A. Misrepresentation in Solicitation of Fares Prohibited. It is unlawful to solicit fares by misrepresenting in any manner whatsoever the identity of the owner of the vehicle for hire or business owner for which the fare is solicited and it is unlawful to misrepresent the location of, travel time or distance to any destination to which a passenger seeks transportation.

B. Interference with Passengers Seeking Transportation. It is unlawful to interfere in any manner whatsoever with any person who is negotiating for, inquiring about transportation in, or employing a vehicle for hire.

C. Unlawful Obstruction of Public Right-of-Way. It is unlawful for any person possessing a City of Berkeley taxi driver permit and operating a vehicle possessing a City of Berkeley vehicle permit to:

D. For purposes of on-street parking, a taxi driver (lessee) shall be authorized to park one taxicab on the public right of way immediately adjacent to their primary residence; provided, that the business owner has complied with Section 9.52.030.B.6.

E. Provision of Assistance to Passengers. A driver of any vehicle for hire shall offer to provide assistance and, if requested, shall provide reasonable assistance to each passenger in entering and leaving the vehicle unless the passenger indicates otherwise. Drivers shall confirm that passengers are securely seated and their possessions, if any, are secure, and the door closed, before beginning the trip. Drivers shall ensure that passengers and their possessions are safely clear of the vehicle and in an appropriate deboarding location before leaving the destination. Drivers shall board passengers at the nearest safe, legal and feasible point to the passenger’s location and shall deboard passengers at a point from which they can safely proceed.

F. Lost Property--Report and Recordkeeping Required. All property of value found by drivers or business owners in the vehicles for hire operated by said business owners or drivers, or delivered to them by any person who has found such property, shall be reported to the City within 48 hours, unless such property shall have been claimed by and returned to the rightful owner within that time. Every business owner shall keep a record of all such property, whether returned to the owner of the property or not, for 30 days.

G. Service--Denial of. It is unlawful for a driver or business owner to refuse a prospective fare based on the distance of the route for which the service is requested, or the geographic location of either the origin or destination of the trip (except where that distance exceeds a total of 50 miles beyond the City limits of the City of Berkeley), or to take any action to actively discourage a prospective fare solely on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, use of taxi scrip or disability, including use of service animals.

H. State Mandated Drug and Alcohol Testing. Pursuant to the provisions of California Government Code Section 53075.5, each and every driver authorized to operate a vehicle for hire in the City shall submit proof of negative testing for controlled substances and alcohol to the City as required by state law.

I. Driving Records of Owners and Drivers. Taxi vehicle owners and drivers are required to report all California Vehicle Code violations to the Finance Department within five (5) days of receiving a citation. Drivers receiving four (4) or more points within a twelve month period may be considered a negligent driver and subject to suspension or revocation.

J. A driver may inquire whether an animal is a service animal but may not require a disabled person to show any documentation of disability or certification of the animal’s status as a service animal. The driver may require service animals not in carrying containers to remain on the floor of the vehicle. (Ord. 7336-NS § 5, 2014: Ord. 7215-NS § 8, 2011: Ord. 6655-NS § 7, 2001: Ord. 6325-NS § 14, 1996)