Columbus, Georgia

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE

TAXICAB COMMISSION OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA

March 5, 2003



MEMBERS PRESENT

Chairman Wallace Archie, Mark Oropeza, James Brooks, Lt. Julius Ross, Gerald

Ludwig.



MEMBERS ABSENT

Diane Quick, Darren Phillips, Charles Pattillo.









Chairman Archie, Chairman, noting that a quorum was present and called the

March 5, 2003 meeting to order.





SECTION 21-5 CRIMINAL RECORD OF DRIVER APPLICANT:

Lt. Ross reviewed Section 21-5 (1) which reads ?Before issuing any driver

permit to a taxicab driver applicant, the police chief shall make a background

check of the applicant to determine whether or not he has a criminal record.?

The word ?he? was changed to ?the applicant?.



Section 21-5(2): Proposed change to read ?No permit shall be issued nor

renewed to any applicant who has been:? There are listed four items categorized

as a, b, c and d. (The alphabet listing was changed around from the previous

draft.)



New Paragraph ?a? which reads ?Who has within two years prior to the date of

application for such permit been convicted of, or been on probation, parole, or

served time on a sentence for a felony?. The commission was in agreement to

remove the first portion of this sentence and the new proposal would read

?Convicted of, or been on probation, parole, or served time on a sentence for a

felony within the last two (2) years?.



New Paragraph ?b? which reads ?Convicted of any crime relating to immoral

purposes to include but not limited to: Included is a sub listing of

violations from 1 to 8. The list is as follows ?1. prostitution 2. soliciting

for prostitution 3. any sex related offense 4. Alcohol offense 5. Drug

offense 6. fraud 7. bad checks 8. gambling. Mr. Brooks suggested that to

not be redundant to add the ?within the last two (2) years? in the wording of

the Number 2 Item to read as follows ?no permit shall be issued nor renewed to

any applicant who has been within the last two years?.



New Paragraph ?c? which reads ?convicted of any of the felony offenses within

two years of application for such permits:? Included is a sub listing of

violations from 1 to7. The list is as follows: ? 1. DUI 2. reckless

driving 3. hit and run 4. vehicular homicide 5. serious injury by vehicle

6. suspended driver?s license 7. road rage?.



There are no new changes to the proposed subsection ?d?







SECTION 21-6. DENIALS, DISMISSALS, REVOCATIONS, NONRENEWALS AND SUSPENSIONS:



The new proposed No. 5 was moved to ?the duty of the owner? which reads,

?Whenever a taxicab driver is dismissed from the employment of a taxicab

company, the taxicab owner shall notify the chief of police in writing within

(48) hours of such dismissal.?



SECTION 21 ? 7. RENEWALS:



Section 21-7(2): ?Taxicab driver permits are valid for a period of one year

following issuance. Renewals may be accomplished up to 60 days prior to the

issue date and are delinquent on the expiration date. The cost of the driver?s

permit is set at twenty-five dollars ($25). Permits may be secured and

purchased at the office of the chief of police of Columbus, Georgia.

Delinquent or expired permits may be renewed upon payment of a fee equal to 1.5

times the driver permit fee in effect at the time of renewal. The reissuance

of a driver?s permit for any reason will require payment of a twenty-five

dollar ($25) fee.?



Section 21-7(2) was changed to read as follows: ?Taxicab driver permits are

valid for a period of one year following the birth date of the applicant.

Renewals may be accomplished up to 30 days prior to the birth date of an

applicant and are delinquent on that date. The cost of a driver?s permit is

set at _________ ($___). Permits may be secured and purchased at the office of

the Columbus Police Department. Delinquent or expired permits may be renewed

upon payment of a fee equal to 1.5 times the driver permit fee in effect at the

time of renewal. The reissuance of a driver?s permit for any reason will

require payment of a _________ dollar ($___) fee.



There was some discussion regarding the determination of the fee, which has

been left blank for the time being.



Section 21-7(3): ?When an applicant originally applies for a driver?s permit,

and every fourth year thereafter when he applies for a renewal of his permit,

he shall file with his application or with his request for renewal a

physician?s certificate certifying that he has no disease or mental or physical

infirmity that adversely affects his ability to drive.?



The proposed change is to remove the word he or his, and replace with the word

?applicant? to read as follows: ?when an applicant originally applies for a

driver?s permit, and every fourth year thereafter when applicant applies for a

renewal of permit, applicant shall file with application or with request for

renewal of physician?s certificate certifying that applicant has no disease or

mental or physical infirmity that adversely affects applicant?s ability to

drive.



