HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 - Taxi Cab Adminstration(' 71-9
March 24, 1997
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: Glen Everroad, Revenue Manager
SUBJECT: TAXI CAB ADMINISTRATION
Recommendation
Council Agenda No.: 5
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Authorize execution of attached proposed agreement to participate in the Orange County
Taxi Administration Program (OCTAP).
Background
The City has regulated taxi cab operations since 1949, and Municipal Code Chapter 5.12
requires the issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity prior to
conducting taxi cab operations in the City. Applications for certificate are administered by
the Revenue Division, which conducts a background investigation on the business history,
insurance, finances of the company, and coordinates the inspection of the vehicles an
applicant proposes to operate. If approved, the City will annually inspect the company's
vehicles, investigate complaints, confirm insurance, investigate each driver's criminal and
driving history, and issues driver's permits. The City currently inspects one hundred and
sixty (160) vehicles, and permits one hundred and forty (140) drivers each year for the
eight (8) companies permitted to operate in the City. The City collects annual fees of
approximately $11,000 from taxi cab companies and their drivers to recover the costs in
administering the provisions of Chapter 5.12. The City realizes no net revenue from
regulation of the taxi industry.
Most Orange County cities have similar regulations for taxicab companies and their
drivers. Each of the 8 companies operating in this city also operate in other Orange
County cities, and their vehicles and drivers must be inspected and permitted by each
regulating city. During the last six months, City staff has participated in a committee
comprised of Orange County cities and the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) to
develop opportunities to reduce the County -wide duplication of effort by cities in
regulation of taxi companies, inspection of taxicabs, permitting of taxicab drivers and to
improve transportation services throughout the County.
Discussion
Consolidation,, f inspection and permitting responsibilities has been identified by the
coiitee as7 e greatest opportunity to reduce the duplication of effort. The Orange
County Taxi Administration Program (OCTAP) has been developed by the committee to
be a voluntary association of Orange County cities desirous of delegating specific
responsibilities for taxicab regulation to the OCTA. The objective of OCTAP is to
increase public safety, reduce administrative costs for the public and private sector, and to
expand private transportation service in the County. To that end, OCTAP proposes to
maintain specific responsibilities with participating cities and delegate other responsibilities
to OCTA. Responsibilities to be maintained by participating cities include selection of
which taxi cab companies may operate in their city, adopting taxi fares and enforcing taxi
cab ordinances. Cities will continue to collect business license taxes from taxi cab
companies. The responsibilities to be delegated to OCTA include screening companies,
monitoring insurance requirements, inspection of taxi cabs, conduct driver background
investigations and issue driver permits. OCTA will collect and retain permit application
fees from companies and drivers.
The OCTA Board will decide whether to participate in the program on April 28. Their
decision will be based on the number of cities indicating a desire to participate in OCTAP.
If OCTAP is supported by a sufficient number of cities and OCTA, there will be a series of
meetings to finalize the rules, procedures and develop a transition plan. OCTA is
requesting an indication from cities on whether they intend to participate, by executing the
attached agreement, on or before April 1.
On March 12, 1997 the Traffic Affairs Committee reviewed and unanimously approved
the proposal to participate in OCTAP.
Attachment
ORANGE COUNTY TAXI ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM
(OCTAP)
INTER -AGENCY AGREEMENT
I. The City of City of Newport Beach and the Orange County Transportation
Authority (OCTA) agree to:
A. Participate in the Orange County Taxi Administration Program (OCTAD)
with the goal of increasing public safety, reducing administrative costs, and
expanding the provision of private transportation service in Orange County.
B. Mutually adopt OCTAP Rules to govern the administration of taxi service
within participating jurisdictions.
II. The City agrees to:
A. Participate as member of OCTAP effective July 1, 1997 and continue until
terminated by a one year written notice.
B. Appoint City Manager or his/her designee to be member of the OCTAP
Steering Committee and City Police Chief or his/her designee to serve on OCTAP
Public Safety Committee.
C. Adopt and enforce a City Taxi Cab ordinance consistent with OCTAP Rules,
and use such ordinance and any applicable state laws as the exclusive method of
regulating taxi cabs with in the City.
D. Adopt and if necessary prosecute all violations of City Taxi ordinance and
OCTAP Rules occurring within the City.
III. The OCTA agrees to:
A. Provide staff and administrative services necessary to implement the OCTAP
Rules and enforce administrative violations.
B. Collect license and permit fees to offset administrative costs.
C. Provide City with 12 months written notice prior to withdrawing from
OCTAP.
City Manager OCTA Chief Executive Officer
Approved as to Form:
City Attorney