Operations

Huntsville Code of Ordinances ch. 8, art. IV, div. 2, subpt. VI

in effect

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-301 Street hails; soliciting passengers.

Sec. 8-301. - Street hails; soliciting passengers. (a) Except in the case of taxis, no driver shall accept or respond to passengers' or potential passengers' requests for service via traditional street hail, including hand gestures and verbal statements. (b) No driver shall respond to calls for another company intercepted from a scanner or other radio monitoring device, or, except in the case of taxis, cruise in search of passengers. (c) Soliciting passengers. (1) For the purpose of this section, the term "solicit" means an appeal by a driver upon a public street using words or gestures to elicit immediate patronage of a vehicle for hire by attempting to direct people to a vehicle for hire that is parked, stopped, standing, or moving upon a public street. (2) No certified vehicle for hire driver shall solicit passengers, except in the case of taxis drivers and then only in accordance with the following subsection (c)(3). (3) No taxicab driver shall solicit passengers except when sitting in the driver's seat or standing immediately adjacent thereto, or in any manner to annoy, obstruct the movement of, or follow any person for the purpose of soliciting patronage. In addition, no taxi driver shall stop or stand, even momentarily, in the driving lanes of a public street in order to solicit passengers. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-302 Pre-arranged services; additional passengers.

Sec. 8-302. - Pre-arranged services; additional passengers. (a) Pre-arranged services. (1) For those vehicles for hire that are defined to include transportation on a pre-arranged basis, it shall be unlawful for the company or driver to fail to demonstrate prearrangement by presenting upon request of the director of parking and public transit or chief of police, or their respective designees, proof of pre-arrangement, including a copy of the reservation or an electronic record made in advance of passenger pick-up. (2) For those vehicles for hire that are defined to include transportation on a pre-arranged basis, it shall be unlawful for a company or driver to transport additional passengers under a separate arrangement at the same time that the vehicle is engaged under a prior arrangement. (3) Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent those vehicles for hire whose definition does not include transportation on a pre-arranged basis to arrange in advance to transport passengers for compensation. (b) Additional passengers. It shall be unlawful of a driver of a certified vehicle for hire to pick-up additional passengers while proceeding to the destination of any passengers then occupying the vehicle except in the case of a taxi and then only with the consent of all the passengers. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-303 Number of passengers and luggage.

Sec. 8-303. - Number of passengers and luggage. (a) No certified company or driver shall allow more passengers to be transported than the number of available seats that are required by applicable state law to be equipped with operative safety belts. (b) No certified company or driver shall allow more children to be transported than the number for which operative child passenger restraint devices are available for children within the legal age limit requiring such devices. (c) No driver shall carry any luggage exceeding the vehicle's storage volume or load-carrying capacity regardless of the number of passengers occupying the vehicle. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-304 Prohibition against discrimination.

Sec. 8-304. - Prohibition against discrimination. (a) With respect to passengers and potential passengers, a certified company shall adopt a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of destination, race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity, and shall notify its affiliated drivers of such policy. (b) Drivers shall comply with all applicable laws regarding non-discrimination against passengers or potential passengers and shall comply with the non-discrimination policy set forth in subsection (a) above. (c) Drivers shall comply with all applicable laws relating to accommodation of service animals and shall not refuse to load mobility aids, such as wheel chairs and walkers, which can fit into a standard truck or rear storage compartment of a vehicle. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-305 Two or more destinations; single destination.

Sec. 8-305. - Two or more destinations; single destination. (a) If a certified vehicle for hire is carrying two or more passengers to different destinations, the driver shall be the sole judge of the order in which such passengers shall be delivered to their destination and the shortest possible route shall be followed. (b) Any certified vehicle for hire driver charging on a per mile basis shall take the most direct route possible that will carry the passenger to his/her destination safely and expeditiously, unless the passenger requests otherwise. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-306 Requiring passenger to wait.

Sec. 8-306. - Requiring passenger to wait. No passenger in a certified vehicle for hire shall be kept waiting longer than five minutes before proceeding to his/her announced destination, unless the passenger otherwise agrees to wait. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-307 Record and reports of operations.

Sec. 8-307. - Record and reports of operations. (a) Every certified company shall keep accurate books and records of account of its operations in the city at the company's base of operations for a minimum of one year. (b) Every certified company shall keep a record on any of its affiliated drivers who were alleged to have committed a violation of this division or their terms of service or who have been suspended or banned from driving for the company, including any zero-tolerance complaints and the outcome of the investigation into those complaints. (c) Except in the case of carriages and pedicabs, every certified company shall, with regard to its operations in the city, create and retain a written or electronic record of all pick-up and drop-off information, including the name of the driver, the time of pickup and delivery and the number of passengers. (d) At any time and from time to time the director of parking and public transit may request and the company shall provide, at no cost to the city and in the manner and form prescribed by the director of parking and public transit, records or reports concerning the company's operations in the city. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-308 Base of operations; registered agent; customer service number.

