§ 8-161. Commission on motor vehicles for hire

(a) The town council shall appoint an advisory commission to be called the commission on motor vehicles for hire. This commission shall consist of five voting members as follows:

(1) Two persons who shall not be licensees under this article, and shall not be licensed as chauffeurs under this article;

(2) Two persons who shall be licensees; and

(3) One person who shall not be a licensee under this article and who shall not be licensed as a chauffeur under this article, appointed by the town council from a list of no more than four names to be provided by the Block Island Chamber of Commerce and New Shoreham Tourism Council, each of which will submit no more than two names.

(b) Each member shall be appointed for a period of three years. At the commission's inception, two members shall be appointed for three-year terms, and two members shall be appointed for two-year terms.

(c) The commission shall have the following duties:

(1) To draft and forward regulations for the operation of motor vehicles for hire in the town in keeping with public convenience and necessity, including rates for the hiring of such motor vehicles to the town council for its approval. Motor vehicles for hire are further defined as follows:

a. Taxis are herein defined as motor vehicles for hire with a seating capacity, including the driver, of no more than 12, or the manufacturer's seating specifications, whichever is less, which may pick up or discharge upon solicitation anywhere within the town. Taxis are permitted to provide vehicular tours of Block Island.

b. Limousines are herein defined as motor vehicles for hire with a seating capacity, including the driver, of no more than six, or the manufacturer's seating specification, whichever is less, that can only transport passengers at their request, and such request must be made at the office of the owner of the vehicle by phone or in person. Limousines are prohibited from providing vehicular tours of Block Island to visitors and from general pickup of passengers.

c. Charter buses are herein defined as motor vehicles for hire with a seating capacity of more than 20 that can only transport passengers by their request, and such request must be made at the office of the owner of the vehicle by phone or in person. Charter buses are permitted to provide vehicular tours of Block Island to visitors.

d. The commission has no jurisdiction over motor vehicles for hire which are not provided with a driver.

(2) To maintain a list of applicants for new licenses for operation of motor vehicles for hire.

(3) To receive and investigate complaints lodged by members of the public regarding the operation of motor vehicles for hire, and to suspend a license for a period of not more than five days for violations of regulations, pursuant to the procedure provided for in section 8-170. All such suspensions shall be for the period between June 15 and September 15.

(d) The commission shall meet regularly to conduct such business as may be presented before them.

(Ord. of 12-17-1997(2), § 8-161; Ord. of 12-7-1998(1), § 8-161; Ord. of 4-3-2000; Ord. of 8-5-2002, § 8-161; Ord. of 8-18-2004, § 8-161; Ord. of 2-2-2005(2), § 8-161)

refcross

Boards, committees and commissions, § 2-51 et seq.