SECTION 21-8. DUTIES OF TAXICAB DRIVERS:



Section 21-8(1): ?Transporting of prostitutes. No person shall drive a

taxicab upon the streets of the city who knowingly solicits or transports

persons for the purpose of prostitution.







Section 21-8(1) changed to read as follows: ?Transportation for illegal

activities. No person shall drive a taxicab upon the streets of the city who

knowingly solicits or transports persons for the purpose of the illegal

activity.



Section 21-8(2): Currently reads as follows: ?Refusal to carry orderly

persons. No driver of a taxicab shall refuse or neglect to convey any orderly

person upon request, unless he is previously engaged or is unable or forbidden

to do so by provisions of city ordinance or state law. If a person requesting

taxi service is drunk or disorderly and a taxicab driver has reason to believe

such person may do the driver bodily harm, he may refuse service to that person.



Item No. 2 changed to replace the word he or him wherever used to driver. The

following sentence was also added to read as follows: ?No driver shall be

obligated to transport anyone under the age of twelve (12), unless such person

is accompanied by another person who is twelve (12) years of age, or older.?



New Section 21-8(3): ?Theft of calls. No driver or company shall monitor the

dispatch of any other cab company for the purpose of stealing their business.?



Section 21-8(4): the only change was numerically from 21-8(3) to 21-8(4)



Section 21-8(5) currently section 21-8(4): ?Inspection of taxicabs. A problem

of taxicabs shall be maintained in such proper mechanical condition so as to be

operated safely. Taxicabs shall also be maintained in a state of cleanliness

to include but not limited to the following:



(a) Exterior. Headlights, tail lights, brake lights, directional signal

lights, license plate lights, windshield, vent glass, windshield wiper?s, all

other vehicle glass, glass window raisers, doors and door locks, trunk lid,

trunk, hood, interior door handles, exhaust system, splash shields, hub caps,

bumpers, fenders, body and tires shall be inspected to ascertain that each is

functioning properly. Each taxicab shall be maintained in a clean condition.



(b) Interior. The rear view mirror, steering wheel, foot brakes, parking

brakes and air-conditioning and heating systems shall be inspected to ascertain

that each is functioning properly. The upholstery, floor mats, headlining,

door panels and the trunk compartments shall be inspected to determine whether

they are clean, free of tears, and that the trunk has sufficient space for

passenger?s luggage. The vehicle shall contain a fire extinguisher, a spare

tire, and a jack, and a functional communications device (i.e. two-way radio,

cellular phone) that shall serve as a means of communicating between the

company and the driver.



(c) No driver shall operate a taxicab without a valid inspection/registration

sticker issued the by the Columbus Police Department, and affixed to the left

rear bumper.







Taxicabs shall be registered with the Columbus Police Department, must pass an

annual safety inspection by a licensed garage approved and recorded by said

department and

pass an annual cosmetic and meter inspection provided by the Columbus Police

Department. Upon passing said inspection(s) a Columbus Police Department

inspection sticker we?ll be issued which will be valid from June 1 through May

31 of each year. This sticker must be displayed on the left hand side of the

vehicle?s rear bumper. No vehicle shall be used as a taxicab without a current

inspection sticker issued by the Columbus Police Department. Inspections for

vehicles being newly placed into service may be accomplished at any time as set

forth by the Columbus Police Department, and, unless accomplished within sixty

(60) calendar days prior to May 31, will expire on May 31 regardless of the

initial inspection date. Renewal inspections for vehicles already in-service

may be accomplished up to sixty (60) calendar days prior to the May 31

expiration date.



Chairman Wallace said that he would be requesting for a member of the

commission to make a motion to have the inspections on the birth date of the

driver. He said that he and Lt. Ross are at odds regarding this issue;

therefore, we need to have a vote from the members of the commission. He

continued to explain the reasons why he feels the inspection date should be on

the birth date of the driver. He pointed out that right now, the ordinance

says that the permit has to be done by the driver?s birth date, but the

inspection of the vehicle has to be done by the 31st of May. He said that he

feels that if the license and the permit is on the birth date; then, what is

wrong with the inspection on the birth date.



Lt. Ross also made comments regarding the birth date inspection. He said

that he believes that the Police Department is not in favor of that, because he

believes that the date of May 31st is sufficient enough time for people to get

out of the mold of waiting until the last minute. He advised that he would

re-address the issue with the Police Department personnel to see if we can go

in that direction.



There was continued discussion on this matter with various commissioners

expressing their views.





OTHER ISSUES:





There being no further business to come before the commission and upon motion

made by Mark Oropeza and seconded by Lt. Julius Ross and unanimously carried,

the meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.





By: _____________________________

Sandra T. Davis, Recording Secretary