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Applicable To: All employees |
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Approval Authority: Director Malachi S. Hull |
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Signature: Signed by MSH |
Date Signed: x/x/12 |
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| Table of Contents | |||
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The intent of this directive is to provide a detailed explanation of the daily procedures followed by employees assigned to the Division of Taxicabs and Vehicle for Hire (DTVH).
All employees assigned to DTVH will adhere to the Department’s established practices and procedures for the completion of the assigned duties.
3.1 It is the responsibility of the DTVH director to ensure that all employees assigned to DTVH will be aware of the controlling SOP’s and Directives.
3.2 It is the responsibility of DTVH supervisors to ensure that officers and administrative staff in their command adhere to the DTVH established procedures.
3.3 It is the responsibility of all employees assigned to DTVH to be aware of controlling policy and practice and to adhere to established policy in the completion of their assigned duties.
1. All VFH Personnel are required to report to the Airport Police Precinct for roll call. The Kronos clock located in the Police Precinct will be used to calculate time. Personnel will also sign in on time sheets located in the Enforcement booth in the Taxi Assembly Area (TAA).
2. Personnel will notify radio Code 7 (In Service) at the beginning of their shift and code 8 (out of service) at the end of their shift.
3. Supervisor will make daily assignments to the west curb, taxi assembly area, patrol, etc. In the absence of the supervisor the senior person in charge will make assignments as needed.
4. Prior to enforcement personnel moving to their assigned locations, each individual assigned to that watch will inspect all vehicles parked in the taxi assembly area to ensure that they offer a pleasing and safe environment for passengers. At the conclusion, of these inspections, each individual will move to their assignments. Enforcement personnel assigned to the TAA will inspect each new row of vehicles entering the TAA.
5. Ground Transportation area will always be given top priority when making assignments. There should always be at least one person assigned to the west curb at all times unless there is a personnel shortage. If there is a personnel shortage, employee will rotate from TAA to West curb.
6. VFH Personnel will notify radio when they are out of service for a 27 (lunch break) or required to leave their designated assignment (court, staff meeting, city shop, etc).
7. Personnel from downtown will not be used to cover airport assignments in the event of staff shortage unless extenuating circumstances occur.
1. VFH Personnel assigned to the West Curb will monitor taxis entering west curb to ensure vehicles meet all inspection requirements.
2. Driver will not be allowed to pick up a fare if air conditioning/heat is inoperable.
3. VFH Personnel will ensure all drivers are in compliance with Sec 162 of the city code.
4. VFH Personnel will assist Ground Transportation Starters as needed with complaints involving the VFH industry (trip refusals, etc).
5. VFH Personnel will not detain or interfere with driver if passenger has entered the vehicle unless a safety concern is observed. Driver will be advised to meet Enforcement Personnel in the TAA area once trip is completed and enforcement officer will annotate violation and time on their daily activity sheet. If the driver does not return before the end of the enforcement officer’s shift, the citation will be forwarded to the driver’s company. Enforcement Officer will notify their supervisor and the information will be disseminated to all field and administrative staff to look out for the driver to collect his/her driver’s permit.
4.1.3 Taxi Assembly Area Assignments
1. VFH personnel will ensure all taxis/drivers meet Atlanta City Code requirements prior to exiting the Taxi Assembly Area.
2. VFH Personnel will randomly monitor the entrance of the TAA as needed to ensure entrance is clear for incoming traffic (emergency vehicles, etc)
3. VFH Enforcement Officer will monitor activity inside and behind TAA restaurant for ordinance violations. Citations will be issued as needed. Any illegal activity (gambling, drugs, soliciting, etc.) must be reported to Airport Police Section.
4. All violations must be corrected before exiting and/or being allowed to pick up a fare on the west curb.
5. Only the current month’s insurance sticker will be fully affixed to the top right side of the windshield, just below the tinted visor. All other insurance stickers will be removed.
1. All VFH Field Personnel are required to clock in using the Kronos clock as required by city code for time keeping purposes.
2. All field personnel are also required to use Kronos clock located in the Administrative Area for payroll purposes.
3. In addition to clocking in all VFH personnel are required to sign in on time sheet located in the Administrative area and maintain an activity sheet of daily activity while on patrol as required by SOP.
1. In addition to inspection requirements outlined in Sec 162, Enforcement Officers must ensure the following:
a. Payment-Driver must present a payment receipt in the amount of $25.00 forwarded from the Administrative Office.
b. Verify tag registration/title. Owner must have valid tag before an inspection sticker is placed on vehicle. Check monthly eligibility list for registration. Monthly eligibility list will be forwarded by Administrative Staff on a monthly basis.
c. Check VIN Number on car and registration.
d. Check driver license to verify driver and expiration date.
e. Permit – Driver must have valid operator’s permit placed in a firmly mounted permit holder on the dash. Permit must be visible to passenger, and permit holder must not cover airbag.
f. Meter – must be visible to passenger in rear of vehicle. A ride along must be performed to ensure that the meter meets mileage requirements. A time check will be performed using a stop clock to ensure time check. Digital meters must change at 43 seconds. All other meters must change between 41-45 seconds. This will allow a 2 second error on both sides. A Do Not Operate will be issued if meter does not meet calculation test.
g. Tire pressure – Check tire pressure. The amount of pressure can normally be found inside the right rear door on sedans and the driver side door of vans. If a vehicle does not meet the correct tire pressure required, the driver will be sent away from the inspection station to correct this item and advised to return for inspection.
h. Paint – must not be dull, faded or two tone. Must be company approved color.
i. Top Light – Meter off (bottom light must be on) and Meter on (top light must be on). Advertising, or teepee, lights will be lit at all times. If lights are non-functioning, deficiency will be annotated on correction slip.
