§ 14-587. Solicitation, acceptance and discharge of passengers.

(a)

No taxicab parking shall be permitted in the corporate limits of the city. However, taxicabs and limousines may park at stands as may be established by the mayor and council upon the recommendation of the city administrator, which taxicab stands shall be designated by signs.

(1)

Any person desiring to have a place designated as a regular stand for taxicabs and limousines in the city shall make application by written petition addressed to the mayor and council for the establishment of such stand, setting out where such stand is desired to be set apart. The written permission of the property owner whose property abuts shall be first obtained and filed with the application.

(2)

Whenever any such stand is established, such stand may be used by taxicabs and/or limousines upon a rotation basis of first come-first served. Drivers shall pull into stands from the rear and shall advance forward as the drivers ahead depart.

(b)

No driver shall solicit passengers for transportation except when sitting in the driver's compartment of such vehicle or while standing immediately adjacent to the curbside thereof. The driver of any taxicab or limousine shall remain in the driver's compartment at all times when such vehicle is upon the street; provided, further, that nothing herein shall be held to prohibit any driver from alighting to the side of the street or sidewalk for the purpose of assisting passengers into or out of such vehicle.

(c)

No driver shall solicit patronage in a loud or annoying tone of voice or in any manner annoy any person or obstruct the movement of any person or vehicle, or follow any person for the purpose of soliciting patronage.

(d)

Taxicab drivers shall be permitted to drive taxicabs about the streets of the city for the purpose of picking up and transporting passengers. However, it shall be unlawful to cruise about the streets of the city in a limousine to solicit work.

(e)

Drivers of taxicabs and limousines shall not receive nor discharge passengers in the street but shall pull up to the right-hand sidewalk or to the extreme right-hand side of the street and there receive or discharge passengers, except on one-way streets where drivers may pull to the sidewalk or extreme right-hand or left-hand side of the street.

(f)

No driver of a taxicab or limousine shall park or stand on any private property without the permission of the owner, nor in violation clearly marked yellow curbs or no-parking zones.

(g)

While any taxicab or limousine is parked at a stand or is otherwise in service, the driver will remain awake and alert at all times. Sleeping, lounging in a reclining posture, or lying in the taxicab or limousine is prohibited.

(Ord. of 5-20-2003, § 1(22-362))