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HomeMy WebLinkAbout0271.094~staH 8 ~:JeI)Ol t _________ --. Ho.y 12. 1994 TH~ HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL PAlo Alto. California Drainlno, ~.n4ing Chapter •• 12 of tbe Palo ~lto Hugioipal Codl Relating to T4xiqabo Hambore or tne Counoil: 8.lPort in Briar This report recommends adoption of a proposed ordinance amending Palo Alto's Municipal Code regardillg taxicab regulations. The Pj,." ilOllry change would oxelllpt certain specific paratransit taxicab GOL"vices trom Palo Alto' 9 taxicab regulations. This change is proposed in ordor to assist Santa Clara county in providinq successful pnratransit 8Arvicoc for disabled Palo Alto rosidents, as well 88 to residents of the entire county. The other ohanges proposod by at.aff are intended to clarify and atrengthen Palo Alto's tftxicab regulations in general. BaQkgrou~ In 1990, congress enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which mandated that public transit Agencies provide paratranslt servi~o8 for individuals with diaabilities who cannot use fi~od route Bervice. In January 1992, the Santa Clara County Transit Distriot (District) Boord of supervisors adopted an ADA Paratrol!llnsit Plan that provides a fi'lo year phase-in of the County­ llanaqed ADA serVices, with full compliance reached in 1997. Under this plan, Palo Alto's rrojoct Mobility program, which began in 1975 and sorved rosidonts of Palo Alto and the Stanford University .campus., will 'Ond on June 30, 1994 lind be: replaced by the District's progr-a m. The District has hired a broker, OUTRR1\CIf rncorporated of San Jose., a nonprofit agency with many years of experience as a para transit operatok.", to :raanago the countywide paratransit program. 'l'he broker will conduct eliqibili ty certification, cont-ract with taxi and wheelchair accessible van companies, and schedule ~ides and assign them to the appropriate taxi and van operators. While Palo Alto currently contracts with only one local taxicab company to Berve palo Alto and Stanford residents, OUTREACH will contract with mul.tiple taxicab compemles, in order to serve the entire county. OUTREACH noW is in the process of selecting one or more taxicab comvanioB to provide service to residents in the north county area. CMR: 271: 94 1/ ; i I i I I .-, ..... TO ~ccommodate thla new paratransit aY3tom, OUTREACH has requested oitlea, inolud1n9 Pa>.o Alto, to 81lond their tl'odcab ordinances to allow non-local taxicab co~p.nie. to provide intor-city ADA trips. Inter-city trips Are dofintJd as tho tranl3portation of ADA clients tro .. otller ~lties to a deotinllltion within palo Alto and their return to tho city ot origin. Pi.Olt·'ill Palo Alto's curront ordinttnce prohibits taxicab companies troll oporating in tho City without • certiticate of publio convenience and necessity. The proposed ordlnanco wouloJ alloY only those taxicab compsnles, authorized to provide inter-city ADA para transit broker business services to oliqlble individuals, to operate in tho ci.ty by oxoJroptinq thoa fro» Palo Alto's ordinance. OUTREACfI's oporatinq and insurAnce Btandards tor exempted service providtlrs will bo equal to, or hi9her, than thOBO set forth by Palo A.lto's regulations. All other ta~icab conpanies th~t operata within the City limite ''''ould continue to be governed by Palo Alto's ordinance and would not be