Mound City Code 484.00
Section 484 - TAXICABS
484.01 Definitions. Unless otherwise expressly stated, whenever used in this Section 484, the following words shall have the meanings given to them by this Section 484.
Subd. 1. Taxicab. The word "taxicab" shall mean and include any motor vehicle engaged in the carrying of persons for hire, whether over a fixed route or not, and whether the same be operated from a street stand or subject to calls from a garage, or otherwise operated for hire, except vehicles subject to control and regulation by the Transportation Regulation Board or vehicles regularly used by undertakers in carrying on their business.
Subd. 2. Taxicab Driver. The words "taxicab driver" shall mean and include any person owning or having control of the use of one or more taxicabs used for hire upon the streets or engaged in the business of operating a taxicab within the City.
Subd. 3. Operator. The word "operator" shall mean and include any person owning or having control of the use of one or more taxicabs for hire upon the street or engaged in the business of operating a taxicab within the City.
Subd. 4. Taxicab Stand. The words "taxicab stand" shall mean and include any place along the curb or street or elsewhere which is exclusively reserved by the City for use of taxicabs.
484.05 License Required. No operator shall operate a taxicab within the City limits without first having obtained a taxicab license therefor under the provisions of this Section 484. Each applicant for a taxicab license shall apply to the City Clerk for such license upon a form to be provided by the City and must comply with the following provisions to the satisfaction of the City Council.
(a) Be a citizen of the United States;
(b) Be of the age of 18 years or over if a person, and in the case of any co-partnership, firm, or corporation, must be authorized to operate taxicabs and carry on business in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota;
(c) Must fill out upon the blank form provided by the City a statement covering each vehicle to be so licensed, giving the full name and address of the owner; the class and passenger carrying capacity of each vehicle for which a license is desired; the length of time the vehicle has been in use; the make of car; the engine number; the serial number and the state license number; whether the same is mortgaged; the name of the mortgagee and the amount of said mortgage; also the holder of legal title to said vehicle if other than the applicant; or whether said vehicle is leased, licensed, or under any form of contract permitted to be used and operated by some other person than the one holding legal title thereto; what person, firm, or corporation collects the revenues from the operation of said taxicab and pays the expenses of operating the same; the proposed fare schedules; and proposed hours and days of service.
If said application is made by an individual owner, said owner shall sign and swear to said corporation; if it is by a partnership, then by one of the parties; and if by a corporation, then by one of the duly elected officials of said corporation.
484.10 Taxicab Fee. The applicant applying for taxicab license shall before being issued said license, pay into the City Treasury a fee for the first vehicle to be licensed, and if applicant is obtaining a license upon more than one vehicle, a fee for each and every other vehicle to be so licensed, which fees shall be established in accordance with the provisions of Section 500 of the City Code; provided, that if the said license is denied for any reason the aforesaid fee or fees shall forthwith be returned to the applicant. All licenses hereunder shall expire on the 31st day of January subsequent to the issuance of such license. No license may be transferred.
(ORD.01-2001, 2/25/01)
484.15 Examination of Taxicabs. The Council may cause the Chief of Police or some other employee on behalf of the City to thoroughly and carefully examine each taxicab before a license is granted to operate the same. No taxicab shall be licensed which does not comply with the following:
(a) It must be in a thoroughly safe condition for the transportation of passengers.
(b) It must be clean and of good appearance and well painted.
Such other examinations and tests of licensed taxicabs may be ordered by the Council from time to time as it may deem advisable and the Council shall maintain a constant vigilance to see that all taxicabs are kept in fitness for public service.
484.20 Granting License. If the City Council is satisfied that the public convenience and good order will be served thereby, they may grant a license to any such applicant. Each license granted shall be given a number and shall include therein said number and an adequate description of the taxicabs licensed thereunder. Taxicab licenses shall be issued as of January 31st of each year and shall expire with the 31st of January next succeeding. Provided, that the maximum number of taxicabs licensed by the City Council at any one time shall not exceed fifteen (15) until such time as the population of said City shall exceed 15,000 persons; after which time the maximum number of taxicabs licensed by the city at one time shall not exceed one for each one thousand persons of said population.
