Pacifica Municipal Code Art. 1 General Provisions

The following terms and phases whenever used in this chapter shall have the following meanings.

(a) "Bus" means every privately owned vehicle having a seating capacity of more than eight (8) passengers, excluding the driver, and operating over the streets of Pacifica on a regularly defined route, the service of which is rendered solely within the corporate limits of the City, and having a fixed fare.

(b) "Chief of Police" means the Chief of Police of the City.

(c) "City" means City of Pacifica.

(d) "City Clerk" means the City Clerk of the City.

(e) "City Manager" means the City Manager of the City.

(f) "Council" means the City Council of the City.

(g) "Driver" means every person in charge of, or operating, any vehicle for hire, as defined in this chapter, either as agent, employee or otherwise under the direction of the owner, or as owner, as defined in this chapter.

(h) "Owner" means every person, entity, partnership, firm or corporation having use or control of any vehicle for hire or vehicle for hire service as defined in this chapter, whether as owner, lessee or otherwise.

(i) "Rent car" means every vehicle, excluding taxicabs, used for the transportation of passengers for hire over the public streets of the city and not over a defined route, for which a fee is charged and the service of which is rendered wholly within the corporate limits of the city, and such vehicle is routed as to a destination under the direction of such passenger or passengers, or of such person hiring the same.

(j) "Shuttle van" means the same as "bus."

(k) "Street" means any place commonly used for the purpose of vehicular travel.

(l) "Taxicab" means every vehicle with a seating capacity of eight (8) or fewer persons, excluding the driver, operated at rates per mile, or for wait-time, or for both, used for the transportation of passengers for hire over the public streets of the city, and not over a defined route and irrespective of whether the operations extend beyond the boundary limits of the city, and such vehicle is routed to a destination under the direction of such passenger or passengers, or of such persons hiring the same.

(m) "Taximeter" means any mechanical instrument, appliance, device or machine by which the charge for hire of a passenger-carrying vehicle is mechanically calculated either for distances traveled or time consumed, or both, and upon the instrument, appliance, device or machine such charge is indicated by figures.

(n) "Vehicle" means a vehicle as defined in Section 670 of the California Vehicle Code and includes the term "motor vehicle" as defined in Section 415, as those sections may be amended from time to time.

(o) "Vehicle for hire" or "vehicles for hire" includes any and all buses, taxicabs and/or rent cars as defined in this chapter.

(p) "Vehicle for hire service" means a business that provides any public transportation service or business vehicle for hire on call or demand over the public streets of the City, where the service is not provided over a defined route, but is between points and over routes directed by the person(s) hiring the vehicle for hire, and irrespective of whether the operations extend beyond the corporate limits of the City. The term "vehicle for hire service" includes the act of picking up any passenger in the City.

(§ 1, Ord. 676-C.S., eff. April 12, 2000)

(a) The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health, safety and welfare by regulating the operation and licensing of vehicles for hire and the drivers of vehicles for hire as authorized by law, including but not limited to, California Vehicle Code Sections 21112, Government Code, and 16501, California Constitution Art. XII Section 7, and the City's police powers, as may, be amended from time to time.

(b) This chapter is limited in scope to the regulation of vehicles for hire as defined in this chapter. It does not regulate vehicles or businesses required to obtain a certificate of convenience and necessity issued by the California Public Utilities Commission, nor does it apply to passenger transportation service regulated by the Federal Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982, as amended.

(c) This chapter does not apply to any passenger transportation service owned and operated by a public agency.

(d) This chapter does not apply to vehicles for hire, taxicabs, buses or rent cars whose sole act within the City is the delivery of any passenger to a location within the City.

(§ 1, Ord. 676-C.S., eff. April 12, 2000)