Proposed Rules & Regulations Changes for Public Chauffeurs
The following lists the old rule(s) followed by the proposed rule(s). Due to the length of these rules, we will continue with these rules in later postings.
Old Rule No. 31 – 37
Livery emblem.
All livery vehicles licensed by the City of Chicago shall have affixed to the lower right hand corner of the windshield a current Consumer Services emblem. No chauffeur shall operate any Public Passenger Vehicle without an emblem properly affixed.
Rule No. 32 Metal plate medallion.
All taxicabs shall have affixed to the exterior of the cowl or hood of the taxicab the metal plate issued by the Department of Consumer Services. No chauffeur shall operate any Public Passenger Vehicle without a medallion properly affixed.
Rule No. 33 License card.
All Public Passenger Vehicles licensed by the City of Chicago shall display a current Department of Consumer Services license card in the regulation license holder. Light bulbs illuminating license cards shall be of sufficient candle power to make chauffeur's name and license number readable from the rear compartment. No chauffeur shall operate any Public Passenger Vehicle without a license card properly displayed.
Rule No. 34 Signs.
a. It shall be unlawful to display any signs or printed matter of any kind in or upon any Public Passenger Vehicle licensed by the City of Chicago, except as provided in Chapter 9-112 MCC or upon written authorization by the Commissioner of the Department of
Consumer Services.
b. All notices required by the Department of Consumer Services shall be kept in a clean, undamaged and safe manner.
Rule No. 35 Vehicle unfit for public use.
a. All Public Passenger Vehicles licensed by the City of Chicago shall be kept in a clean, undamaged and safe condition. No chauffeur shall operate a Public Passenger Vehicle that is unclean, damaged or unsafe. The violation of the “safe condition” requirement of this subsection (a) shall be an aggravated offense.
b. No public chauffeur shall solicit or accept passengers in a vehicle unless it is in a clean condition. Minimum standards of cleanliness include, but are not limited to:
i. The interior of the vehicle (including the trunk) shall be kept free from all waste paper, cans, garbage, or any other item not intrinsic to the vehicle or to the conduct of operating a public passenger vehicle;
ii. The interior of the vehicle (including the trunk) shall be free from all dirt, grease, oil, adhesive resin, or any other item which can be transferred onto the person, clothing or possessions of a passenger by incidental contact.
iii. The interior of the vehicle shall be kept free of any material which a reasonable person would find noxious or unpleasant;
iv. The exterior of the vehicle shall be kept free from all dirt, grease, oil, or any other substance besides water or snow which can be transferred onto the person, clothing or possessions of a passenger by incidental contact. It shall be an affirmative defense to any violation of the vehicle’s exterior cleanliness standard if the person(s) charged with the offense can conclusively establish that the exterior of the vehicle was washed within the twenty-four hour period preceding the alleged violation.
c. It is the affirmative duty of the public chauffeur to insure that the vehicle being operated by him/her is in compliance with this rule.
Rule No. 36 Livery--no measured rates.
No chauffeur of a livery vehicle shall use any mechanical device or meter which registers a charge of fare or distance traveled by which the charge of fare to be paid by the passenger is measured.
Rule No. 37 Taximeter.
No chauffeur shall operate a taxicab when it is equipped with a meter with a broken Department of Consumer Services seal that is mutilated or that has been tampered with in any way.
New Rule No. 9.01 – 9.07
Livery Emblem.
All livery vehicles licensed by the City of Chicago shall have affixed to the lower right hand corner of the windshield a current Department emblem. No Chauffeur shall operate any Public Passenger Vehicle without an emblem properly affixed.
Rule 9.02 Metal Plate Medallion
All taxicabs shall have affixed to the exterior of the cowl or hood of the taxicab the metal plate issued by the Department. No Chauffeur shall operate any Public passenger Vehicle without a medallion properly affixed.
Rule 9.03 License Card
All Public Passenger Vehicles licensed by the City of Chicago shall display a current Department license card in the regulation license holder. Light bulbs illuminating license cards shall be of sufficient candle power to make Chauffeur’s name and license number readable from the rear compartment. No Chauffeur shall operate any Public Passenger Vehicle without a license card properly displayed.
