(a) A taxicab or vehicle for hire is authorized to provide exclusive ride service, which shall mean exclusive use of a taxicab by one or more passengers at a time, and shared ride service, which shall mean non-exclusive use of a taxicab by two or more unrelated passengers, traveling between different points of origin and/or destination and traveling in the same general direction.
(b) Flag loads, meaning passengers soliciting a taxicab or vehicle for hire at random points on the street, may be picked up at any location within the city except when it is apparent that the prospective fare has already phoned for a taxicab or vehicle for hire operated by another person or firm and is waiting for such taxicab or vehicle for hire to arrive.
(c) Solicitation of fares is permitted when located at areas as may be declared open to solicitation by all properly permitted operators or drivers. No driver of any taxicab or vehicle for hire shall seek employment by repeatedly driving his or her vehicle back and forth in a short space in front of, or by otherwise interfering with, the proper and orderly access to or egress from any theater, hall, hotel, railway or other place or public gathering; or by leaving his or her vehicle or otherwise, approaching and soliciting patronage by any pedestrian upon the sidewalk, in any theater, hall, hotel, railway or street railway loading point.
(d) All persons other than the driver shall ride in the passenger compartment of the taxicab or vehicle for hire, except passengers who are physically disabled, are unable to get into the passenger compartment or have extreme difficulty in doing so, and except where there are more passengers than can be accommodated in such compartment or where it is necessary to have someone seated with the driver in connection with the normal operation of the taxicab or vehicle for hire.
(e) The driver of a taxicab or vehicle for hire employed to carry passengers to a definite point shall take the most direct route possible that will carry the passengers safely, lawfully and expeditiously to the destination.
(f) Persons engaging a taxicab or vehicle for hire shall be entitled to have such valises, small hand baggage or wheel chairs as can be conveniently carried within the vehicle loaded, conveyed and unloaded without charge.
(g) Every operator approved to operate under the provisions of this article shall regularly and daily operate his or her business to the extent reasonably necessary to meet the public demand for service. Upon abandonment of such business for a period of thirty consecutive days by such operator, approval to operate under this article may be revoked.
(h) Smoking shall be prohibited in taxicabs and vehicles for hire. The driver of the vehicle shall promptly direct any passenger smoking in a taxicab or vehicle for hire to promptly and safely extinguish any cigarette or other smoking device. The refusal of any passenger to extinguish a cigarette or other smoking device shall constitute sufficient reason for the driver to immediately suspend service to the passenger.
(i) Every owner or driver of a taxicab or vehicle for hire operated on a highway shall maintain safety belts in good working order for the use of the occupants of the vehicle. The driver of a taxicab or vehicle for hire shall not operate the taxicab or vehicle for hire unless passengers four years of age or over and weighing forty pounds or more, in the front seat, are properly restrained by a safety belt. The driver of a taxicab or vehicle for hire shall require all passengers sixteen years of age or over to be properly restrained by a safety belt when the taxicab or vehicle for hire is being driven on a public highway. (Ord. No. 1399, § 3 (part).)