§ 70-83. Vehicle condition and equipment; inspection and inspection sticker.

(a)

Drivers and businesses are responsible for maintaining each vehicle for hire in a clean and mechanically safe condition. The interior and exterior shall meet the requirements set out under inspection requirements outlined in this section. Paulding County will provide forms to be used to meet the requirements of this section. Permits shall cost $100.00 for each vehicle, or as established by the board of commissioners pursuant to section 70-79, which amount shall include a GCIC check for the driver/operator of said vehicle. The cost for a taxicab business to obtain a permit shall be $1,000.00, or as established by the board of commissioners pursuant to section 70-79, which amount shall include a GCIC check for said owner.

(b)

Drivers are not to drive and businesses are not to allow drivers to operate a vehicle without the required markings, a taximeter, top light and inspection sticker as outlined in this section. Required markings shall also include the name of the business painted or affixed by decal to the outside right and left front doors and the schedule of rates, including minimum fares, painted or affixed by decal to the outside right and left rear doors. Magnetic signs, or non-permanent signs or markings, shall be prohibited. Limousines are excepted from having markings, top lights, or taximeters; however, limousines are required to have the business name located within the interior of the car or on business cards located with the interior of the car.

(c)

All vehicles for hire to be used by a business in the county shall be inspected annually by an ASE or Master ASE mechanic, mechanic located and employed at a commercial automotive repair facility within Paulding County, at the licensee's expense. Any attempt by the permit holder to fraudulently obtain the required inspection will result in being disqualified from operating such a business in Paulding County and may result in the loss of the current occupation tax certificate and/or business permit. Once a vehicle meets the requirements of the inspection, the business permit holder shall bring proof of the inspection to the Paulding County Marshal's Office and a sticker will be affixed to the left side of the rear window. The requirements that each vehicle must meet are as follows:

(1)

Exterior inspection shall ensure that headlights, taillights, brake lights, directional signal lights, license plate lights, windshield wipers, all vehicle glass, window cranks or electric windows, doors and door locks, trunk lid, trunk, hood, door handles, exhaust system, bumpers, fenders, body, tires and other vehicle parts are in good condition and functioning properly. There shall be no tears or rust holes in the vehicle body and no loose pieces hanging from the vehicle body. All vehicles must also have a fully functioning heating and air-conditioning system. There shall be no unrepaired body damage or any body condition which would create a safety problem or interfere with the operation of the vehicle.

(2)

Interior inspection shall include the rearview mirror, steering wheel, foot brakes, parking brakes, driver and passenger seatbelts, air conditioning and heating systems to ensure each item is in good operating condition. The upholstery, floor mats, headlining, door panels and the trunk compartment shall be inspected to insure there are no tears, that they are clean and have no offensive odors and that the trunk has sufficient space for passenger luggage.

(3)

The vehicle shall have a spare tire, a jack, and a taximeter. The taximeter is to be positioned so that it is visible from the passenger compartment. Taximeter accuracy shall be verified according to the marshal's office's published rules and regulations for vehicles for hire. Limousines are exempted from having a taximeter.

(4)

Each taxicab shall have a solid partition completely separating the driver's compartment from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The partition shall be constructed of metal which is a minimum thickness of 16 gauge and/or laminated safety glass and/or clear acrylic compound (example: Plexiglas) which is a minimum of ¼ inch thick.

(5)

Vehicles shall be subject to random inspections at any time. Vehicles found to be substandard shall be removed from service immediately and shall be subject to immediate vehicle inspection sticker removal by the marshal's office. Additional inspection requirements will be outlined in the marshal's office's vehicle rules and regulations governing passenger-carrying vehicles.

(d)

The inspection sticker is proof that the business met the permit and insurance requirements at the time of permit issuance and that the vehicle passed the last vehicle inspection. Each vehicle driver must have in the vehicle proof of current insurance coverage. Any business or vehicle letting insurance coverage lapse shall have the inspection sticker or stickers removed by the marshal's office and the business permit and/or occupation tax certificate suspended or revoked. Business operations shall not be resumed until proof of insurance is provided to the licensing and revenue office (if an in-county business) or the marshal's office (if an out-of-county business), the business permit and occupation tax certificate reinstated and the vehicle or vehicles reinspected and new inspection stickers issued by the marshal's office.

(e)

No business shall use any vehicle that has not been inspected and had the county inspection sticker affixed.

(f)

Inspection stickers are not transferable from vehicle to vehicle and are nonrefundable if the vehicle is wrecked or taken out of service for any reason. The marshal's office must be notified within ten days of any vehicle being taken out of service; stickers from vehicles taken out of service must be turned in to the marshal's office. Stickers for replacement vehicles or additional vehicles are issued under the same procedures as original inspection stickers.

(g)

The maximum number of inspection stickers issued in any calendar year shall not exceed $1,000.00.

(h)

Inspection stickers shall expire on the date of the Georgia motor vehicle license tag expires.

(i)

In the event a business permit holder has been licensed in another jurisdiction and that permit has been accepted and filed with the county pursuant to section 70-77B of this article, the vehicle for hire/taxicab or permit holder shall be exempt from the independent requirement to maintain an inspection sticker issued by Paulding County as set forth herein. Provided however, every such taxicab or vehicle for hire accepted for a business permit through reciprocal recognition shall be maintained in good working order in compliance with the terms of this section.

(Res. No. 07-31, § 1(Exh. A), 6-26-2007; Res. No. 08-06, § 3, 2-28-2008; Res. No. 09-12, § 5, 9-14-2009)