Sec. 8-308. - Base of operations; registered agent; customer service number. (a) All certified companies must maintain a base of operations. The base of operations shall be suitably staffed by qualified and knowledgeable representatives of the company who are available during regular business hours to accept or respond to notices and inquiries of the city in its administration and enforcement of this division and where records required to be maintained under this division are kept. Failure to maintain a base of operation shall be a violation of this division and cause for action being taken against the company's business license and the certificate of need and necessity. (b) The location of the base shall not be changed without first notifying the director of parking and public transit. (c) Companies must be authorized to conduct business in this state and maintain an agent for service of process in the state. (d) At a minimum a certified company shall maintain a customer service telephone number that shall be staffed with suitable personnel who are able to assist consumers with complaints or inquiries during normal business hours. The telephone number shall be posted with the director of parking and public transit. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-309 Sale of vehicle.

Sec. 8-309. - Sale of vehicle. (a) All companies, upon the sale or other disposition or removal of a vehicle from its service shall, within ten working days, notify in writing the city clerk-treasurer and the director of the department of parking and public transit of such sale or other disposition. (b) All identification markings and the inspection sticker shall be removed prior to delivery of the vehicle upon sale or other disposition thereof. (c) The permit number issued for vehicles within a company may be transferred to a new or replacement vehicle within the same company, so long as all requirements of this division are met, but not from person to person. The transfer of a permit number to a new or replacement vehicle shall not increase the amount of business license tax owed. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-310 Trailers.

Sec. 8-310. - Trailers. No trailer or semi-trailer shall be attached or secured to a certified vehicle for hire while it is being used to transport passengers. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-311 Driver requirements; conduct.

Sec. 8-311. - Driver requirements; conduct. (a) No driver shall sleep or doze in any certified vehicle for hire in any place generally open to the public in the city. (b) A driver must be clean and neat in appearance. (c) A driver of a certified vehicle for hire shall be at least 21 years of age. (d) A driver shall have obtained and have in their possession a valid driver's license unless exempted by state law. (e) A driver must be physically capable of operating a vehicle in a safe manner. A driver shall not be impaired by fatigue, illness or other medical conditions to an extent that would render him/her incapable of safely operating a vehicle or would pose a liability to himself/herself, his/her passengers or the general public. (f) Each driver of a certified vehicle for hire while operating such vehicle upon the public streets of the city shall comply with all of the traffic regulations of the State of Alabama and the city and shall not commit any act that would threaten the health or safety of his/her passengers or the general public, which includes an act which would constitute a violation of driving while under the influence laws of the state. (g) No driver of any certified vehicle for hire shall use or authorize the use of the vehicle for an illegal purpose. (h) No driver shall operate a vehicle or be in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or any substance, which impairs the mental or physical faculties of such person to a degree, which renders him/her incapable of safely operating the vehicle. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-312 Lost property.

Sec. 8-312. - Lost property. It shall be the duty of the driver of a certified vehicle for hire to carefully search such vehicle immediately after the termination of business for any property lost or left therein and any such property, unless sooner claimed or delivered to the owner, shall be taken to and deposited with the police department within 24 hours after the finding thereof. The police department, unless the same is sooner claimed by the owner, shall dispose thereof in the manner prescribed by law for lost and stolen property. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-313 Cleaning of vehicle.

Sec. 8-313. - Cleaning of vehicle. It shall be the duty of the company or driver operating any certified vehicle for hire to keep and maintain any such vehicle at all times in a safe, comfortable, clean, and sanitary condition. The seats, floors, steps, running boards, upholstery, and baggage compartments of any such vehicle shall be thoroughly cleaned in such a manner as to be free of visible dirt, dust, soil, trash, and rubbish of every description; the interior shall be thoroughly sprayed or wiped at least once during each 24-hour period with a liquid disinfectant of adequate strength and efficiency so that every portion of the surface of the interior of the vehicle shall be covered or come in contact with such disinfecting fluid. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-314 Out-of-town vehicle for hire.

Sec. 8-314. - Out-of-town vehicle for hire. (a) Any vehicle for hire company that is not a certified vehicle for hire company in the city, but is authorized to operate a vehicle for hire by another jurisdiction, may bring passengers using the vehicle certified by another jurisdiction into the city from their jurisdiction of origin, but may not, except as allowed in subsection (b) of this section, pick up or allow or cause to be picked up any passenger for any destination or accept any business within the city. (b) Vehicles for hire that are limousines or vehicles with an original seating capacity of more than ten that are authorized to operate as a vehicle for hire by another jurisdiction may, on a temporary and limited basis and with the express written approval of the director of parking and public transit, pick up a passenger for a destination or accept any business within the city. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-315 Refusal to pay fare.

Sec. 8-315. - Refusal to pay fare. It shall be unlawful for a passenger to refuse to pay the agreed or established fare. A driver may request proof of ability to pay fare prior to transporting. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 8-316 Alcoholic beverages.

Sec. 8-316. - Alcoholic beverages. Any alcoholic beverage transported in a certified vehicle for hire shall be in its closed original container. (Ord. No. 16-103, § 1, 2-11-2016)

Source: City of Huntsville, Alabama, publisher code (Municode) + enacted ordinances (City Council/Legistar)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/huntsville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH8BU_ARTIVVEHI_DIV2LIVE_SDVIOPFetched: 11/6/2026