Rule 9.04 Signs.
a. It shall be unlawful to display any signs or printed matter of any kind in or upon any Public Passenger Vehicle licensed by the City of Chicago, except as provided in Chapter 9-112 MCC or upon written authorization by the Commissioner.
b. Al notices required by the Department shall be kept in a clean, undamaged and safe manner.
Rule 9.05 Vehicle Unfit for Public Use.
a. All vehicles licensed by the City of Chicago shall be kept in an undamaged and safe condition. No Chauffer shall operate a Public passenger Vehicle that is damaged or unsafe. The violation of the “safe condition” requirement of this subsection (a) shall be an Aggravated Offense.
b. No Chauffeur shall solicit or accept passengers in a vehicle unless it is in a clean condition. Minimum standards of cleanliness include, but are not limited to:
1. The interior of the vehicle (including the trunk) shall be kept free from all waste paper, cans, garbage, protruding objects or any other item not intrinsic to the vehicle or to the conduct of operating a Public Passenger Vehicle;
2. the interior of the vehicle (including the trunk) shall be free from all dirt, grease, oil, adhesive resin, or any other item which can be transferred onto the person, clothing or possessions of a passenger by incidental contact.
3. The interior of the vehicle shall be kept free of any material or odors which a reasonable person would find noxious or unpleasant;
4. The exterior of the vehicle shall be kept free from all dirt, grease, oil, or any other substance besides water or snow which can be transferred onto the person, clothing or possessions of a passenger by incidental contact. It shall be an affirmative defense to any violation of the vehicle’s exterior cleanliness standard if the person(s) charged with the offense can conclusively establish that the exterior of the vehicle was washed within the twenty-four hour period preceding the alleged violation.
c. It is the affirmative duty of the Chauffeur to insure that the vehicle being operated by him is in compliance with this rule.
Rule 9.06 Livery – No Measured Rates.
No Chauffeur of a livery vehicle shall use any mechanical device or meter which registers a charge of fare or distance traveled by which the charge of fare to be paid by the passenger is measured.
Rule 9.07 Taximeter.
No Chauffeur shall operate a taxicab when it is equipped with a meter with a broken Department seal or is inoperable in any way.
Old Rule No. 38 – 40
Taxicab fares.
a. Public chauffeurs shall activate the taximeter whenever the vehicle is engaged for hire. Shared Ride fares as described in Section V of these Rules and trips engaged pursuant to an authorized jitney operation are excepted from this rule.
b. Taxicab chauffeurs shall take the most direct route to passenger's destination unless specifically directed by passenger to take an alternate route.
c. A public chauffeur may negotiate a fare or a flat rate lower than the meter rate with a passenger prior to the beginning of a trip reasonably estimated to exceed five miles. If the public chauffeur and passenger are able to negotiate a lower fare or rate, the taximeter shall still be activated, and the passenger shall be required to pay the lesser of the fare showing on the taximeter and the negotiated fare.
d. The negotiation of fares as provided for in paragraph (c) above and in MCC Section 9-112-510 is prohibited at O'Hare and Midway Airports and at Union and Northwestern Train Stations. However, nothing in this paragraph prohibits the display of a schedule of flat rates pursuant to paragraph (e) at any of those locations.
e. A public chauffeur may charge flat rates pursuant to a schedule for trips that are estimated to exceed five miles, so long as the flat rates do not exceed the reasonably anticipated meter rates. In such case a schedule of flat rates must be conspicuously displayed in the passenger compartment of the taxicab or on the rear window of the taxicab. Such display may not interfere with the driver's vision. The display of flat rates is binding on the public chauffeur operating the vehicle.
f. The fee charged by a public chauffeur for a one-way trip to or from the Gary, Indiana International Airport shall not exceed $60.00, not including tolls and gratuity, if the trip originates or terminates in the area bounded by Lake Michigan on the East; North Avenue on the North; Ashland Avenue on the West and 23rd Street on the South.
