§ 25-80. City-wide taxicab service required; penalty.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided by the holder's operating authority, a holder shall:

(1)

Provide taxicab service to the general public to and from any point inside the city that is accessible by public street;

(2)

Answer each call received for service inside the city as soon as practicable, and if the service cannot be rendered within a reasonable time, the holder, his agent or employee shall inform the caller of the reason for the delay and the approximate time required to answer the call; and

(3)

Maintain a single station for the purpose of receiving calls for service, that is operational eight (8) hours each day and registered with the city, for the purpose of receiving calls and dispatching taxicabs unless otherwise approved by the city.

(b)

No driver shall cruise in his taxicab within the city limits for the purpose of soliciting business and shall, whenever the taxicab is not occupied, proceed at once by the most direct route to the garage where the vehicle is housed or to the nearest taxicab stand.

(c)

Any holder who shall willfully refuse or who shall fail or refuse to give overall service shall be deemed a violator of the provisions of this article, and the permit of such person shall be subject to immediate revocation and cancellation by action of the chief of police.

(d)

Drivers shall not receive or discharge passengers in the roadway of any street, but shall drive to the right-hand sidewalk as nearly as possible, except upon one-way streets where passengers may be received or discharged at either the right-hand or left-hand sidewalk or either side of the roadway in the absence of a sidewalk.

(Ord. No. 2014-02, § 1, 3-18-2014)