afforded any eX$mption. The othsr racoQnended changes strengthen the city's ordinance would accomplish the followingt ara intended to clarify and in goneral. Specifically, they 1. Raise the l:equired J!linimu'G'l compre,nonsive automobile liability linitf> t() not lass than $600,000 c01"lbincd Billql~ limit par occurrence, app,licable to all owned, non"'ovned .and hir6d ve-hlcles. Under the current o);"dinlSnce, tho :ldni~uill liability limits tor each vehicle oro $100,000 tor porsonal injury or death of anyone person in any ono accident, and $300,000 for personal injurio.s or de~th ot two or more persona in 1!Iny''one accident, and $100,000 tor damage or destr-uction of property in ~ny ona accident. ~hese limits are lower than tho~Q roqulred by any other municipality in the area, and staff feels they w()u1d bOo inadequate if a sorious accident vore to occur. 2. Establish that all feos mandated by the taxicab code are nonrefundable. The current languaqe beliav8s that, tor should be included. is silent in this reqard and staff clarification, specific lanquage 3. Clarify responsibilities for obtaining and maintaining valid vohicle permit.s. CHR,271,94 2 I , t· ! ! .. Aqbin, th~ current ordinance is Bom~~hAt vague on this i .. ,,8. staff helie,'os that opocific lan9u"g8 requiring annua.l permit renewals, annual vehicle inspections by the police deplirtment, and the prohibition of drivors -Dad/or • certificate holder to drive unp.~itted vehicles viII olearly outline the requireMents that will help to e:naut'$ the safety of ta~icab Users. 40 Elltainate an existing definition of "taxi stand," a8 that word appears nowhere alse in the regulations. 5. Update. the. definition ot ~taxiraeter~ to reflect those in U~e today. Reqommendation staff recommends that the Council adopt the attached ordinance that amQnds Chapter 4.42 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, to acconnod~te the new CountYioIide para transit proqrlHll and incQrporate other­ changes which. will strengthen the city's current taxicab re:qulatiot'ls. " JOHIISON tant~ce:rhief ~~~L­CHRIS OlJRl(IN Police Chief ~~"~ Assistant city Kanaqer Attachment cc: Roberta H. Giu.'della, OUTREACH, CEO/president William Schweitzer, Yellow Cab Company of Palo Alto, Owner Pamela and curtis Bunch, Merit Taxi Service, OWnQrs Julia Fremon, stanford university, Trftnsportat.ion Proqrams Manager CMR:271:94 " 3 \. I ( f I , ( f: "', !" ( j r , I I , ! ! I· I follows: ORD INIINeR NO. ORDINANCB OF THB COUNCIL OF-THB CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING CHAPTBR 4.42 OF THB PALO ALTO I~\JNICIPAL CODE RBLP.TING TO TAXIC1\JlS ~i'he Council of the City of Palo Alto doe a ORDAIN as SECTION 1. Section 4.42.010 of the Palo AI to ~lnicipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: ".42.010 Definitions. -fa+. POl' the purpose of this chapter.. unless it is plainly evident from the context that a d:lfferent meaning is intended, certain terms .used herein are defined as follows: [(l<}C>'Wll\parati<olj~it»pj:qiti<l!tr\",!,a"s a taxi company that pj:Qvi,aes,. "p.ta~l:arialf.e .;;vices ,to e ~ i9 ib~e i nd!. vi du ,ls \lith t!f~l;\J?i 1 i ties .• , .. f'?rcoinpiian(,e"i~h ,the Arnedc;ms with DisMili tiel;) )\!!!c,''?t' '\~99,\ili\lei; <;/),,~"" . .:;,1;.)iit.h.>t he ~nta Clara County T <'ans i t Dist.:i¢t,{·,s(:CTDn,.;ora't>1'okel.'