§ 32-54. Citywide taxicab service.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided by the holder's operating permit, 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, inform the caller of the reason for the delay and the approximate time required to answer the call; and

(3)

Maintain a single station that is operational twenty-four (24) hours each day and registered with the city for the purpose of receiving calls and dispatching taxicabs.

(b)

Taxicab permit holders must operate their taxicabs whenever public convenience and necessity so requires. The city manager may order any or all taxicab permit holders to put into operation any taxicab not then in operation whenever public convenience and necessity requires that additional taxicabs be in operation.

(c)

Subject to the minimum taxicab requirements of public convenience and necessity, taxicab permit holders may take out of service those taxicabs requiring repairs or which need to be taken out of service for any other reason, with the exception that operators having five (5) or more taxicab permits must have eighty (80) percent of their taxicabs in operable condition at all times. Operators having less than five (5) taxicab permits must operate each taxicab a minimum of twelve (12) days per month.

(d)

The city manager may, upon the request of a taxicab permit holder and the surrender of a taxicab permit to the city manager, hold such permit for the grantee for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days without revoking the permit for non-use. The city manager may hold permits for a grantee as herein provided when the circumstances causing their non-utilization are beyond the control of the grantee and when such action by the city manager would not adversely affect public convenience and necessity for taxicab service.

(e)

Any holder who shall willfully refuse or who shall fail or refuse to give overall service shall be deemed in violation of the provisions of this division, and the annual permit of such person shall be subject to immediate revocation and cancellation by the city manager.

(Ord. No. 84-114, § 2(32.39), 7-17-84)