TOWN OF GROTON

TAXI CAB/LIVERY REGULATIONS

 

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 22 of Chapter 40 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Groton hereby adopts the following rules and orders regulating the use and operation of taxi businesses in the Town of Groton.

 

Section 1         DEFINITIONS

 

The following words as used in these rules and orders, unless the content or subject matter otherwise requires, shall have the following meaning:

 

Examiner--The Chief of Police of the Town of Groton or any person or persons so designated by the Chief of Police.

 

Operator--Any person who operates a vehicle for hire.

 

Taxi--A private passenger motor vehicle that is hired for general passenger-carrying use with or without a taximeter. This type of vehicle may be requested by call to a dispatcher or “hailed” on public ways for securing a ride.

 

Public Livery--A private passenger motor vehicle that is hired for general passenger-carrying use with or without a taximeter. This type of vehicle may only be requested by call to a dispatcher.

 

Private Livery--A private passenger motor vehicle rented only from a garage or residence of the owner with use restricted to social functions, funeral purposes, major airport service, business or visitor touring and similar purposes.

 

Way--Any public way, any private way laid out for public use, any way dedicated to public use or any place to which the public has a right of access as invites or licensees.

 

Section 2         LICENSES REQUIRED

 

Except as otherwise provided by law, no person shall engage in the business of transporting persons for hire in a taxi or public livery vehicle from a location in the Town of Groton to another location in the Town of Groton or from a location in the Town of Groton to a location outside the Town of Groton without first having obtained a permit from the Board authorizing her or him to engage in such business and designating the number of such vehicles that may be used under such permit.

 

All licenses shall expire on the thirty-first (31st) day of December of each year and shall be in such form and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen may within its discretion, withhold, grant, or revoke any such licenses.

 

Application for said license shall contain the business name and address, name of business owner, local address from which business will be operating, description of vehicle(s) to be used and any other information the Board of Selectmen shall deem necessary.

 

Any person desiring to operate a taxi or public livery vehicle shall obtain a taxi driver’s license. The application shall contain the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant, name of the company for which the applicant will be driving, the applicant’s date of birth, social security number, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and driver’s license number and expiration date, two passport size photographs, and any other information the Board of Selectmen shall deem necessary. Said taxi driver’s license, which will contain the company name, will be visible at all times while driver is on duty.

 

All license applications will be reviewed by the Town’s Examiner and Zoning Enforcement Officer prior to being acted upon by the Board of Selectmen.

 

These licenses shall not be transferable without prior approval of the Board of Selectmen. All taxi and driver licensees must notify the Board of Selectmen of any change of address affecting the location of residence or business.

 

Section 3         VEHICLES

 

All taxicabs affected by these rules shall be properly registered, inspected and insured per requirements of the Commonwealth. The Board of Selectmen or Examiner may order a specific vehicle to be reinspected at any time with cause. The taxi business owner shall provide the Board of Selectmen with a certificate of insurance, which will include a statement from the insurance company issuing the policy indicating that the policy shall not be canceled without a minimum of five (5) days notice to the Board of Selectmen. No license shall be released without this information.

 

All taxicabs and public livery vehicles shall have the business name indicated on both sides of the vehicle. The interior and exterior of said vehicles shall be clean and sanitary at all times.

 

All taxicabs are subject to inspection by the Board of Health, Police Department, Board of Selectmen, or duly appointed inspector for compliance with these rules and orders.

 

Section 4         FARES

 

All taxi businesses which choose to operate through a metered system shall have approved metering devices installed and shall have these devices sealed annually by the Inspector of Weights and Measures in accordance with Mass. General Laws, Chapter 98, Section 45, and conform to N.B.S. standards and shall have on display the charges thereof. All taxi businesses which choose to operate through a zoned system shall include with the license application a map or listing of such zones and the charges thereof and have on display in each taxi vehicle.

 

Section 5         DAILY LOG

 

A daily log shall be maintained by each taxi driver and shall contain the driver's name, vehicle identification, date and time of fare pickup, destination, and date and time of drop off. Said log shall be kept in an orderly manner and readily available for inspection by the Board of Selectmen or the Groton Police Department acting as agents for said Authority. The Licensee shall maintain a file of said logs for a term of two (2) years.

 

Section 6         VIOLATION

 

Violation of these rules and orders shall be punishable by a fine of fifty ($50) dollars for each offense. Each day in which violations of these regulations occur shall constitute a separate offense. Violations may be enforced through non-criminal disposition method pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40 Section 21D. For purposes of non-criminal dispositions, enforcing persons shall be the Groton Police Department. The Board of Selectmen may suspend or revoke any license issued under these rules and orders for violation of any law or of this ordinance.

 

Section 7         FEES

 

Annual fees for licenses shall be:

 

Taxi cab business          $20.00 plus $20.00 per vehicle above one

Taxi cab driver$20.00 per driver

 

Section 8         EFFECTIVE DATE

 

These rules and order shall become effective March 31, 2003.

TAXI CAB/LIVERY REGULATIONS

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

 

Background checks — Handled under “All license applications will be reviewed by the Town's Examiner prior to being acted upon by the Board of Selectmen.”

 

Photographs — Two to be sent with the application.

 

Revocation — Board has authority under “All licenses shall expire on the thirty-first (31st) day of December of each year and shall be in such form and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen may within its discretion, withhold, grant, or revoke any such licenses.”

 

Inspections — Can be done at any time. If the Board intends to have the Police Department or any other agency inspect them on an annual or random basis, standards will need to be set.

 

Fees — Suggested fee the fee at $20.00 for the business, $20.00 per vehicle above one, and $20.00 for each driver.