.desijjnat;ed by the SCCTD. An !lOA ~ratl;<l,!6J.t·':' pxoyiaer, " .. , ,whil",.Jntll"pe>:formance ot providing ~i~1;,f,,~b,9,it~-,,:'s~~',~c.e$ :,,~o ::~li_~~,b~,e_',Jn'<i,iVidlJ,~l,S-' ':is" considered' to-~ ~PI'L.~~,1IJ,9na,l;,edl>'(o,:<er .b.u~i,n~"~··, +1--.. o~t "Certificate holdel"" means any person, partnership, firi'if,' association or corporation to whom a certific.ate of public convenience and necessit.y is issued; -fi»--~(QJ ·Driver~ means a person ill direct and immediate posseSSion or cha'rge of driving or opel'ating a taxicab, or public transportation vehicle; f» ;(~T "Ownern means any person. firm j association or corporation having proprietary control of or right to proprietary control of any vehicle as herein defined; -f4+-~'.(;il~ ·Public transportation' vehicle" means every for-hire, unmetere'd automobile or motor~propelled vehicle having a seating capacity of no more than five persons, excluding driver, used in the business of transporting passengers over the streets of this city. irrespective of whether such operations extend beyond the cit.y, and which is not regulated by the public utilities commission; ~5} ~',~)'~ "Street" or "highway II me"ms a .... ·ay or place of whatever nature' publicly maintained and opened to the use of vehicular traffic; -f6+ Kt:)! "Taxicab" means a motor-propelled vehicle available on i:C''''twenty~ four hour a day basis used for the transportation of passengers who direct'. the route to be traveled over the streets, and not operated over a fixed route, tor .\ 940SII we. 0030919 \ i I i I ) I I i • compensat.:.ion fixed by a taxi meter in accordance with the dist.allce traveled and/or the time elapsed; -f;1+ jt~r qu.d me,_~_e,l!," ~_~a.~ime_t'¢i'l means. ~ ~ny' ins t_ [1j!Cle~lt ,01' deX i~e It.PP,~_~~~_':;~t;>~:·::~_$~:;:,un~~~ j:;A~::_:<t_~)~ricap~~::la~s ,of l;he,s,tate"t;Cill'i~():qliai by wh.ch \;he e"ar!le--l'<><-i\'~ pas:3e~'~~_r-~r'ry,~,:~~fft~it~E:Ji_~,,' ~:tepel-ked---vehl.-e-l-e--ig rnechani?al~y p,X: ~l.e_.i;Ct'on$:~~.ll-y .. {.q~J.'c41at(ts, 'f'eqJeteFea, eale"tlla~eel aAs/ef' .If'l:Eheat=:ed &y'~~--ju:t:e'1f lA,' a,eeel:O,d,(:l,~ee ,.itR-t-ite-~&t.~::~--and~ ~-he !;ime, elapsed, the, :C1iiii:ge , fo""tll" , u,i<<)"'of'a,ti\Xic,ab.'rhe ,ta.:dn:et,er,' ,Yegtat ""iii,' ,S';CIt.; ~t'gie", by,~~s;9f;,,;~i,(:J\I""1s;!,,'in(:1\td.i ng dOll",<,s",andci>nl;s;" cOll:li.lat;:<Idpy"n', in l.bal:<c.ha t'ge" and "the).'eaf t,er ,a, ,ella tg6 f or,::d,i 8,tllrlce ;trav~L1 "d. 'rum/or H"ai,tfll(1' !ti!1le;' " ,' .. -., '-., "--" ", '. ':. " ,-' , ,"-,,' .,-,,-, " '" " ,-"",' -tal ''Fa)(i ete:fla' meaHH a f'\;J:b14-e-t;)-h:"'tee-a-±Emgsiae tfi.e.-~ffi &f a etJ:'eet at' e!seiiRere 4-ft----t:.fu-.. eity ()-t'-~·t:;e-wfl.-ie&---hae--be€i't: dC9i~njltea By -t-fte---e-ity maf}ageL~-e*C-~-e-l~e--1:tSe of---t:ax-i 'Cabs." .sRcrI91L2, Section 01.42.070 of t:,he Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: 4.42.020 Cartificate Of public COfLvenieuce and necessity. fa) It is unlahlful for any person I partnership, finn. association or corporation, or the like, to provide taxicab or publ ic transportation vehicle service in this city .... ·ithaut a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued pursuant to this chapter by the city manager or his/her designee. (b) : Thie sectionshaUnothedeemed to ij>pply,toany p~rson operating l -.. ~r (·.aus_ing ,to· 'be 9P,eraCe<i,'" a~,:'-'WA"_' paratransit ,taxicab ... hUe, ,craqsporting. a ,,'eUg i hl,e pa.,~enllex:" orp •• seng",>;.: (In desi.gnated :-brok~r _,business,,:-from<a "pen_tit ,o,ut's~~e, -to ':;;V d~stin~_t,ion jii thi nth. 