9.52.080 Vehicle maintenance--Markings, safety and inspections

9.52.080 Vehicle maintenance--Markings, safety and inspections.

1. A unique and characteristic color scheme approved by the City shall be used by each business owner operating vehicles for hire in the City to distinguish all of the vehicles for hire such owner operates. Such scheme shall not be used by any other business owner.

2. No change whatever in the color scheme or distinguishing characteristics of any vehicle for hire shall be made without prior written permission of the City.

B. Taxicab Markings. It is unlawful to operate a vehicle for hire within the City which does not have printed or placed upon the rear door of the vehicle and on each side and rear deck of such vehicle for hire the name of the business owner. All such lettering shall be in letters not less than two and one fourth inches in height and not less than five sixteenths inches in stroke. In addition, the dome light markings shall read the same as the business owner’s name or fictitious name written upon the rear doors and rear of the vehicle or only shall read "Taxi." In addition, every vehicle for hire shall have printed or placed upon the exterior in conspicuous letters of the same color not less than three and one half inches in height and not less than one half inch stroke, of a color in contrast of the color of the vehicle for hire, the number of such vehicle for hire, which numbering shall be printed or placed in the following locations:

1. On each side of the vehicle on the leading edge of the front door;

2. At the center on the leading edge of the front of the hood;

3. At the center on the rear edge of the trunk lid.

4. Accessible taxis shall display the International Symbol of Accessibility on the vehicle in the following locations:

(a) On the lift ramp access door;

(b) Entrance door; and

1. There shall be no physical damage to the exterior.

2. All exterior components must be fitted and function properly, as designed without a secondary assistance device.

3. No exterior component of the vehicle shall be missing, damaged, cracked, torn, broken, dented or unpainted in the approved color scheme.

4. No interior component of the vehicle shall be missing, damaged, broken, cracked, torn, dented or unpainted in the approved color scheme.

5. Doors, windows, handles and locks must be attached and function properly.

6. The interior of the vehicle shall be free of noxious odors including tobacco odors, spoiled food odors, foul odors and any other odor that may be offensive to the patron.

7. No advertising, wording, or obstructions of any kind on the windows. No window tinting on vehicles purchased for taxi use after October 1, 2011.

8. All exterior advertising must be on an approved fixed mounted roof top triangle shaped taxi ad carrier or taxi light box.

9. There shall be no unapproved advertising, wording, language, colors or designs on the exterior of the vehicle.

10. Except as authorized by BMC Section 9.52.085, there shall be no unapproved advertising, wording, language, colors or designs on the interior of the vehicle.

11. There shall be no items of any kind attached, hanging or suspended from the interior rear view mirror.

12. Portable global positioning system (GPS) devices no larger than seven inches square shall be placed in the lower left corner of the windshield nearest the driver.

13. No unapproved devices, objects or material shall be placed on the dashboard.

14. Current and up to date user manuals and equipment operation manuals shall be kept in the accessible taxi at all times.

D. Illumination of Passenger Compartment. Every vehicle for hire shall at all times be equipped with a light of not less than two candlepower within such vehicle, so arranged as to illuminate the entire passenger compartment, which light shall be kept constantly lighted at all times while any passengers are being loaded into or unloaded from any such vehicle for one-half hour after sunset of any day until one-half 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.

E. Operation When in Unsafe or Unsanitary Condition Prohibited. It is unlawful to operate any vehicle for hire while the same or any of the equipment used thereon or therewith shall be in a defective, unsafe or unsanitary condition.

F. Inspection--Requirements for. Before a vehicle permit is issued to a taxicab business owner, each vehicle for which a vehicle permit is requested shall be delivered to a City-approved vehicle inspection station for inspection of such vehicle and its equipment to ascertain whether such vehicle and equipment comply with the provisions of this chapter. The City shall provide a list of approved vehicle inspection stations. Any vehicle which is found after such inspection to be unsafe or in any way unsuitable for service will not be issued a vehicle permit and immediately may be ordered out of service. Before a vehicle permit is issued, or the vehicle is again placed in service, it shall be placed in a safe and sanitary condition, inspected, and a completed inspection certificate filed with the City. Each vehicle to be operated shall be reinspected upon annual renewal of the vehicle permit. The interior and exterior of any vehicle shall be clean and well maintained as determined by the City and meet California vehicle code requirements and the requirements of this chapter at all times when in operation.

G. Accessible Taxi Vehicle Inspection. Prior to inspections pursuant to Section 9.52.080(F), all accessible taxis shall be required to pass an accessible taxi vehicle inspection conducted by a City facility or City-approved inspection facility. Accessible taxi vehicle inspections shall include:

1. Lift system inspection;

2. Driver knowledge and operation of the lift system;

3. Restrain system inspection;

4. Driver knowledge and operation of the restrain system;

5. Brake system inspection;

6. User manuals and equipment operating manuals.

H. Inspection Authorized When. Any City official charged by the City Manager with the authority to enforce this chapter shall have the right, after displaying the proper identification, to enter into or upon any permitted vehicle for hire in the City for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not any of the provisions of this chapter are being violated. The scope of this inspection is limited to determining compliance with the requirements of this chapter and may be done without notice, warrant, or individualized suspicion of wrongdoing. (Ord. 7336-NS § 2, 2014: Ord. 7215-NS § 7, 2011: Ord. 6325-NS § 10, 1996)