[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Garden City 10-5-1967 as Ord. No. 6.4 of the Revised Unified Code of Ordinances; amended in its entirety 7-14-1977 by L.L. No. 1-1977. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Businesses generally — See Ch. 75.
Vehicle and traffic regulations — See Ch. 193.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, whenever used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
TAXICAB
A public taxicab, cab, hack or other vehicle plying for hire or soliciting passengers to be carried for hire within the Village of Garden City, whether or not a taximeter is affixed or used. Any "taxicab" that uses the streets or other public places within the village for the purpose of soliciting passengers to be carried for hire shall be deemed a "taxicab" required to be licensed under this Article. This Article shall not apply to any omnibus running by authority of any ordinance, law or permit upon a fixed route through the village.
No person owning or controlling a taxicab shall operate such taxicab or permit the same to be operated or driven as a vehicle for hire upon the streets of the village without having first obtained and having then in force a license therefor as hereinafter provided.
Applications for taxicab licenses under this chapter shall be made in the following manner:
A. 
Application by the owner shall be made to the Mayor on forms to be furnished by the Village Clerk, which application shall contain the following:
(1) 
The full name and address of the owner and a description, including the New York State registration number and the motor number, of each vehicle to be licensed, and the number of persons each such vehicle is capable of carrying.
(2) 
A complete financial statement of the applicant, specifying the amounts of all unpaid judgments against the applicant and the nature of the transactions or acts giving rise to said judgments and the name and location of the court in which and the date on which each was entered.
(3) 
A complete statement of all crimes and violations of any traffic law, ordinance or regulation of which the applicant and any member thereof, if an unincorporated association, and any officer, director or stockholder thereof, if a corporation, has been convicted, stating the name and location of the court in which and the date on which such conviction was had and the penalty imposed therefor.
(4) 
A detailed statement as to the experience of the applicant and each member thereof, if an unincorporated association, and each officer, director and stockholder thereof, if a corporation, in the transportation of passengers.
(5) 
Except for a renewal license, any facts which the applicant believes tend to prove that the public convenience and necessity require the granting of a license.
B. 
Upon receiving such application, the Mayor shall present the same to the Board of Trustees at its next regular meeting. If such application is for an original license and not a renewal of a license previously granted, and the Board of Trustees is satisfied that further taxicab service in the village is required for the public convenience and necessity and that the applicant is fit, willing and able to perform such public transportation and to conform to the provisions of this chapter and that the Chief of Police has inspected and certified the vehicle as herein provided, the Mayor or such village officer designated by him shall issue a license signed by the Mayor or such designated officer. If such application is for the renewal of a previously issued license, the finding of public convenience and necessity shall not be a prerequisite for the issuance of such renewal license.
C. 
Inspection. No vehicle shall be licensed, nor the license therefor renewed, until it has been inspected by or under the direction of the Chief of Police and certified by him to be in safe condition for the transportation of passengers, clean, fit and of good appearance and insured as required by law. Such insurance shall be so written that the policy may not be canceled without the insurer's giving notice of cancellation thereof to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized and empowered to establish reasonable rules and regulations for the inspection of taxicabs and for the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter and to cause inspections of licensed taxicabs to be made from time to time to see that they are kept in a condition of continued fitness for public use. He shall keep written reports of all inspections made and shall issue a tag after each inspection, which tag shall be dated and signed by the inspecting officer, and such tag shall be conspicuously affixed to and displayed in the interior of the taxicab.
Every person driving a taxicab must be licensed annually as such. Each applicant for a driver's license must be of the age of 18 years or over, be able to read and write the English language, of good moral character and of sound physique and good eyesight, good hearing and not subject to any infirmity of body or mind which might render him unfit as a driver.
Applications for drivers' licenses under this chapter shall be made in the following manner:
A. 
Application shall be made to the Mayor upon forms to be furnished by the Village Clerk, which application shall contain the following:
(1) 
The full name of the applicant.
(2) 
The applicant's chauffeur's registration number.
(3) 
The applicant's age, height, weight, color of eyes and hair, place of birth, home address, whether a citizen of the United States, places of previous employment for at least 10 years preceding the application.
(4) 
A statement as to whether the applicant has ever been arrested or convicted of a felony, misdemeanor or traffic violation.
(5) 
A statement as to whether the applicant has previously been licensed as a driver or chauffeur, and if so, whether his license has ever been revoked and for what cause.
(6) 
Two photographs of the applicant taken not more than 60 days before or after the date of application, which pictures shall be two by two (2 x 2) inches showing the head and shoulders of the applicant in a clear and distinguishing manner.
(7) 
One complete set of fingerprints of the applicant.
B. 
Each applicant shall be examined by the Chief of Police or by a person designated by the Chief, as to his skill, fitness and ability to drive.
C. 
Upon receiving such application the Mayor shall present the same to the Board of Trustees at its next regular meeting, and the Board of Trustees shall thereupon investigate or cause an investigation to be made of the application, and if the Board shall, after such investigation, be satisfied that the applicant is of good character and the the issuance of a license would not be detrimental to the best interests of the village or the public and that the Chief of Police has examined and certified as to the applicant's fitness, the Mayor or such village officer designated by him shall issue a license signed by the Mayor or such designated officer. At the time of issuance of such license the Village Clerk shall furnish to the applicant a numbered badge, which must be conspicuously worn on the outer clothing or hat of each licensed driver. Such badge shall be returned to the Village Clerk upon suspension, revocation or failure to renew the taxicab driver's license.