'city,' i; rom a pOiu!';,,,). thin th<i'g~t Y' to ,a'!:te s tilla'tior outside the --city, :,q~ pro'ce~ing':thro_ugh',-!::he'_ ,city,:· to.::n::desti~t~on :ou.tF.dde"t:he' 'cit.y,.~_ ,-", ',--." -",'",-,',,-, ,.,,', ,,·1 .. " , ""', , SHCTION 1. Section 4..42.020 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows~ 4.42.070 Duties of certificate holder; ~iln\uiJ, recIie:wal. (a) Certificate holders shall render a serviCE! to the public desiring to use taxicabs and public transportation vehicles, Taxicab companies shall keep their place of business open twenty­ four hourB a day for the: purpose of receiving calls and diRpatching vehicles" (bJ Certificate holders shall answer all requests received by them for services inside the corporate ljrnits as soon as practicable; and, if the service cannot be rendered within a l."easonable time, tile certificate holder shall inform the prospective passp.nger how long it will be before the call can be 2 ':--, '\ , , . •. '" :.:",\,.." ", 'f~_·<,o.;·'~-,' "",';" _'", .. -...,.. , ~ answered and give the reason therefor. Any cext.ificate may be revoked after hearing when a certificate holder refuses to accept a request for so~vicc anywhere within the corporate limits of the Cit)', llaving vehicles and drivers available for service. (c) c.erti ficate holders shall be responsible for the business authorized by the cert.ificate, including dispatch services. A certificate holder sha.ll assure that the vehicles ope:t'at.ed by the c(3'l'tlficato holder are operable and in safe condition. A.. certificC\te holder shall be responsible to provide sufficient, permitted drivers to operate the business in accordance 'With the t"equit:ementa of the cel·tificat.e and this chapter. {dl Notice of change of business or dispatch address or of telephone number shall be provided the police department at least. seventy· two houn; before said change is effect.ed. (e) Each certi.ficate 'holder must renl;lw" the'·certificatf.! annt\ally. Upon p..'lyment .of the' 'n,orll'efuhc:1able administrative ,f'e.e t>rovided .~n the'rr.l1i'dcipal fee schedule, the police department shall iEi-Et.\.!,e' ar}' .anmla} ;r~T1e;.ra~·. . SRc:rlQ.t.Li-Section 4 _ 42. (laO of the Palo Al to r,:unicipal Code is lwreby amended to read as follows: 4.42.080 Liability Insuranoel Inde.mn.ity. (a) No certificate of public convenience and necessity shall be issued or continued in operat ion unless there is in full force and effect a pol icy of Coropreheneive Automobile Liability insurance in ouch a fonn prescribed by ,the ae--t;.fte·-ei-i:y-a·tt-o~-ney..---afld :l-()9B-e&nt"(-e-l ~i9k rrv.mager Geeffi-pt'apel::, executed, by. an insurance corr:p.."l.ny approved' by the t."i-t::y-at.-t-er'fley risk manager with, a .'Best.· S 1<ey·i!aUng "fnot less than'A VII' • unless otherwise approved'by. tJ'~. :a,~~.JeS8 ,,~~ ~i8k m.;na9'er, whereby t,he owne'r ~nd driver of 'ea{~h at: thQ vehicles operat.lng pursuant to the certifl.cate as well as the holdEn-of the certificate of public convenience and necessity are insured against liability for damage to property and for injury t;o or death of ar.y person as a result of the ownership ope rat ion Ot' othel." use thereof. The minimum liabilj ty limits u~n e\1;eh eue~ vdliele nllall not be lcss than efie six Jmndred thousand d"llat's ·1$6~\l. O()O) eR-aee6Ufrtrl>f-perBeHal i$ry--hr_~-fl-et-uny O'fte--pe~~4·ft~~~one--a-ee-i-deFlt aflet th-r-ee-hutld=f'ed~llih"Hld---do-l-lilTe on--... a-eeount-.. -·~f.