Ukiah Municipal Code Art. 3 Rules and Regulations

The City Council may, from time to time, adopt rules and regulations which shall be observed by all persons operating any vehicle defined or referred to herein. The City Council hereby adopts the rules and regulations set forth in this Article, and it shall be unlawful to operate any vehicle referred to or defined in this Chapter in violation thereof.

(Ord. 395, § 3.01, adopted 1947)

Any person operating any automobile for hire, taxicab or sightseeing automobile as herein defined, shall wear a badge plainly visible to the general public that has been issued to that driver by the Director of Public Safety pursuant to § 2580.

(Ord. 395, § 3.02, adopted 1947; amd. by Ord. 934, § 1, adopted 1993)

Every owner operating a taxicab in the City shall adopt a characteristic color scheme and shall use the same on all vehicles operated by him.

(Ord. 395, § 3.03, adopted 1947)

No change whatever in the color scheme or distinguishing characteristics of any taxicab dress, headgear or insignia of the drivers thereof shall be made without written permission from the Traffic Authority, and it shall be unlawful for any person soliciting patronage for any public motor vehicle to represent, by word or sign or insignia or accoutrements, that the public motor vehicle for which he is soliciting such patronage is a vehicle owned or operated by other than the actual owner.

(Ord. 395, § 3.04, adopted 1947)

No vehicle herein referred to shall remain standing upon any portion of any public street within the City except for loading and unloading passengers, and then for a period not exceeding five (5) minutes, excepting when said vehicle is at a street stand for which a permit has been issued as herein designated where said vehicle may stand. This Section shall not apply to any automobile for hire or taxicab while the same is engaged by and being paid for by a passenger.

(Ord. 395, § 3.05, adopted 1947)

That it shall be unlawful for the owner or driver of any of the vehicles herein defined to leave such vehicle unattended at a street stand for a period of time exceeding five (5) minutes.

(Ord. 395, § 3.06, adopted 1947)

A street stand designated by the City Council or Traffic Authority for said vehicle may be occupied for the full period of twenty four (24) hours, provided said vehicle is not left unattended for longer than the period of time herein described.

(Ord. 395, § 3.07, adopted 1947)

The operator of any automobile for hire or taxicab employed to carry passengers to a definite point, shall take the most direct route possible that will carry the passenger safely, lawfully and expeditiously to said destination.

(Ord. 395, § 3.09, adopted 1947)

No owner or operator of an automobile for hire or taxicab shall solicit patronage of same from the vehicle, or within one hundred (100) yards therefrom upon any public street, save and except at railroad and interurban depots which may exist within the City, and except within certain boundaries of any space designated by the Traffic Authority for such purpose.

(Ord. 395, § 3.10, adopted 1947)

No vehicle referred to or defined herein shall be operated by any person under the age of twenty one (21) years, or by any person who does not have a chauffeur’s license issued by the State of California, or who is for any reason whatever unable or incompetent to safely handle such vehicle, or by any person in violation of any law or ordinance now in force, or that may be hereafter enacted.

(Ord. 395, § 3.11, adopted 1947)

Every vehicle herein referred to or defined shall at all times by equipped with a light of not less than two (2) candle power within such vehicle, so arranged as to illuminate the entire passenger compartment which light shall be constantly lighted at all times while any passenger is in such vehicle, except when such vehicle is in motion, from one-half (½) hour after sunset of any day until one-half (½) hour before sunrise of the next day, and no shades or blinds shall be drawn over the windows of any such vehicle while the same is occupied, unless said occupant requests the same to be drawn.

(Ord. 395, § 3.12, adopted 1947)

A. Schedule of Rates to be Filed: Each person holding a permit under this Chapter for the operation of an automobile for hire or taxicab, or other vehicle for the use of which a charge or fee is made, shall at all times keep on file with the Director of Public Safety an up-to-date schedule of rates of fares charged for carrying such passengers therein prior to the date such charges become effective.

B. Deviation from Schedule Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person to deviate from the schedule of rates of fares filed with the Director of Public Safety.

(Ord. 395, § 3.13, adopted 1947; amd. by Ord. 769, adopted 1981; Ord. 934, § 1, adopted 1993)

Every vehicle herein referred to or defined shall have conspicuously displayed in full view of the passenger or passengers, a card not less than two inches by four inches (2"x4"), which shall have stated thereon the rates to be charged by such vehicle.

(Ord. 395, § 3.14, adopted 1947; amd. by Ord. 934, § 1, adopted 1993)

No charge shall be made by any owner or operator of a vehicle regulated under this Chapter in excess of the rates filed with the Director of Public Safety and as posted in the passenger compartment of said vehicle.

(Ord. 395, § 3.15, adopted 1947; amd. by Ord. 934, § 1, adopted 1993)

An automobile for hire or taxicab may display an electrically lighted "vacant" sign attached to the top of such vehicle.

(Ord. 395, § 3.16, adopted 1947)

It shall be unlawful for the operator of any such vehicle upon receiving full payment for the fare or charge as indicated by the taximeter or schedule of fares when such schedule is stated on the sign displayed, as herein provided, to refuse to give a receipt for the sum collected, upon request of any passenger making said payment.

(Ord. 395, § 3.17, adopted 1947)

When a taxicab or automobile for hire is engaged, the person or persons originally engaging the same shall have the exclusive right to the full and free use of the passenger compartment, and it shall be unlawful for the owner or driver of such vehicle to solicit or carry passengers contrary to such right.

(Ord. 395, §§ 3.08 and 3.18, adopted 1947)