[R.O. 2011 §5.80.010; Prior Code §31-1 (part); Ord. No. 4151 §1]
For the purposes of this Chapter, unless it appears that a different meaning is intended, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this Section:
STREET
Any street, alley, boulevard, court, lane or public place in the City.
TAXICAB
Any motor vehicle engaged in the business of carrying persons for hire on the streets of the City, whether the same is operated from a street stand or from a garage, where no regular or specific route is traveled, but passengers are taken to and from such places as they may designate, and the charge therefor is made on the basis of distance traveled as indicated by a taximeter or fare register.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.020; Code 1950 §1101.2; Prior Code §31-2; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1]
It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in the business of operating a taxicab upon the streets of the City without first obtaining a license to do so.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.030; Code 1950 §1101.2; Prior Code §31-3; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1]
A. 
An application for a license to engage in the business of operating taxicabs shall be filed with the Director of Finance. The application shall be in writing, verified by the affidavit of the applicant, or, if the applicant be a corporation or a partnership, by its duly authorized officer or agent, and shall state the following facts:
1. 
The full name and address of the applicant; if a partnership, the names and addresses of all the partners; if a corporation, the names and addresses of all the officers and directors thereof;
2. 
All vehicles in its fleet operated in the metropolitan St. Louis area have an inspection certificate in accordance with the Missouri Statutes pertaining to motor vehicles;
3. 
All vehicles in its fleet operating in the metropolitan St. Louis area have insurance coverage as provided in Section 605.1020.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.040; Code 1950 §1101.2; Prior Code §31-4; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1]
All vehicles licensed under this Chapter shall have an inspection certificate issued in accordance with the laws of the State.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.050; Code 1950 §1101.5; Prior Code §31-7; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1]
The annual license fee shall be based on the number of taxicabs engaged in the business of transporting passengers, freight and merchandise for hire within the limits of the City. The tax on each such motor vehicle shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00) per taxicab. All licenses shall expire on the thirty-first (31st) day of December after the date of issuance; any license issued after the first (1st) day of July of any year shall be for one-half (½) of the above rate. All such licenses may thereafter be renewed annually by the first (1st) day of January in each year upon the payment of the required fee. In the event of late payment the fee shall be double the amount provided herein.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.060; Code 1950 §1101.13; Prior Code §31-8; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1]
The City Council shall have authority at any time to revoke any license granted under this Chapter, after first having granted the owner or operator of such taxicab a hearing on the question of whether or not such license should be revoked. Upon revocation of any license, no portion of the license fee shall be refunded.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.070; Code 1950 §1101.6; Prior Code §31-9; Ord. No. 4423 §1; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4578 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1; Ord. No. 6192, 1999]
Every applicant for a license to operate a taxicab and the owner of such taxicab shall maintain financial responsibility as required under and in a manner provided for in Chapter 303, RSMo.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.080; Code 1950 §1101.7; Prior Code §31-10; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1]
Every taxicab licensed under this Chapter or authorized to do business within the City shall be equipped with a fare register or taximeter which shall indicate the distance traveled and the fare charged therefor, either in a manner which may be made visible to the passenger or by a printed receipt containing such information. It is unlawful to charge any greater amount than that indicated by the taximeter or fare register.
[R.O. 2011 §5.80.090; Code 1950 §1101.12; Prior Code §31-16; Ord. No. 4558 §1; Ord. No. 4622 §1]
The Council may authorize the Director of Public Works and Parks to designate such stands or stopping places for taxicabs as it may determine, and no taxicab, while waiting for time to depart, shall stop or stand on any public street or place except at such place as shall be designated by the Director of Public Works and Parks or upon such stands as may be established by permission of the Council. While a taxicab is on a public street or place, passengers shall be solicited by no other means than by having a printed sign on the vehicle stating that the same is for hire and the rate of fare, nor shall any driver or chauffeur of any such vehicle seek employment by repeatedly and persistently driving his/her taxicab in and about a short space, but such driver or chauffeur, in addition to the sign on such vehicle as herein provided, may solicit employment by driving through any public street or place without stops other than those due to obstruction of traffic thereon or to temporary traffic signals or rules, may pass and repass before any theatre, hall, hotel, restaurant, place of amusement or public resort; provided that after passing any such place, the driver shall not repass the same until he/she shall have gone a distance of at least four (4) blocks upon the streets of the City. Five (5) passengers shall constitute the maximum allowable load to be carried in a taxicab at any one time. It is unlawful for any licensee to dispatch a taxicab from the home of any operator living within the City.