A. "Driver" means every individual who operates any taxicab or vehicle for hire as an employee of a business owner, independently owns the taxicab or vehicle for hire and operates under the auspices of such owner, or has independently contracted with such owner to operate the taxicab or vehicle for hire pursuant to a lease, license or any other form of agreement.

B. "Motor vehicle" means every motor vehicle used for public hire propelled by mechanically produced power and intended for use on public streets and highways, except street cars, trains, and motor busses.

C. "Business owner" means any entity engaged in the business of providing vehicles for the purpose of carrying passengers in a taxicab or other vehicle for hire, whether comprised of an individual, group of individuals, partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, corporation, or any other organizational structure identified by name, phone number, central dispatch, color scheme, monogram, or insignia distinguishing itself from any other entity engaged in such business.

D. "Stand" or "taxi stand" means a portion of the public street designated by the City for the sole use of taxicabs while waiting for employment.

E. "Taxicab" means a motor vehicle, designed for carrying not more than eight passengers excluding the driver, of distinctive color or combinations of colors used in the transportation of passengers over the public streets of the City, operated at rates per mile, per destination or for a combination of any two of the foregoing rates, irrespective of whether or not the operations extend beyond the limits of the City, and which is made available for hire on call or demand, at taxi stands, or by telephone.

F. "Taximeter" means any mechanical or electronic instrument, appliance, device or machine by which the charge for hire of a motor vehicle is mechanically calculated, either for distance traveled or time consumed, or both, and upon which instrument, appliance, device or machine such charge is indicated by figures.

G. "Vehicle for hire" means any motor or electric vehicle offered to the public for hire with the services of a driver, whether equipped with a taximeter, used for the transportation of passengers over the public streets of the City, irrespective of whether such operations extend beyond the boundary limits of the City, at rates per distance, trip, per hour, per day, per week, per month, and where transportation is under the control, as to route, of the persons hiring the same; except however, that vehicles for transportation of handicapped persons as regulated by Ordinance 4125-N.S., hearses, ambulances, interurban trains, motor or trolley busses are not included within this definition.

H. "Taxi scrip" means a coupon or certificate or other document issued by the City of Berkeley for the purpose of paying for services provided by vehicles for hire and which is redeemed by the City of Berkeley for cash, check, warrant or other form of monetary exchange after it has been used by a passenger as payment for a ride.

I. "Accessible taxicab" means a taxicab designed to carry at least one person using a standard wheelchair or scooter designed to transport a person with a disability, such that the passenger can remain in the wheelchair or scooter at all times while entering, riding in, and exiting the taxicab and can enter and exit the taxicab without assistance.

J. "Low Emission Vehicle" means any hybrid vehicle, Certified Natural Gas Vehicle or vehicles certified by the manufacturer to have a "City" miles per gallon rating no less than 32 miles per gallon.

K. "Non-Ambulatory Passenger" means any passenger using an ambulatory aid such as a standard wheelchair, motorized wheelchair, power chair, scooter, walker or crutches.

L. "Adaptive Equipment" means equipment used to convert a conventional passenger vehicle to an accessible vehicle for transporting persons with disabilities. Such equipment includes but is not limited to: ramps, lifts, wheelchair restraints, lowered floors or bubble tops.

M. "In-cab Advertising Display Equipment" means any equipment used to display advertising on the interior of a taxi cab. Such equipment includes but is not limited to monitors, displays (LCD, plasma, etc.), cables, wireless electronics, and structural support equipment.

N. "Advertising Service Provider" means any individual, group of individuals, partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, corporation, entity, or any other organizational structure identified by name engaged in the business of providing advertising for taxis or vehicles for hire for the purpose of carrying passengers.

O. "Person with Disability" as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, means a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. (Ord. 7336-NS § 1, 2014: Ord. 7215-NS § 1, 2011: Ord. 6784-NS § 1 (part), 2003: Ord. 6655-NS § 1, 2001: Ord. 6325-NS § 3, 1996)