---t.fle--·-~·njul"'4.-e&·-t;-o--e-'l"~-dettt:-h' --of: t-,,8 €I r ft\Or-e pe-r'flons~ift an~ e ne ace ident:7-·ttftd~the--fl!riflif(tUm-l-i:a l:;ti~·imi·t-s·-.. upen eaek &'tI:en vehlele--heifig----net·-ke9'9--t;OO'A: 6Ae 19o1:l~.aPed U\6t:tsane-dol-lu'i'"'e fat: eaMage te: u~~t4{'"tfr. Bf t>'f'sper't:y---i-tl, aft)' eRe , ~-ee4:den-e coml;>inec1 singl" limit per occ~rrenceappli~able toall'0":'lle\l,non~ 9'Wn.ed·, .. ilnct hited, veh,iclei;l: p'rovided l however, that 'ad4it.-kniH: a~ a 'di f (,Efrent:-.amou~t may be requ ired by t he ei-.t-y--at·t:~ey--afld -l~&fi~ ri!3.k m.~n,).ger if deemed necessary, (bY Such policy of insurance shall contain an endorsement providing that the policy will not be cancelled until notice in writing has been given to the city, addressed in care of 3 ~Sll tit ooml9 ~. i I' I· I i I I I the Chief of Police, P.O. Box 10250, Palo Alto~ California 94303, at l"east thirty days iITtTiediate.ly prior to the time such cancellat.ion becomes effective, -(0) ~thet." Such polier' Qf insurance shall name the city. its o{{icers, agents and employees as additional insureds. it~)i Add4-t~1.,... Certificate hold2r9~ vehiclo OWI1P:rs and drivers -shall indemnify. defend and hold harrr.ies$ the city .. its off~cer,s., agents and employees, from any 10.86. 'liabl1.ity~ claima, );,ilj!itY:,PJ:',c<;l8lli;\gE!arising or alleged to ,ad~" from the fl~l{.'" _!o'r',.t.~l'l_,t;Ul:;"ot": ,:n~_ligel1.t,'.a_ctB or omiBa:iOnS of the cert i ficate holder. ven'iclE!' 'owrler_ o.r 'd~iver in,·'collr),cctiOJ1,.tfitfl the" ,Pl."DvisiQU of t;'im,iii>OrtaH9o ae1"V,lce pursuant to the <ertit 1eat". l>gcrJON_~. Section 4.42.0g0 <>f the Palo Alto Municipal Cede is h~reby amended to read as tollows! ~.42.090 Vehicle po~itB. -tal No v€:hicle ;r..-1r lega:ll}' be op~rat-ed under any geJ.'t.i,ficate of public Gonvenience and necessity \mIce€! sudl vehicle has_:'-been duly permitted in accol:dancc with ,this sectiofi~ rt shall he-unlawful fo!" an}' person to op'C'rate an)" vehicle descdbed 111 Section-4.42.010, or to:t.' any cert~ficate hOlder 01." any person 'who o~is or., cOl)trols an)" such vehicle to all()10.· such v-ehicle to be driven which has not been duly permi.tt(:d in accorda_ilCE: \:t'i-l-h this 'section ~' \JpeJY-i-agua-n-ee----o!---ii, ,-ce-t'--t-i--f-ic(lt.e itt:d-utH}-ll-p.."l'ftfI(mt-----of--tfte -!-e-ee-pr-evided--lol'---i---fl-t:-ne--fflUn-i e-ip..~l---·f.e€'--6ehe4ul-e-;----t: lIe---ei-t-y ---t.~\t~t= -s-lKt-ld.......:Hts'-le-t.--G the appl-:i~"lnt7.--....a----pe-1'm-!-t--t6-r-----e-aeh --v'P.hi-c-l-e-·1»"~fl-"t-o ~r-a tea. SueA---penRi.-t-----w H-l-::-et-itle -l he ---00 ffl-e-ufld.......;td(l~------Qf---the ee.ot i. f ieate -h&lde'T--~M--~~-bI><>in"",,-+ieet,ge<J-i---t he--nuilll>ey-.­ ma-lte-rMeElel--atld-engine t\\:lfWocr 6f----a1-l--Yehi~ ... ~t-ha--r-i-2ed-\_tt\de_~ ~i-Hea_t_e_·a-Rd----·the Elate of---i-aeu-anee, T-fie.ge-pe-rmi~-s-ol'1all -be £efloe 'Iea -ett-a--f.ia ea 1 ) ea~-we i'9--a-nd--ooa--t--l-~ .. i-n-·-f-()ree--a-ft6---ef-f-eet ~~usp-anaed 131:; l:eY6ke(i.