§ 5.64.030. Definitions.

The following words and phrases, whenever used in this chapter, shall be construed as defined in this section:

"Alternative fuel vehicles" shall mean vehicles powered by natural gas, propane, ethanol, methanol, gasoline (when used in hybrid electric vehicles only), hydrogen, electricity, fuel cells, or advanced technologies that do not rely on gasoline or diesel fuel or that are powered by a combination of two or more alternate fuels. Alternative fuel vehicles include "hybrid" or "bi-fuel" vehicles powered in part by petroleum gasoline and vehicles converted from one powered by petroleum gasoline.

"Chief of Police" shall mean the Chief of Police or his or her designee.

"City Administrator" means City Administrator or his or her designee.

"Driver" means every person driving a taxicab as defined by this chapter.

"Driver permit" means the annual permit issued by the City Administrator which authorizes the recipient to drive a taxicab for a specified fleet manager within the City.

"Fleet management permit" means the permit issued by the City Administrator which authorizes the overall operation and management of all taxicabs using the same name and vehicle color combinations.

"Fleet manager" means that person designated by the holder of the fleet management permit as the person responsible for all operations under the fleet management permit.

"Operating permit" means the permit, issued by the City Administrator, which evidences that a vehicle designated by the City Administrator to operate for a specific fleet has been inspected and certified to operate as a taxicab.

"Owner" means any person, partnership, cooperative, corporation, firm, or association who is named as the registered owner of a vehicle which is used as a taxicab in the City, including but not limited to, receivers or trustees appointed by any court.

"Public Works Agency" means the Director of Public Works or his or her designee.

"Ramped taxi" means a taxi, defined below, which is a minivan or similar vehicle specially adapted with ramp and/or lift access for wheelchair users, which is also equipped with a taximeter, and which prioritizes requests for service from wheelchair users for purposes of transportation over and along the public streets, not over a defined route but, as to the route and destination, in accordance with and under the direction of the passenger or person hiring such vehicle.

"Taxicab" means every passenger vehicle designed for carrying not more than eight persons, excluding the driver, used to carry passengers for hire, and which is operated at rates per mile or upon a waiting time basis or both.

"Taxicab" does not include ambulance vans ("ambuvans") or limousines.

"Taximeter" means a mechanical or electronic device by which the charge for the hire of a taxicab is automatically calculated, either for distance traveled or for waiting time, or both, and upon which such charge is plainly registered by means of figures indicating dollars and cents and which is visible in the rear passenger compartment.

"Vehicle permit" means the permit issued by the City Administrator to qualified taxicab owners which authorizes them to operate taxicab vehicles meeting established standards within the City.

(Ord. No. 13161, § 4, 5-21-2013)