A.
Each vehicle shall be required to obtain a separate taxicab license
and medallion.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, copartnership or corporation
to operate or permit to be operated a taxicab upon the streets of
the City of Beacon without first having obtained therefor a taxicab
license under the provisions of this chapter from the Chief of Police.
Such license shall be issued as of August 1 and shall expire on July
31 next succeeding, unless sooner suspended or revoked. Application
for a taxicab license shall be made by the owner upon blank forms
furnished by the Chief of Police through the office of the City Clerk.
Such application shall contain:
(1)
The name, date of birth and residence of the person applying for
the license.
(2)
The type of motor car to be used, the factory number, the state license
number, the number of years the vehicle has been driven, and the seating
capacity according to its trade rating.
(3)
Whether previously licensed to operate a taxicab, and if so, where.
(4)
Whether license to operate a taxicab has ever been revoked, and if
so, for what cause.
(5)
Proof of a public liability insurance policy, written by an insurance
company licensed to do business in the State of New York.
(6)
Such other information as the Chief of Police may deem necessary.
C.
The applicant must attach to his application a schedule showing the
rates of fare to be charged to and from points within the City limits
and to and from points outside City limits. In addition thereto, said
schedule shall set forth the amount charged for waiting time, any
special charges, and amounts charged per mile outside the limits of
the City of Beacon.
D.
The applicant must include in his application a physical business
address, which includes a street address (no post office box address
permitted) within a radius of five miles from the City of Beacon.
E.
Every company operating any taxicab shall designate an employee such
as a dispatcher or other such person who shall be responsible to keep
and maintain a trip sheet at all times during the operation of such
taxicab.
[Added 12-20-2010 by L.L. No. 19-2010]
(1)
Such trip sheet shall record, at a minimum, the following information:
(a)
The name and driver's license number of each and every
driver operating such vehicle for the trips recorded on the trip sheet;
(b)
Date, commencement time by hour and minute and origin point
of each trip for each passenger;
(c)
Date, dropoff or termination time by hour and minute and destination
or termination location of each trip for each passenger;
(d)
Fare charged and collected for each trip for each passenger;
(e)
Date, time by hour and minute and location of any accident or
breakdown causing an interruption or discontinuance of the operation
of such taxicab and a description thereof;
(f)
The issuance of any citation or violation of any law, rule or
code involving the operation of such taxicab and/or the conduct of
the driver of same.
(2)
The proprietor, operator or owner of any taxicab business shall produce
any and all such trip sheets for any and all taxicabs operated, owned
or controlled by such persons upon demand therefor by any police officer.
(3)
All such trip sheets shall be retained and kept on file and made
available for audit, examination and inspection by any City law enforcement
or code enforcement officer at all reasonable times for a minimum
period of two years by every owner, operator and/or proprietor of
every taxicab and company operating and/or owning same.
[Amended 5-20-2013 by L.L. No. 10-2013]
A.
No vehicle shall be licensed nor shall any taxicab license be renewed
until it has been thoroughly and carefully inspected and examined
and found to be in a thoroughly safe condition for the transportation
of passengers, clean, fit, of good appearance and well painted and
varnished. The Chief of Police shall designate who shall make such
examination and inspection before a license is issued and shall have
the right to make such inspection of such licensed vehicle at any
time he deems the same necessary. The Chief of Police shall refuse
a taxicab license to, or if already issued, revoke or suspend a taxicab
license of any vehicle found upon inspection and examination to be
unfit or unsuited for public patronage. No taxicab license shall be
issued under the provisions of this section unless and until the Chief
of Police has indicated in writing his approval thereof on the face
of the application thereof. The signature shall not be facsimile.
B.
Any vehicle failing an inspection shall return for a reinspection
within 10 days unless additional time to perform the repair is granted
in writing by the Police Chief. Failure to correct the deficiencies
noted during the first inspection at the time of the second or subsequent
inspection or within 10 days shall result in an inspection failure
fee in an amount as set forth in the City of Beacon fee schedule.[1] Nothing herein shall preclude the finding of new additional
violations during a second or subsequent inspection.
[1]
Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the City
offices.
C.
Taxicab decal; light. Effective September 1, 2010, every taxicab
shall:
(1)
Have a decal on each side displaying the name of the business as
it appears on the taxicab license, the words "Beacon, N.Y." and telephone
number of the business. Magnetic decals or signs are not permitted;
and
(2)
Be equipped with a rooftop light indicating whether the taxicab is
available for hire.
[Amended 12-20-2010 by L.L. No. 19-2010]
A.
If, upon inspection, a taxicab is found to be of lawful construction
and in proper condition, in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter and if the issuance of a taxicab license therefor is approved
by both the Chief of Police and upon the payment of the license fee
hereinafter set forth, the same shall be licensed by delivering to
the owner a card of such size and form as may be prescribed by the
Chief of Police. The card shall contain the official license number
of the taxicab, together with the date of inspection of the same.
Such card shall be signed by the City Clerk and shall contain blank
spaces upon which an entry shall be made of the date of every inspection
of the vehicle. The license card shall be a distinctly different color
each year. Any licensee who defaces, obliterates or changes any official
entry made upon his license shall have his license revoked. If a taxicab
shall be disabled, disqualified for service or sold, the Chief of
Police may in his or her discretion permit the use of a license granted
for such taxicab to be transferred to another taxicab or to the new
owner thereof, provided such taxicab or such owner complies with the
provisions of this chapter. The owner or operator of said taxicab
may, at any time, file with the Chief of Police a statement showing
that new or different rates are to be charged thereafter for the use
and hire of any taxicab so owned by him.
B.
