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City of Oneonta, NY
Otsego County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (7) Index
[Amended 10-16-2018 by Ord. No. 4-2018]
A. 
Taxicab zones and rates. The City of Oneonta is hereby divided into zones as shown on a map and schedules entitled, "Taxicab Zones and Rate Schedules, City of Oneonta," which said map and schedules, appended herewith, are hereby declared to be part of this article.[1]
(1) 
Amounts in the Zone Rate Schedule will be as set by resolution from time to time by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said map and schedules are on file in the City offices.
B. 
Surcharges.
(1) 
A surcharge in an amount which shall be determined by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta is imposed on all trips commenced and terminated between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and upon all trips commenced and terminated during the twenty-four-hour period comprising a Sunday or legal holiday.
(2) 
There shall be an optional energy surcharge for all trips in an amount which shall be determined by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta and assessed at the discretion of each respective taxicab/livery company. This energy allowance shall remain in effect as long as the average price of a gallon of gasoline for the upstate New York area as reported by the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) should exceed $3.499 per gallon. No energy allowance shall be authorized or collected where the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the upstate New York region, as reported by NYSERDA, falls below $3.499.
(3) 
Additional passengers. A taxicab driver may charge a per-passenger fee for the same party and same destination in an amount which shall be determined by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta.
(4) 
Stop charge. A stop charge in an amount to be determined by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta shall be levied when a fare requests a stop in addition to the originally agreed-upon service request. The stop charge shall be applied for each subsequent stop requested.
C. 
Receipts. Upon request of the passenger, the taxicab driver shall provide a receipt upon a form approved by the City Clerk containing the following information:
(1) 
The name of the taxicab company with the number of the car and the printed and signed name of the driver.
(2) 
The date, place, and time the trip originated.
(3) 
The date, place, and time the trip terminated.
(4) 
The number of passengers for which the paying party paid a fee.
(5) 
The total fare charged.
(6) 
The telephone number of the cab company where a complaint may be directed.
D. 
Rate rules.
(1) 
Zone line rates. When the destination of the taxicab is the dividing line between two zones, the fare for the lesser zone will be charged.
(2) 
Children. One child five years of age or under shall ride free if accompanied by an adult passenger. No driver shall be required to convey any child under the age of five years unaccompanied by an adult.
(3) 
Seniors. Passengers 62 years of age or older shall be granted a discount in an amount which shall be determined by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta in regulated fares.
(4) 
Tip solicitation. No driver shall solicit tips, gratuities or any additional charges other than those authorized by this article. However, nonsolicited, voluntary tipping is allowed.
(5) 
Prepayment. A taxicab driver shall have the right to demand payment of the legal fare in advance and may refuse employment unless so prepaid.
(6) 
Group rides. No taxicab driver shall carry any person other than the passenger first employing the taxicab without the consent of such passenger.
(7) 
Waiting time. After a person has hired a taxicab, there shall be no charge for up to two minutes during which the taxicab waits for the passenger at the passenger's request. There shall be a charge in an amount which shall be determined by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta for each additional three minutes or any portion thereof. The taxicab driver shall inform the passenger of the charge for waiting time at the time of request.
(8) 
Disputed fares. In the event that there is a dispute between the taxicab driver and a passenger with respect to a fare, the taxicab driver shall submit the dispute to the City Clerk's office. If the passenger then makes payment, the passenger shall be given a receipt by the taxicab driver of the amount paid, which shall be witnessed by the City Clerk or his/her designee. If the passenger pays under protest, such fact shall be recorded by the City Clerk or his/her designee, who shall make a memorandum of the dispute and the disposition made. The disposition of the dispute shall not be binding in a court.
(9) 
Taxicab owners shall furnish each driver with a copy of the rate rules, supplied by the City Clerk, and shall instruct their drivers to apply the rules fairly and consistently, advising them that charges must not be exceeded under any circumstances.