484.25 License Plates and Numbers. There shall be delivered to the operator of each and every licensed taxicab a license tag to be fastened and displayed upon the inside windshield of each and every taxicab so licensed, so that said license may be plainly visible from the front of said taxicab at all times. Said license tag shall not exceed two and one-half inches in the longest measurement and shall bear the license number of the taxicab and proper descriptive works, including the year for which the license was issued, and such license tag shall be of distinctly different shape for any three successive years. In case any licensed operator shall lose a tag, he or she shall secure a duplicate thereof by applying to the City Clerk therefore before doing any further business with the taxicab from which the tag is lost. Every taxicab which shall solicit or accept business on the streets of this municipality, or stand or wait for hire, shall have some designation of the character of the vehicle painted in plain visible letters on each side thereof.
484.30 Taxicab Cards. The operator of any taxicab shall cause to be printed in plain, legible letters displayed inside the taxicab a card giving the number of the license, the maximum rates of fare to be charged, and a statement that any package or article left in the taxicab must be returned by the taxicab driver to the City Clerk's office, where they may be identified and claimed. The card shall also contain the statement "Ask the Driver for Bill and Receipt" in bold type.
484.35 Taxicab Stands. Licensed taxicabs shall, when not in motion, be parked at stands designated for that purpose from time to time by resolution of the City Council. Said resolution shall also designate the number of taxicabs which may be stationed at any stand. After that time, it shall move and permit the taxicab next in line to move up to the head of the column. No taxicab driver shall solicit passengers as fares except when traveling around the streets or at a regularly designated stand. No driver shall dismount from his or her taxicab at any time for the purpose of soliciting passengers; provided that this shall not prohibit any drive from dismounting from his or her cab to assist a passenger entering his or her taxicab or dismounting therefrom. No taxicab shall park within thirty (30) feet for any cross walk unless this portion of the street has been designated as a taxicab stand. Only licensed taxicabs shall be permitted to park at any taxicab stand.
484.40 Taxicab Drivers. No person, either the owner or employee of such owner, shall drive a taxicab in this City without first having obtained and having in force a proper license to operate said vehicle from the State of Minnesota.
484.45 Insurance Policies. Before a license shall be delivered to any operator, he or she shall deposit with the City Clerk a policy or policies of an insurance company or companies duly licensed to transact business in this state, insuring the operator of any taxicab to be licensed against loss from the liability imposed by law for damages on account of bodily injuries or death, or for damages to property resulting from the ownership, maintenance, or use of any taxicab to be owned or operated under such license, and agreeing to pay to any judgment creditor, to the extent of the amounts specified by reason of such liability. The policy or policies shall be approved by the City Attorney as to form and compliance with this Code. The limit in any such insurance policy or such liability of the insurer on account of the ownership, maintenance and use of such taxicab shall not be less than $100,000 for bodily injuries or death of one person and $300,000 on account of any one accident resulting in injuries to and/or death of more than one person, and a total of $25,000 liability for damage to property of others, arising out of one accident. Said policy or policies may provide for a deductible not to exceed $100 for bodily injuries or death arising out of any one accident and $100 damage to property arising out of any one accident. The insurance policy shall contain a provision that the insurance company shall give the City Clerk 30 days notice of cancellation by registered mail. The form of and sufficiency of such policy and the surety thereon shall be subject to the approval of the City Council.
484.50 Miscellaneous. All taxicab drivers shall be clean and courteous at all times. No driver of any licensed taxicab shall carry any other than the passenger first employing a taxicab without the consent of such passenger. No taxicab drive shall deceive any passenger who may ride with him or her or who may desire to ride in any such vehicle, as to his or her destination or distance traveled or to be traveled.