The Chief of Police shall also affix to each taxicab a medallion which shall bear the license number of the vehicle in accordance with the provisions of § 200-14. Medallions may be issued only to the owner or the lessee of the vehicle to be licensed. The number of the taxicab license or medallion must match the number of the taxicab.
[Amended 5-20-2013 by L.L. No. 10-2013]
A.
A medallion issued by the City of Beacon must be affixed on the front
of each taxicab. The medallion is the property of the City of Beacon
and may not be sold, transferred, assigned or leased.
B.
The City of Beacon shall issue a limited number of medallions at
a time, the number of such medallions to be set by resolution of the
City Council and amended from time to time. The fee for such medallions
shall be set forth in the City of Beacon fee schedule.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the City
offices.
C.
The medallions shall be sold by the City of Beacon upon terms and
conditions and by method as adopted by a resolution of the City Council.
D.
A deposit will be placed with the City Clerk before the medallion
is issued under the provisions of this chapter, to be returned to
the assignee upon the return of the medallion to the Clerk.
E.
A medallion replacement fee, as set forth by resolution of the City Council, will be assessed in the case of a lost, damaged or destroyed medallion, or if for some reason it cannot be returned. The deposit is to be returned as provided for in the foregoing Subsection D.
F.
Every person to whom a medallion has been issued under the provisions
of this chapter shall, upon discontinuance or abandoning the operation
of driving a taxicab, return such medallion to the City Clerk and
receive his original deposit price less $100, unless such medallion
has been lost, damaged or destroyed or for some other reason cannot
be returned.
G.
For each medallion that has been returned in accordance with the
above sections, such medallion will be redistributed in accordance
with the following procedure:
(1)
Notice will be published by the City Clerk in a newspaper of general
circulation stating that a medallion or medallions has or have been
returned to the City and is or are available for redistribution in
accordance with this section.
(2)
All persons or entities who or which desire such medallion(s) shall
apply for the same upon forms to be obtained from the office of the
City Clerk, together with an application fee per medallion, as set
forth in the City of Beacon fee schedule.[2] All such applications must be returned within two weeks
of the first date the notice set forth above was published in the
newspaper. Applications which do not meet the requirements of all
provisions of this chapter shall be returned to the applicant.
[2]
Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the City
offices.
(3)
All such applicants shall be notified of a public auction of said
medallions. Each available medallion shall be auctioned off individually
by the City of Beacon, which shall have the right to set a minimum
bid for each medallion. On the day the medallion is purchased, the
purchaser must put down 10% of the total purchase price of the medallion.
The purchaser shall have one week from the termination of the auction
to pay the full price of the medallion. If a medallion is not fully
paid for within the one-week period, the purchaser will lose all rights
to such medallion, and the medallion will be added back to the auction
list. Any such defaulting purchaser shall forfeit all of the funds
paid on the day of the auction. All other fees imposed by this chapter
shall continue to be in force.
H.
The transfer of a medallion from an individual to a corporation in
which the individual issued the medallion is a majority shareholder
shall be permitted upon the filing of an affidavit with the Police
Chief prior to the transfer identifying the corporation, all shareholders
and officers of the corporation and their ownership interest in the
corporation and their ownership interest in any other companies, partnerships
or businesses providing taxicab services. The transfer of a medallion
by a corporation is prohibited, and such medallions must be surrendered
once the business no longer provides taxicab services in Beacon.
I.
Any medallion which is not being used regularly, as determined by the Police Chief, shall be surrendered and returned to the City. Upon request of the Police Chief, the trip sheet required in § 200-11E shall be produced, and the failure to collect any fare within a ten-day period without good cause shown to the Police Chief shall be deemed an abandonment of offering taxicab service in Beacon, and the medallion must be surrendered.
[Amended 5-20-2013 by L.L. No. 10-2013]
The fee for each taxicab license under this chapter shall be
as set forth in the City of Beacon fee schedule.[1] The license fee for a new application shall be prorated
if applied for after the first of August. A complete application,
as determined in the sole discretion of the Chief of Police, for renewal
of a taxicab license must be filed with the City by July 1 of each
year. Failure to submit a renewal application or submission of an
incomplete application by July 1 of each year shall result in the
payment upon renewal of a late fee as set forth in the City of Beacon
fee schedule.
[1]
Editor's Note: The fee schedule is on file in the City
offices.
[Amended 12-20-2010 by L.L. No. 19-2010; 5-20-2013 by L.L. No.
10-2013]
B.
Upon complaint of any person, taxicab licenses may be revoked or
suspended at any time for cause by the Chief of Police if the vehicle
shall be used for immoral or illegal business, or for a violation
of any ordinance or state law governing the operation of motor vehicles
or if a fare in excess of the rate of fare on file for said taxicab
shall knowingly be charged for the use of said taxicab or for picking
up passengers or solicitation of passengers in violation of this chapter.
When the license is suspended or revoked, the taxicab license shall
be forthwith taken from the licensee, and the City Clerk shall be
notified of such suspension or revocation.
C.
Review of denial, revocation or suspension. The City Administrator shall hear and decide appeals taken from any determination made by the Chief of Police or his designated agent which denied, revoked or suspended such driver and/or vehicle license. Any applicant who shall have been refused a license, or a license holder whose license shall have been revoked or suspended, may appeal to the City Administrator for review of such denial, revocation or suspension as set forth in this chapter. The failure of an aggrieved party to take an appeal within 10 business days of receipt of such denial, revocation or suspension shall constitute a waiver of right to appeal. Appeals shall be heard pursuant to the provisions of § 200-28 of this chapter.
The City Clerk shall keep a record of each taxicab license and
all renewals, suspensions and revocations thereof together with the
license number and the description and the make of such vehicles,
with the date and the complete record of inspection made of it.
