CR 98-171 Repealing Section 1110, Taxicabs, of the Hopkins City CodeOctober 15, 1998 Council Report 98 -171
Staff recommends approval of the following motion:. Move to adopt Ordinance 98-
818 , Ordinance Repealing Section 1 1 10, Taxicabs, of the City Code, for first
reading.
This action will allow the City to discontinue issuing taxicab licenses for the 1999
license year.
Overview
The City of Hopkins has licensed taxicabs for many years. However, staff has
questioned why the City continues to license taxicabs, and what is really being
accomplished through this licensing requirement.
Primary Issues to Consider
• What is the City of Hopkins' taxicab licensing program?
• What do other Cities in the area do?
What is the financial impact?
Supporting Documents
REPEALING SECTION 1110, TAXICABS,
OF THE HOPKINS CITY CODE
• Copy of proposed Ordinance 98 -818
• Copy of Section 1110, Taxis
erry 0 r ; - rmaier, City Clerk
Council Report 98 -171
Page2
Primary Issues to Consider
What is the City of Hopkins' Taxicab Licensing Program?
Hopkins' taxicab licensing program does not include comprehensive vehicle
inspections.
What Do Other Cities in the Area Do?
Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Airport each require individual taxi licenses, as do a
number of suburban cities. Efforts in recent years to promote southwest suburban
and metro -wide collaborative taxicab licensing have failed, although efforts to
accomplish this are continuing. This results in each jurisdiction continuing to
license taxicabs, with specific requirements varying by jurisdiction. However, some
cities have no license requirement- Eden Prairie has never licensed them, and Edina
and Minnetonka dropped their requirements in the last few years.
It is staff's opinion that the City should either have a comprehensive taxicab
licensing program, with complete vehicle inspections and background checks on all
drivers, or no licensing requirement at all. Because comprehensive licensing is done
by Minneapolis, Bloomington, Richfield, St. Louis Park, Golden Valley and the
Airport, staff believes a similar Hopkins program would be redundant. The vast
majority, if not all, of the taxicabs doing business in Hopkins are licensed by at
least one of these other jurisdictions.
The City charges license fees of $25.00 for each cab. For 1998, total taxicab
revenues amount to $1,025.00. The loss of this license revenue would not
significantly impact the total revenue from City licenses and permits, which now
amounts to approximately $380,000 per year. (figure taken from the actual 1997
budget)
Alternatives
Staff recommends alternative one.
What is the Financial Impact?
1. Adopt Ordinance 98 -818, thereby eliminating the taxicab license process.
2. Direct staff to draft an ordinance with a more complete licensing program.
3. Do nothing.
ATTEST:
Terry Obermaier, City Clerk
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE 98 -818
The City Council of the City of Hopkins hereby ordains as follows:
Section 1. Section 1110 of the Hopkins City Code is hereby repealed with no
further regulation of taxicabs.
Section 2. The effective date of this ordinance shall be twenty days after
publication.
First Reading October 20, 1998
Second Reading November 3, 1998
Date of Publication November 11, 1998
Date Ordinance Takes Effect December 1, 1998
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
Charles D. Redepenning, Mayor
City Attorney Signature Date
Hopkins City Code (Rev. April, 1996) 1110.01
Section 1110 - Taxis
1110.01. Definitions. Subdivision 1. For purposes of this section the terms
defined in this subsection have the meanings.given them.
Subd. 2. "Driver's license" means the license granted by the state to a
person to drive a motor vehicle upon the streets of the city.
Subd. 3. "Operator" means a person owning or having control of the use
of one or more taxicabs used for hire upon the streets or engaged in the business
of operating a taxicab within the city.
Subd. 4. "Taxicab" or "taxi" means a motor vehicle regularly engaged in
the business of carrying passengers for hire, having a seating capacity of less
than eight passengers and not operated on a fixed route.
Subd. 5. "Taxicab stand" means a public place along the curb of a street
or elsewhere, in the city which has been designated by the manager as being
reserved exclusively for the use of taxicabs.
Subd. 6. "Taximeter" means any mechanical instrument or device attached
to a taxicab which measures mechanically the distance driven and the waiting time
upon which the fare is based or both, and upon which the taxi charge is indicated
by figures. (Amended Ord. #96 -782)
1110.03. Operators. Subdivision 1. License. No person operates a taxicab
within the city limits without first having obtained a taxicab license therefor
from the city and paying the license fee required by City Council Resolution. An
applicant for a taxicab license must:
a) be a citizen of the United States;
b) be 21 years of age or older if a natural person, and in the case of
any copartnership, firm or corporation, must be authorized to operate.
taxicabs and carry on business in accordance with the laws of the
state of Minnesota;
fill out the form provided by the city providing a statement covering
each vehicle to be so licensed-containing the following information:
(i) the full name and address of the owner; (ii) the make of car;.