D. 
The Mayor may renew a driver's license from year to year by appropriate endorsement thereon, provided that the Chief of Police shall certify as to the driver's skill, fitness and ability, and provided the annual license fee is paid. Application for renewal of license shall be made by the driver upon a form to be furnished by the Village Clerk, which application shall state the applicant's full name, address, original license number and date upon which such original license was granted.
[Amended 11-21-1991 by L.L. No. 8-1991]
The annual license fee for taxicab licenses granted under this chapter shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
[Amended 11-21-1991 by L.L. No. 8-1991]
The annual license fee for a driver's license granted under this chapter shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
No license issued under this chapter shall be deemed to be in effect nor to grant any rights to the licensee therein named until the license fee shall have been paid to the Treasurer of the village and his receipt endorsed upon said license across the face thereof.
All licenses issued under this chapter shall expire on the 31st day of December in the year when issued, unless otherwise specified in the license.
The Village Clerk and the Chief of Police shall keep a register of the name of each person owning or operating a taxicab licensed under this chapter, together with the license number, the New York State registration number and the description, make and motor number of such vehicle; a complete record of each license issued to a driver; and a record of all renewals, suspensions and revocations of licenses. Such records shall be kept on file and shall be open to inspection by the public and shall be public records, extracts of which may be certified by the Village Clerk for use as evidence.
No taxicab shall stand on any public street or public place other than at or upon a public taxicab stand designated or established by the Board of Trustees, nor shall any driver solicit employment by driving through the public streets or by oral solicitation of any kind, either on the public streets or from private property.
A. 
The maximum rates of fare for taxicabs in the Village of Garden City shall be as determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees,[1] according to taxicab zones as hereinafter set forth:
[Amended 9-1-1977 by L.L. No. 9-1977]
(1) 
Zone 1: all territory within the village limits lying north of Commercial Avenue and east of Clinton Road, excluding Raymond Court and also excluding the residences north of Stewart Avenue fronting on Clinton Road.
(2) 
Zone 2: all territory within the village limits lying east of the easterly side of Franklin Avenue except that territory covered by Zone 1.
(3) 
Zone 3: all territory within the village limits lying east of the easterly side of Cherry Valley Road as it runs northerly from the southerly boundary of the village to its intersection with Rockaway Avenue, thence east of the easterly side of Rockaway Avenue from its point on intersection with Cherry Valley Road northerly to the northern boundary of the village, the easterly boundary of this zone being westerly boundary of Zone 2.
(4) 
Zone 4: This zone is to be bounded on the north and south by the village limits, on the east by the westerly boundary of Zone 3 and on the west by an imaginary line running parallel to Roxbury Road and distant 400 feet westerly from the westerly side thereof.
(5) 
Zone 5: all territory within the village limits to the west of Zone 4.
[1]
Editor's Note: The current resolution setting rates of fare is on file in the office of the Village Clerk.
B. 
No person shall charge or attempt to charge any passenger a greater rate of fare than that determined by the Board of Trustees, regardless of the number of stops made to take on or let off passengers and also regardless of whether the taxicab is engaged by telephone or otherwise.
There shall be posted conspicuously in the interior of the taxicab the village taxicab license, the village taxicab driver's license to which is affixed a photograph of the driver and a schedule of the maximum fares and a map of the village showing the fare zones herein specified. Taxicabs shall be equipped with a roof light sign bearing the word "taxi," which sign shall be illuminated at night. Private rental automobiles for which the New York State Motor Vehicle Bureau issues private rental licenses are exempt from this provision. No advertising matter of any kind, except the name of the taxicab license holder, shall be attached or in any way displayed on any taxicab or private rental automobile.
No license granted under this chapter shall be transferable.
Every taxicab driver, as soon as practicable after his taxicab is emptied of passengers, shall carefully examine his taxicab for any property lost or left therein by any passenger and, if he shall find any such property, shall immediately deliver it to the Police Department.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 137, Lost and Found.
Every taxicab driver shall obey all traffic laws, ordinances, rules and regulations while driving a taxicab and shall report to the Village Clerk immediately upon his conviction of a violation of any such law, ordinance, rule or regulation and shall also file with the Village Clerk a report of any accidents in which such driver's taxicab may have been involved.
A. 
Owner. Any owner or operator or driver of a vehicle not licensed and equipped in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and of the reasonable regulations of the Police Department established hereunder, or of a vehicle the license of which has been suspended or revoked, who engages in the business of a public taxicab as hereinbefore defined, or attempts to engage in such business, or who permits an unlicensed driver to drive such vehicle upon the streets of the village, shall be punishable by a fine of not over $50 for each offense, and such violation shall constitute disorderly conduct and the person violating the same shall be a disorderly person.
B. 
Driver. Any person not having been duly licensed as a taxicab driver, or any person whose license as such driver has been revoked or suspended and who during the time of such suspension drives for hire a taxicab upon the streets of the village, shall be punishable by a fine of not over $50 for each offense, and such violation shall constitute disorderly conduct and the person violating the same shall be a disorderly person.