j. Trunk – clean and spare tire inflated with adequate thread.
k. Brake Fluid
l. Lights – All light must be operable (brake lights to include rear window, back up light, signal lights –front and rear and dome light.
m. Carpet – must not have tears
n. Doors – must be operable with handles, knobs, step plates.
o. Windows -must all be operable and available for customer use.
p. CPNC Numbers must be on all sides of vehicle as required by city ordinance.
q. Signage – Rate signs must be on exterior doors and on the rear passenger side window. Passenger rights sign will be on the rear driver side window. All interior signage will be on the middle windows in vans and vehicles with 3 rows of seats.
r. Vehicle data – All vehicle information must be logged on company inspection form.
s. Corrections – Corrections must be documented on a VFH correction slip and in compliance with inspection guidelines. One copy of correction slip must be documented on VFH correction form. One copy of correction slip must be forwarded to driver’s company and one maintained in the company file located in inspection office.
t. Any vehicle five years or older taken off line for repairs, insurance, etc must maintain consecutive insurance to remain in service for eight years as required by city code. If insurance is cancelled and vehicle is over five years old it must be replaced with a vehicle, five years old or newer.
u. Citations – Any driver reporting to the inspection station with an expired inspection sticker will be cited for expired inspection sticker unless documentation has been forwarded to VFH prior to inspection due date stating vehicle/driver was unavailable to report on assigned inspection date. Citations will not be issued at the inspection station for an expired correction slip; however the vehicle must meet all inspection requirements before a current sticker is placed on the vehicle.
v. Hours of operation – Inspection hours for semi annual inspection is from 7:30-9:30, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Re inspection is Tuesday and Friday from 1:00:-3:00. Inspection personnel will document the last vehicle in line at the cut off time. Inspection will continue until last vehicle in line has been inspected. Any driver reporting after inspection hours must return the next inspection day with the exception of persons with a do not operate correction slip. All do not operate will be given an extension until the next inspection date if all corrections have been made.
2. No vehicle will be allowed continued operation after substantially meeting the inspection requirements unless it has been inspected by inspection station personnel during semi-annual inspection hours.
1. VFH Enforcement officers will not use amber lights to pull vehicles over. Amber lights will only be engaged once the enforcement vehicles are in the parked position behind a taxicab stand, on a hotel property, or for emergency situations only.
2. Only the current month’s insurance sticker will be fully affixed to the top right side of the windshield, just below the tinted visor. All other insurance stickers will be removed.
4.2.4 Non-City Taxis and Sedans
1. VFH personnel will approach all sedans/vans stopped, parked, or staged in the curbside or loading area of any business required to have an occupation tax certificate pursuant to section 30-51. VFH personnel will request a copy of the driver’s completed trip sheet evidencing the prearranged trip as required by section 162-45. If the driver cannot produce this completed information, he/she will be cited / arrested. In addition to the driver being cited, the business representative in charge of the drive or curbside will also be cited / arrested.
2. If a passenger is loaded into the unauthorized vehicle, the passengers will be removed and placed in another mode of transportation. The driver will be cited / arrested, and the vehicle impounded. If the business entity employee directed passengers to the unauthorized vehicle, the employee will be cited / arrested.
3. If non-city taxicabs are observed engaging customers within the city limits of Atlanta, enforcement officers will notify a sworn officer to make a traffic stop. If a sworn officer, assigned to the Bureau, is not available, enforcement personnel will radio a sworn officer in the zone for assistance. Enforcement officers will not approach a non-city taxicab without sworn assistance.
1. All drivers with a valid permit issued by the bureau operating with an expired correction slip that does not exceed 7 days will be cited and required to appear at the VFH Administrative Hearing. Correction slips/Inspection Stickers that have expired in excess of 7 days will receive an arrest citation and be required to appear in city court. Vehicles will also be impounded.
2. Drivers operating with an expired permit issued by the bureau or no permit will receive an arrest citation to appear in city court.
3. VFH Enforcement Officers must request assistance from a sworn officer if they observe an illegal pick up in the city.
4. A route sheet will be used to document all mail delivered to companies. A copy of the route sheets will be maintained in the Administrative Assistants office and one copy in the supervisor’s office.
5. Officers will not inconvenience a passenger in an effort to issue a citation. Officers will inform the driver of their violation and deliver said citation to the driver’s company.
6. A citation issued to a driver, who currently has a previously issued citation, will have the same expiration date as the previously issued citation. The expiration date will be the court date of the first citation issued. A proper court date will be assigned on the front of the citation when issued; however, an expiration date will be annotated on the rear of the additional citation to match the expiration of the first citation. Also, this information will be annotated on the employees’ activity sheet, and recorded in the temporary permit book located in the administrative office. The total number of citations will be annotated on the rear of the citations (i.e.: 1 of 2, 2 of 3, etc.). Once the driver attends the hearing related to their first citation, the hearing panel staff or the administrative staff will extend the driver’s operating privileges to the pending court date.
7. Drivers operating on an expired temporary permit (expired citation) will be cited and required to appear in municipal court. Vehicles will be impounded. The expired temporary permits (expired citations) will be retained by the officer.
8. All Atlanta City Code Chapter 22 violators will receive an arrest citation to appear in city court.
West Curb: The West Curb is the passenger pick-up area located at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
APD.CM.08.12, “Daily Activities of DTVH”
Atlanta City Code Section 162, Article II, “Animal-Drawn Vehicles, Limousines, Taxicabs and Similar Vehicles”
APD.SOP.3210 “Division of Taxicabs and Vehicle for Hire” |
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