(iii) the serial number; (iv) the state license number; (v) and such
other and further information as the manager may from time to time
require. In the event of a change of driver for any licensed
taxicab, the licensee must forthwith inform the manager of the name,
age and address of the new driver.
Section 1110
Page 1
Hopkins City Code (Rev. April, 1996) 1110.03, Subd. 2
Subd. 2. Inspection of taxicabs. Prior to licensing each taxicab may be
thoroughly and carefully examined and inspected by a city employee or agent duly
appointed and authorized by the manager. The cost of all such examinations and
inspections shall be paid by the owner or operator of such taxicab. Other
examinations may be ordered by the manager at any reasonable time, either before
or after the issuance of a taxicab license, and on such examinations all
inspections shall be at the expense of the owner or operator or licensee of such
taxicab. A licensed taxicab:
a) must be in thoroughly safe condition for the transportation of
passengers;
b) must be clean and of good appearance;
c) must have painted or printed thereon in plain legible letters the
word "taxicab" on at least two sides of each vehicle;
d) must have a lamp or light upon which the word "taxicab" is printed
for night use; and
must be equipped with a taximeter properly connected and at all times
in working order, accurately calculating either the distance traveled
or the waiting time, or both, upon which charges are calculated.
Subd. 3. Granting license. If all requirements of this Section are met,
the manager or designee shall issue a license.
Subd. 4. Display. The owner or operator of a licensed taxicab shall
display the Hopkins' license number.
1110.05. Stands. Licensed taxicabs may, when not in motion, be parked at
stands designated for that purpose from time to time by resolution of the
council. The resolution shall also designate the number of taxicabs which may be
stationed at a stand. No taxicab shall remain parked at the head of a column of
two or more taxicabs at a stand for more than one hour. No taxicab driver shall
solicit passengers as fares except when traveling around the streets or at a
regularly designated stand. No driver shall dismount from a taxicab for the
purpose of soliciting passengers. A driver may dismount from the cab to assist a
passengers entering the taxicab and dismounting therefrom. No taxicab shall park
within 30 feet of any crosswalk unless that portion of the street has been
designated as a taxicab stand. Only licensed taxicabs may park at a taxicab
stand.
Section 1110 Page 2
Hopkins City Code (Rev. 3/95) 1110.09
1110.09. Insurance. Before a taxicab license will be delivered to any
operator, the operator shall deposit with the manager a policy or policies of an
insurance company or companies duly licensed to transact business in this state,
insuring the operator of any taxicab to be licensed against loss from the
liability imposed by law for damages on account of bodily injury resulting from
the ownership, maintenance or use of any taxicab owned or operated under the
license, and agreeing to pay to any judgment creditor to the extent of the
amounts specified in such policy, any final judgment rendered against the insured
by reason of such liability. The policy or policies shall be approved by the
city attorney as to form and compliance with this section. The insurer's
liability limit on account of the ownership, maintenance and use of such ,taxicab
shall not be less than $100,000 for bodily injuries to or death of one person,
and $300,000 on account of any one accident resulting in injuries to or death of
more than one person, and not less than $50,000 liability for damage to property
of others arising out of any one accident.
1110.11. Taxicab service. An unlicensed taxi may not solicit any passengers
within nor shall any such taxicab pick up any passengers within the city for any
destination within the city.
1110.13. Miscellaneous regulations. Subdivision 1. Drivers. Taxicab drivers
shall be clean and courteous at all times.
Subd. 2. Prohibitions.
a) No driver of a licensed taxicab engaged in regular conventional cab
service shall carry any other than the person first employing such
taxicab without the consent of such passenger.
b) No person shall charge, or attempt to charge, any passenger a greater
rate or fare than that to which the taxicab is entitled under the
resolution of the council or the rates established by the
Metropolitan Transit Commission in the case of special demand cab
service.
No taxicab driver shall deceive any passenger who may ride with him
or who may desire to ride in such vehicle as to his destination or
distance travelled or to be travelled.
d) Every taxicab shall be provided with windows sufficient in number and
of such size and dimensions that at all times persons may be readily .
seen through such windows with sufficient distinctness to identify
such persons or passengers.
(Section 1110 was amended by Ordinance #95 -757)