Del Mar Municipal Code Ch. 6.32 Taxicabs and Taxicab Operators

A. Without first having obtained the permit required by this Chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to carry on a business utilizing taxicabs within the City.

B. Without first having obtained the permit required by this Chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to drive a taxicab for the purpose of soliciting passengers within the City.

(Ord. No. 419; Ord. No. 531; Ord. No. 750; Ord. No. 860; Ord. No. 868)

The City Manager or his/her designee shall be the issuing authority for the permits required by this Chapter. The City Council shall, by Resolution, establish the amount of the operating permit fee and an administrative fee for processing the application, to be paid to the City of Del Mar.

(Ord. No. 750)

In addition to the provisions of this Title applicable to this Chapter, there is hereby adopted, by reference, by the City of Del Mar, for the purpose of prescribing rules and regulations for the protection of the public health and safety, Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the San Diego County Code, together with such secondary references as are included in those portions, effective as of May 1, 2012. The provisions thereof shall be controlling within the limits of the City to include without limitation, the fees, regulatory provisions, and definitions, but excluding the procedural provisions beyond those required for processing applications, conducting investigations, issuing permits, and enforcing regulatory provisions. In the event of a conflict between this Chapter and those requirements, duties, liabilities, or powers, of the San Diego County Code, this Chapter shall control.

A. In order to obtain the permit required by this Chapter the following equipment and vehicle standards are required:

1. Vehicles must be a State of California registered commercial vehicle.

2. Vehicles must hold a minimum of three passengers.

3. Vehicles must display company name, telephone number and vehicle ID number. The information must be clearly displayed on outside doors of vehicle.

4. Vehicle windows may not be tinted except as permitted by law.

5. Vehicles must have in service/out of service signs which are visible to pedestrians.

6. County of San Diego Taxi driver I.D. must be displayed and must be visible to passengers. City of Del Mar permit must be displayed on the back left rear window.

7. The current Posted Rate must be displayed on the outside of the rear passenger side door.

8. GPS must be installed in each vehicle and must be visible to passengers.

9. Vehicles must be equipped with a communication device. Acceptable communication devices are:

a. Two-way radios.

b. Cell phones.

10. Vehicles must carry credit card readers.

11. Each vehicle must be equipped with a fire extinguisher, red signal flares, first aid kit and flashlight which must be maintained and in working order.

12. Each vehicle must be equipped with an emergency trunk release system.

B. The following operator/driver standards shall be conditions of the permit as required by this Chapter:

1. All drivers must dress in a neat and clean fashion.

2. No smoking is allowed in the vehicle at any time, whether or not it is in-service.

C. In order to obtain and as a condition of the permit required by this Chapter the following operations standards are required:

1. Vehicles must follow all current City of Del Mar regulations and Municipal Codes. Failure to comply may result in the revocation of the taxicab permit for the remainder of the calendar year.

2. Vehicles must be attended at all times except as necessary for the driver to eat or use sanitary facilities, and at no time in excess of 30 minutes.

3. Vehicles must drive the most direct route to passenger(s) destination.

4. Operators with more than five vehicles must have at least one vehicle that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

D. All Operators with environmentally friendly vehicles will have the taxi operations permit fee and taxicab sticker fee waived for two years. The following California Air Resources Board (ARB) vehicle emission ratings are considered to be environmentally-friendly vehicles:

ZEV: Zero Emission Vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions and are 98 percent cleaner than the average new model year vehicle.

AT PZEV: Advanced Technology PZEVs meet Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (SULEV) tailpipe emission standards, have a 15-year/150,000 mile warranty, have zero evaporative emissions and include advanced technology components. (i.e. a plug-in hybrid or a compressed natural gas vehicle).

PZEV: Partial Zero Emission Vehicles meet SULEV tailpipe emission standards, have a 15-year/150,000 mile warranty and have zero evaporative emissions.

SULEV: Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles are 90 percent cleaner than the average new model year vehicle.

A. Each applicant for a permit required by this Chapter shall apply to the City of Del Mar's Finance Department.

B. A violation of the provisions of this Chapter shall constitute an infraction.

A. The City shall designate taxicab stand zones, by appropriate markings and signs, at which taxicabs may be parked in accordance with the regulations, set forth herein.

B. No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle other than a taxicab in a taxicab stand zone established pursuant to this Chapter when there are in place adequate signs designating such taxicab stand zone, except that the driver of a passenger vehicle may temporarily stop therein for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading passengers when such stopping does not interfere with any taxicab waiting to enter or about to enter such zone.

(Ord. No. 860)

Except when parking, stopping or standing in a taxicab stand zone established pursuant to this Chapter, it shall be unlawful for the owner, driver or operator of any taxicab, while available for hire, to allow such taxicab to remain stopped, parked or otherwise standing between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., at the curb or edge of any roadway in the City of Del Mar; provided, however, that taxicabs may stop or stand in any available parking space when actually loading or unloading passengers.

(Ord. No. 860)

A. Safety Checks. All operators and/or drivers must allow the City and/or the County of San Diego Sheriff officers to perform random safety checks of taxicabs and driver qualifications while operating within the City.

B. Failure to comply with the requirements of this Chapter and any other provision of this Code may result in an administrative citation. The operations permit for the cited vehicle may be revoked for the calendar year after the receipt of the second administrative citation regardless of the infraction.

C. Appeal of citations may be submitted in writing within ten working days of receipt of the administrative citation to the Finance Department. All appeals will be heard by the City Manager or City Manager's designee.