[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of
Williamstown 12-12-1988. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 3-23-1998]
Every owner of a taxicab licensed by the Town of Williamstown
shall file with the Board of Selectmen, and post on the back of the
front seat of every taxicab operated by him where it will be clearly
visible to passengers, a copy of these regulations and a schedule
of hours of operation and the rates and charges. Hours of operation,
rates and charges shall be approved annually by the Board of Selectmen
as the licensing authority. The name and address of said operator
shall also be posted in a like manner. Notices in the taxicab shall
be not less than twelve-point bold type.
Every such owner shall file with the Selectmen at the time of
filing his application for such licenses or renewal thereof, or at
any other time requested by the said Selectmen, any other information
requested by them concerning the operation of the business conducted,
or to be conducted, under such license. At the time of such filing
every owner shall in writing file with the Town Clerk, rates, charges
and a schedule of the hours of such operation. Any changes thereafter,
the Clerk shall be notified forthwith in writing. The name, address
and date of birth of all operators employed by said owner shall be
submitted to the Town Clerk for a character check to be made by the
Chief of Police. All operators must be of good character and reputation.
All operators of taxicabs shall be deemed responsible for the
acts of their drivers.
Every such owner, or driver operating his taxicab, shall endeavor
at all times to discharge, or receive passengers on the side of the
taxicab closest to the nearest curb or edge of road. No operator will
leave his/her taxicab double parked and unattended for the purpose
of delivering or picking up materials or merchandise.
No person shall drive a taxicab through the town streets in
search of a passenger or passengers.
No person shall solicit a passenger or passengers at a taxi
stand or in the vicinity of a taxi stand, other than the one designated
to said person by the Board of Selectmen.
Nothing in these rules shall be interpreted to prevent a driver
of a taxicab from picking up a passenger or passengers while driving
to and from a business call when hailed by said passenger or passengers.
No driver shall take on any passenger or passengers after the
vehicle is already occupied except with the consent of such occupant
or occupants.
Operators of taxicabs who have been granted a certificate as
an irregular route common carrier by the Department of Public Utilities
may deliver medicines or telegrams only.
No driver shall refuse to carry any person asking to be carried
as a passenger unless such person is drunk or disorderly or is affected
with a contagious disease, or unless the taxicab already contains
a passenger.
No driver shall receive or permit to be placed in his vehicle
any person sick with any contagious disease or the body of any person
deceased from such disease except by permission of the Board of Health.
Any driver who finds in his vehicle any article presumably belonging
to a passenger shall forthwith deliver the same to the owner thereof,
if known, otherwise he shall report the finding thereof to the officer
in charge of the police station and deliver the same to him. The Chief
of Police shall undertake to find the owner thereof. If at the end
of 60 days the article has not been claimed by the owner, it shall
be returned to the driver.
No driver shall require an occupant to wait until additional
passengers are procured by him/her.
Failure to abide by the laws of the commonwealth, the town bylaws,
these rules and regulations or the terms and conditions under which
the license is granted may result in suspension or revocation of an
operator's license or driver's license after a hearing,
following notice to the licensee, before the Board of Selectmen.
[Added 1-22-1996]
A.
The Board may deny the application of any person for a license, if,
in its discretion, it determines that:
(1)
Such application has made a material false statement or concealed
a material fact in connection with the application;
(2)
Such applicant, any officer, director, stockholder or partner, or
any other person directly or indirectly interested in the business
which was the former holder, or was an officer, director, stockholder
or partner in a corporation or partnership which was the former holder
of a taxi license in the Town of Williamstown which was revoked or
suspended by the Board;
[Amended 3-23-1998]
(3)
Such applicant, any officer, director, stockholder or partner, employee
or any other person directly or indirectly interested in the business
has been convicted of a felony, or of any crime involving violence,
dishonesty, deceit or indecency, degeneracy or moral turpitude;
(4)
Such applicant has failed to furnish satisfactory evidence of good
character, reputation and fitness; or
(5)
Such applicant is not the true owner of the taxicab.
B.
The Board may suspend or revoke a license or refuse to issue a renewal
thereof for any of the following causes:
(1)
The conviction of a licensee or any partner, officer, agent or employee
of such licensee of a felony, or of any crime involving violence,
dishonesty, deceit, indecency, degeneracy or moral turpitude;
(2)
Where the licensee has made a material false statement or concealed
a material fact in connection with the application for the license
or a renewal thereof;
(3)
Where the licensee has failed to comply with any of the provisions
of this section or any of the rules and regulations of the Board made
pursuant thereto;
(4)
Where the licensee or any partner, officer, agent or employee of
such licensee has been guilty of fraud or fraudulent practices in
relation to the business conducted under the license, or guilty of
inducing another to resort to fraud or fraudulent practices; or
(5)
For any other cause.
C.
Except where a refusal to issue a a license or renewal, or revocation
or suspension, is based solely on a court conviction or convictions,
a licensee or applicant shall have an opportunity to be heard, such
hearing to be held at such time and place as the Board shall prescribe.
Any complaints brought against a taxicab owner or operator must
be submitted to the Town Manager in writing, and upon receipt of the
same, the Board of Selectmen shall review the subject matter of said
complaint with such owner and the persons making the complaint, either
at the same or separate times. If the Board of Selectmen finds the
complaint justified, it may take whatever action necessary to correct
the situation described in said complaint, including appropriate disciplinary
action against such owner even to the extent of revoking the license
of such owner
A.
All licensed taxicabs operating in the Town of Williamstown are required
to have proper commercial motor vehicle insurance, providing a minimum
coverage of $50,000/$100,000 for personal injury and a minimum of
$10,000 for collision insurance for damages done to property of other
persons.
B.
Prior to obtaining a license, the taxicab operator shall submit evidence
to the Selectmen that such insurance is in effect by a licensed insurance
carrier in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
C.
Should for any reason the operator's insurance be canceled during
a year, such revocation shall be sufficient reason for revocation
of the license.
Before a license is granted to operate a vehicle as a taxicab,
such vehicle shall be thoroughly inspected and examined by a certified
Massachusetts inspection station in Williamstown. The town shall provide
the standards for inspections, and all inspections will be at the
expense of the owner/operator. The inspection station shall provide
certification of the condition of the vehicle to the town, for the
purpose of ascertaining whether the same is in a safe condition for
the transportation of passengers, is clean and of good appearance.
All taxicabs, licensed under this article shall be inspected semiannually
to meet the above requirements.