-in--t-he Mi3tfi'ftf.:!l'--pl'-<w-id-ed--i--fl--t-fi±-S----eflapt-e-£--;­ A-ee,y at tHe pe--t"ffi-i~fJfta-l-l--be pe s t:ed----i-n"--t-he-r e hie 1 e -i-tt-a--pl-ae-e <leeijJflat.ed-by-t-fl "--1"'1-._-<1 e~artmeflh (bl The certificate holder shaH "pply' for all ,anm>a} :p,~"iYni,e_: (ol:,-each-vehlcle_ pJ."ciposed_ to be operated, up to the \Mximwn :pu~r":, permitted 'by the ce}.'tificate, Upon pay~U~l-lt of the l)9n.ref~nda,ble,-fee provided in the municipttl fee 3ch(!duh~, and upon "tl","i,~tlng p,roof that each vehl.clehaa passed the annual inspection P~1'~<1~d':forin$ectibn,4. 42.210, "thepolNe <lepartment shall issue !','1i:&.t1l1l.t,.tor each ..... ehiele, :«d '&."tch veh_icle 'permit shall be valid 'for' one year, so long as' the certificate under which the vehicles are pennitt-cd is ,lil\,:,}',~~ce ,and e~fect~ and the vehicle continues to ,be insured ·fl~"c~rdi?~, to tJle l."equ;1r~n'.ents: of Sect.ion -4,42.08:0.' , ,"-'S] 1 I,..: OO»Jl9 L \", , , . ' ,I " _. ,\ :-1 [:.~,:...-L_~>" .. ",.;,,:,-~ ,.".-.;.. ... -'."- ,.. ...... 1,(4};,ClI,ilopy, o;;tli.~!'~Iiili t "hal~ be posted i'l th,e vehiCle :~l"~!'jJ!!.gfl}~~,~cf(iil~~,'i~ 'by<~I)~,,'PQl fce. depart.O\ene. ~QlLL, Section 4.42.130 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: 4.4~.130 Driver's permit, form display, use. Ca) Upon approval of an a,()plication for a dl"iver j a pennit and uppn payment of the ~'OQre£\.lfldable fee provioe:d for in the municipal fee schedule, the"police -department shall issue a permit to the applicant. It shall bear the nrune and photogfaph of the applicant, date of expiration of the permit. and the name of the certificate holder for which the driver is authorized to operate a vehicle. Such permit shall be mailed to the cert ificate holder named therein and shall be valid only so long a$; sllid driver continues in the employ of such certificate holder. (b) Such permit shall be displayed in the vehicle being driven by the permittee in such a pl.ace as to be in full view of all passengers in such vehicle. (c) Upon the·terminat',j,on of any driver's employrf1.C!ll::'z the certificate holder by whom such driver has been p.mploi'(~d sh(lll immediately give the police department written notice of such termination, the reaSOlls tllerefor and s!lalJ. forthwith sun:ender said driver's permit to the chief of police for cancellation. ~_QN-.2. Section 4.42.210 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: 4.42.210 IntorferE"nce with i:cspection. Iuspection of vehicles. t(~t; It is unlawful for a certificate holder I owner Or driver of an'y vehicle defined in this chapter and operated in the city to i:lterfere with or prohibit any police officer of the city or any person designated by the chief of police from at any time inspecting or thoroughly examining any such vehicle or any t(\xi meter used upon any taxicab. ,each vehic).e tor which 'a this chaptet~ shall cause by the police 9~ Police. The the.permi t fee .s.JK'TmNJ. This is not a project under the Califol'nia E~vironmental Quality Act. ~.QN-2.. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first day after the date of its adoption; provided z however. that the increased insurance req\!irements enacted herein. as 5 l).WS II lie ()O:lO919 1 ! I'>' 1 J I j ! i. i L " I I I described in Section 4 J shall not apply to any current certificate holder until July 1, 1994. I NTRODUCBD : PASSED: AYES: tlO~S : ABSENT: ABSTBNTIONS : APPROVED AS TO FORM: 6 APPROVED: Mayor---------------. Director of Finance---------· DirectoroTPlann-itlg and Community Envh:onm.ent