[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Williamstown 12-12-1988. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 130.
Smoking — See Ch. 158.
[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.
A. 
No person driving a taxicab shall have in his possession a lighted cigarette, cigar or pipe while any passenger is being carried therein.
B. 
No passenger shall smoke or carry a lighted cigarette, cigar or pipe in a vehicle operated as a taxicab.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 158, Smoking.
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.