City Council:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 237 (TAXICABS)
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON TO
PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY BY ESTABLISHING NEW
REGULATIONS FOR REGISTERED CLASS A
TAXICABS OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY
WHEREAS, by correspondence submitted to the City Council, Councilmember Andre Wallace formally requested authorization to amend Chapter 237 (Taxicabs) of the Code of the City of Mount Vernon in order to enhance public safety through the establishment of updated regulations governing registered Class A taxicabs operating within the City; and
WHEREAS, the City of Mount Vernon (“City”) seeks to ensure the safety, reliability, and quality of taxicab services within the City; and
WHEREAS, in recent months, members of the public have complained that certain taxicabs are not safe or suitable to be operating within the City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognized the need for stronger regulations and penalties applying to Class A taxicab operators; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds this amendment to be in the best interest of public safety and the taxicab industry at large;
NOW, THEREFORE, the City of Mount Vernon, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain, and enact:
Section 1. Section 237-17 of the Code of the City of Mount Vernon is hereby amended to read as follows:
§ 237-17 - Inspection of vehicles; fees.
E. Any vehicle which is found, after such inspection, to be unsafe, more than ten years old, or in any way unsuitable for hiring service, shall be immediately ordered out of service by the Commissioner of Public Safety or their designee(s), and before being again placed in service shall be delivered to the Police Department at a designated point for reinspection by the Commissioner of Public Safety or their designees.
Section 2. Section 237-24 of the Code of the City of Mount Vernon is hereby amended to read as follows:
§ 237-24 - Responsibilities of operators.
E. Taxicab licensees shall replace taxicabs where it appears that the vehicle or vehicles no longer meet the reasonable standards of safe operation. Pursuant to § 237-17 of this chapter, all licensed Class A taxicabs, which are at least ten years from the date of assembly, are presumed to no longer meet the reasonable standards of safe operation. The holder of a Class A taxicab license shall be ordered by the Commissioner of Public Safety or their designee(s) to replace the Class A taxicab vehicle or other equipment or accessories if it appears that the same no longer meets the reasonable standards of safe operation or vehicle appearance prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Safety. Upon failure of the owner to comply with any such order within 120 days after service thereof, the license shall be deemed to have been abandoned by nonuse.
Section 3. Implementation. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall oversee implementation of the above amendments. Public Safety shall assess its capacity to inspect all currently registered Class A taxicabs and enforce orders for the replacement of taxicabs. The Commissioner or their designee(s) shall report findings to the City Council.
Section 4. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval by the City Council.
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