. No. 11-7)

Each applicant for a driver’s permit must:

(1) Be a person of good moral character. In making this determination, the following factors shall be considered:

a. Whether the applicant has been convicted of an offense involving the use of force or violence upon the person of another;

b. Whether the applicant has been convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude;

c. Whether the applicant has intemperate habits or a bad reputation for trust, honesty, and integrity;

d. Whether the applicant has been refused or has had revoked any license or permit by any governmental agency or entity for lack of good moral character;

e. Whether the applicant has knowingly made false, misleading, or fraudulent statements of fact in this application or any other document required for a driver’s permit;

f. Whether the applicant has a driving record that has less than three convictions for moving traffic violations during the year prior to application;

g. Whether the applicant has had any convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the five years prior to application;

h. Whether the applicant has had any convictions for hit-and-run driving or reckless driving the five years prior to application;

i. Whether the applicant has any record of a commitment or detention under Welfare and Institutions Code § 5150.

(2) Be of the age 21 years or over, unless otherwise approved by the Chief of Police;

(3) Be of sound physique with good eyesight and not suffering from or being treated for epilepsy, vertigo, heart trouble, or any other infirmity of the body or mind, and not addicted to the use of intoxicating liquor, or illegally using amphetamines, barbiturates, hypnotic drugs, or narcotics which might render him unfit for the safe operation of a taxicab;

(4) Be clean in dress and person;

(5) Have a valid California driver’s license of the proper class which authorizes the driver to operate a taxicab;

(6) Be able to provide proof of employment, or an offer of employment, as a taxicab driver in the City of Concord.

(Code 1965, § 6338; Code 2002, § 118-70. Ord. No. 854; Ord. No. 87-21; Ord. No. 11-7)

(a) Application for each driver’s permit shall be filed with the Chief of Police, along with application fee as described in section 5.95.210. The application shall be in writing and made under penalty of perjury. Said application shall set forth the name, age, and address of the applicant, the applicant’s past experience in operating automobiles, the names and addresses of the applicant’s employers during the preceding period of three years, places of residence for two years preceding the application, whether or not an operator’s license issued to the applicant by the state or any state or government agency has ever been revoked or suspended, the endorsement of the owner by whom the applicant is to be employed as a driver, the physical description, weight, height, and color of eyes and hair, and such additional information as the Chief of Police may reasonably require to determine the applicant’s driving record. Upon satisfying the foregoing requirement, said applicant shall be fingerprinted and the applicant’s record filed by the Chief of Police.

(b) Renewals.

(1) A permittee may apply for a permit renewal by submitting to the Chief of Police, before the expiration of his driver’s permit, a renewal application and a non-refundable renewal fee in an amount set forth in the Resolution Establishing Fees and Charges for Various Municipal Services. Said application for renewal shall be subject to investigation pursuant to section 5.95.190 of this Code and shall require applicant to submit to fingerprinting at the time of submitting the renewal application. If there are no material changes and the provisions of sections 5.95.190, 5.95.200, and 5.95.210 of this Code have been satisfied, the Chief of Police shall renew the permit and issue a new driver’s permit.

(2) Renewals must be made prior to expiration of issued driver’s permit. If driver permit is renewed after expiration date, application will be considered as new. The term of each driver’s permit shall be through December 31st of the calendar year it was issued.

(Code 1965, § 6339; Code 2002, § 118-71. Ord. No. 854; Ord. No. 11-7)

(a) Application and renewal fees for driver’s permits shall be the amounts set forth in the Resolution Establishing Fees and Charges for Various Municipal Services.

(b) Permit renewal fees are payable annually from the date of issuance.

(c) No application fee shall be required of an applicant for a driver’s permit if said person has had additional or other driver’s permits issued to such applicant during the 12 months immediately preceding by the city. However, if a background investigation is required of an applicant, then the application fee shall be collected.

(Code 1965, § 6341; Code 2002, § 118-72. Ord. No. 854; Ord. No. 11-7)

The Chief of Police shall investigate said applicant and, after such investigation, shall either grant or deny the permit. Any person whose application has been denied may, within ten days after said denial, appeal to the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee.

(Code 1965, § 6342; Code 2002, § 118-73. Ord. No. 854; Ord. No. 11-7)

The driver’s permit shall be carried by the permittee at all times he is driving a vehicle as described in this article and posted in a place conspicuous from the passenger’s compartment of the taxicab while said driver is operating such vehicle.

(Code 1965, § 6343; Code 2002, § 118-74. Ord. No. 1025; Ord. No. 11-7)

A driver’s permit issued hereunder shall be nontransferable from person to person.

(Code 1965, § 6344; Code 2002, § 118-75. Ord. No. 854; Ord. No. 1025; Ord. No. 17; Ord. No. 11-7)

Every person holding a taxicab driver’s permit shall at all times keep the Chief of Police notified of his residence address. He shall notify the Chief of Police, in writing, of any change in said address within ten days after such change is made.

(Code 1965, § 6345; Code 2002, § 118-76. Ord. No. 854; Ord. No. 1025; Ord. No. 11-7)

If a driver changes his employment to employment by a different owner, he shall, within 24 hours thereafter, notify the Chief of Police for the purpose of having his driver’s permit changed so as to properly designate the name of the new employer. Transfer fees shall be the amounts set forth in the Resolution Establishing Fees and Charges for Various Municipal Services.

(Code 2002, § 118-77. Ord. No. 11-7)

All driver’s permits shall indicate the name of the driver’s employer on the permit, and shall limit the driver to operate a taxicab of the employer whose name is set forth on the permit. Every driver’s permit shall expire on December 31st of the calendar year it was issued.

(Code 2002, § 118-78. Ord. No. 11-7)

(a) The Chief of Police shall have the power to suspend any driver’s permit issued hereunder in the event the holder thereof either is arrested, charged, or cited for any violation of the Vehicle Code punishable by suspension of driver’s license, or violates section 5.95.190 of this article. In addition, a permit issued to a driver under this Article may be suspended immediately upon a finding by the Chief of Police that the holder has engaged in conduct that presents an immediate risk to the continued health, safety, and/or welfare of the general public. Any suspension may be appealed per the terms of this Article.

(b) Any person holding a driver’s permit who is adjudged guilty of violating any section of the Vehicle Code punishable by suspension or revocation of his driver’s license, or of a physical assault, or battery upon a person, may have his driver’s permit revoked by the Chief of Police. Prior to any revocation action being taken by the Chief of Police under this section, the driver shall be entitled to a hearing before the City Manager, or his designee, who shall receive evidence and render his decision within seven (7) days after the hearing is closed.

(c) Any driver’s permit revoked or suspended must be immediately surrendered to the Chief of Police.

(Code 2002, § 118-79. Ord. No. 11-7)

Except as provided in section 5.95.260, the owner of any taxicab operating under a permit from the city shall confiscate the driver’s permit of any driver leaving his employ and within five days shall notify and forward said permit to the Police Department.

(Code 2002, § 118-80. Ord. No. 11-7)