§ 98-32. Definitions.  


Latest version.
  • The following words and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meaning respectively ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

    Applicant: Any person applying for a permit.

    Association: Any organization which does not own the vehicles operating under its permit, the membership of which is made up of individual operators, each of whom owns his/her vehicle, and who are organized together under any agreement to provide mutual insurance coverage, central office facilities, telephone and maintenance service, and other like services for the mutual benefit of the individual members.

    Chauffeur's license: The driver's license granted by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles to a person authorizing such person to drive a motor vehicle for hire carrying passengers.

    City-parish: Anywhere within the geographical boundaries of the Parish of Lafayette, Louisiana, excluding the geographical areas contained in any municipality in the Parish of Lafayette, Louisiana with the exception of the City of Lafayette.

    Contract carrier service: Transportation service provided as follows:

    (a)

    By a person for receipt of any form of consideration;

    (b)

    Pursuant to one or more contracts contemplating a period of time exhibiting some permanence to the arrangement, agreement, or understanding;

    (c)

    To transport another person's employees, representatives or agents;

    (d)

    Where in the course of the transportation the passenger does not pay for the transportation service; and

    (e)

    A highway between two or more incorporated municipalities is traversed.

    Contract vehicle: Any vehicle used to provide contract carrier service, provided that when the vehicle is used in any other manner it will not be considered a contract vehicle.

    Council: The Lafayette City-Parish Council.

    Courtesy vehicle: Any vehicle operated by or on behalf of a commercial entity in such a manner that a passenger of such a vehicle is not charged a fee for the provision of transportation.

    Customer Service: The Customer Service Division of the Lafayette Utilities System of LCG.

    Driver or operator: Every person in charge of or operating any vehicle for hire as an owner, agent, employee, lessor or otherwise.

    LCG: The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government.

    Limousine: A chauffeur-driven vehicle for hire used for the transportation of passengers by prearrangement or contract prior to pick-up, and not by passenger hail from a public right-of-way, that is one of the following.

    (1)

    A stretch vehicle with an extended wheel base that meets the manufacturer's specifications for a luxury limousine with a seating capacity for six to nine passengers, including the driver, wherein all passengers are seated behind the driver.

    (2)

    A luxury four-door sedan vehicle with a seating capacity of not more than six, including the driver (e.g. Lincoln Town Car).

    (3)

    A luxury four-door sport utility vehicle with a seating capacity of not more than eight, including the driver (e.g. Lincoln Navigator).

    (4)

    A luxurious vehicle is considered a high-end, quality, spacious vehicle, as determined by customer service.

    Pedicab: A bicycle that has three or more wheels that transports, or is capable of transporting, passengers on seats attached to the bicycle that is operated by an individual, and that is used for transporting passengers for receipt of any form of consideration; or a bicycle with a singular unarticulated frame, that pulls a device that transports, or is capable of transporting, passengers on seats attached to a passenger cab or similar device, that is operated by an individual, and that is used for transporting passengers for receipt of any form of consideration.

    Permit: A permit issued by customer service allowing the operation of a vehicle for hire.

    Permit holder: A person approved by customer service to operate a vehicle for hire in the city-parish. A permit holder includes owners, directors, officers, members, management, and employees.

    Person: Any individual, corporation, partnership, company, association or other legal entity of any kind or character.

    Police department: The Lafayette Police Department; however with regard to any enforcement provision of this article, police department shall refer to any law enforcement agency having jurisdiction within the city-parish to enforce any law.

    Police department issued license: The license granted by the police department to a person authorizing such person to drive a motor vehicle for hire carrying passengers upon the streets of the city-parish.

    Public Works: The department of public works for LCG.

    Public transportation service: The business of operating a vehicle for hire.

    Rickshaw: A human-powered, wheeled passenger cart.

    Sightseeing or tourist bus: A motor vehicle with a driver for hire used for the transportation of passengers for hire to various tourist destinations and other landmarks of interest in the city-parish.

    Street: Shall have the same meaning as in section 1-2 of this Code.

    Taxicab: A vehicle for hire other than a limousine, pedicab or rickshaw.

    Third party: Any person other than the driver, lessee or the owner of the vehicle.

    Vehicle: A unit with wheels designed or used to transport person or property.

    Vehicle for hire: All vehicles (except rental cars, contract vehicles, courtesy vehicles, motor buses running and operating on established routes, sight-seeing or tourist buses, funeral vehicles, and casino coaches or buses) propelled or operated on, over or upon the streets of the city-parish to provide public transportation service for receipt of any form of consideration, which are subject to calls from a garage, office, taxi stand or otherwise, including but not limited to taxicabs (including those subject to the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Public Service Commission), limousines, animal-drawn vehicles, pedicabs, golf carts, all-terrain vehicles and rickshaws. Vehicles used by transportation network operators to provide transportation network services, as set forth in division 5 of this article, are specifically excluded from this definition.

(Ord. No. O-179-2015, § 3, 8-18-15; Ord. No. O-266-2015, § 3, 2-16-16)