Rule No. 39 Overcharges.
No Public Chauffeur shall demand or collect any fare for taxicab service which is more than the rate established by ordinance and which is registered on the meter. Shared Ride fares are excepted. Violations of this Rule shall be subject to suspension and monetary restitution, or recommendation to the Mayor's License Commission for revocation.
Rule No. 39.1 Public chauffeurs–non-cash payment of taxicab fares.
a. Chauffeurs are required to accept as payment for taxicab fares the following non-cash means of payment:
(i) All major credit cards;
(ii) Any debit cards, smart cards, or other electronic method of payment compatible with the taximeter in the taxicab and approved by the commissioner.
b If a non-cash means of payment is used:
(i) no surcharge may be imposed upon the use of a non-cash means of payment so that the total charge exceeds the legal rate of fare;
(ii) no minimum charge may be imposed for the use of a non-cash means of payment to pay a fare; and
(iii) no service may be refused to any person desiring to use a non-cash means of payment on the grounds that a trip will not exceed a minimum length or generate a minimum fare.
Rule No. 40 Receipts.
Chauffeurs shall make available, upon request of a passenger, a fully completed receipt supplying the following information:
Company name;
vehicle license number;
date, time and place of pick-up;
destination;
fare charges;
chauffeur's name; and
chauffeur's license number.
New Rule No. 11.01 – 11.07
Taxicab Fares.
Chauffeurs shall activate the taximeter whenever the vehicle is engaged for hire. Shared Ride fares as described in Section XIV of these rules and trips engaged pursuant to an authorized jitney operation are excepted from this rule.
Rule 11.02 Direct Route.
Taxicab Chauffeurs shall take the most direct route to their passenger’s destination unless specifically directed by a passenger to take an alternate route.
Rule 11.03 Negotiations.
a. A Chauffeur may negotiate a fare or a flat rate lower than the meter rate with a passenger prior to the beginning of a trip reasonably estimated to exceed five miles. If the Chauffeur and passenger are able to negotiate a lower fare or rate, the taximeter shall still be activated, and the passenger shall be required to pay the lesser of the fare showing on the taximeter and the negotiated fare.
b. The negotiation of fares as provided for in paragraph (a) above and in Section 9-112-510 MCC is prohibited at O’Hare and Midway Airports and at Union and Northwestern Train Stations. However, nothing in this paragraph prohibits the display of a schedule of flat rates pursuant to Rule 11.04 at any of those locations.
Rule 11.04 Flat Rates.
A Chauffeur may charge flat rates pursuant to a schedule for trips that are estimated to exceed five miles, so long as the flat rates do not exceed the reasonably anticipated meter rates. In such case a schedule of flat rates must be conspicuously displayed in the passenger compartment of the taxicab or on the rear window of the taxicab. Such display may not interfere with the driver’s vision. The display of flat rates is binding on the Chauffeur operating the vehicle.
Rule 11.05 Overcharges.
No Chauffeur shall demand or collect any fare for taxicab service which is more than the rate established by ordinance and which is registered on the meter. Violations of this rule shall be subject to suspension and monetary restitution, or, in addition to fines, revocation.
Rule 11.06 Non-cash Payment of Taxicab Fares.
a. Chauffeurs are required to accept as payment for taxicab fares all legal tender including but not limited to credit cards, without surcharge.
b. If a non-cash means of payment is used:
1. No surcharge may be imposed upon the use of a non-cash means of payment so that the total charge exceeds the legal rate of fare;
2. No minimum charge may be imposed for the use of a non-cash means of payment to pay a fare; and
3. No service may be refused to any person desiring to use a non-cash means of payment on the grounds that a trip will not exceed a minimum length or generate a minimum fare.
c. Chauffeurs shall safeguard all financial information and remove credit card receipts at the end of each shift.
d. All taxicabs operating at the airports must be equipped to accept credit card payment. An owner-operator who does not accept credit card payment can not pick up passengers at the airports.
Rule 11.07 Receipts.
Chauffeurs shall make available, upon request of a passenger, a fully completed printed receipt from the meter.
