Notice of Public Hearing
Proposed Amendment to New Shoreham General Ordinances
Chapter 8 Licenses and Business Regulations, Article VII Motor Vehicles for Hire
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Town Hall, 16 Old Town Road
Block Island, RI 02807
7:00 p.m.
The New Shoreham Town Council will consider amendments to the General Ordinance. Language proposed to be deleted is shown in strikeout. New proposed language is UNDERLINED. The proposed language may be altered or amended prior to the close of the public hearing without further advertising, as a result of further study or because of the views expressed at the public hearing. Any alteration or amendment must be presented for comment in the course of the hearing.
Chapter 8. Licenses and Business Regulations
Article VII. Motor Vehicles for Hire
State law reference — Authority, G.L. 1956, §§ 39-14-23, 45-6-2.1. |
§ 8-161. Commission on motor vehicles for hire.
(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. Consistent with RIGL 39-14-23, Motor vehicles for hire in the Town of New Shoreham are further defined as follows:
- “Taxicab” means and includes every motor vehicle for hire, other than a jitney as defined in § 39-14-1, used for transporting members of the general public for compensation to any place within this state as may be directed by a passenger on a call-and-demand basis, when the solicitation or acceptance of the passenger occurs within the location named in the certificate; provided, that the vehicle’s driver may, if and when solicited on a public highway at any location at which he or she is discharging a passenger, which location is not shown in the certificate, provide transportation from the location only to a place named in the certificate.
- “Limited public motor vehicle” means and includes every motor vehicle for hire, other than a jitney, as defined in § 39-14-1, or a taxicab, as defined in this chapter, used for transporting members of the general public for compensation only from a designated location on private property to such points as may be directed by the passenger.
a. Taxis are herein defined as motor vehicles for hire with a seating capacity, including the driver, of no more than 15, 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. This amendment shall take effect upon passage.
b. Limousines 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 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.c. The commission has no jurisdiction over motor vehicles for hire which are not provided with a driver.
d. The commission has no jurisdiction over motor vehicles for hire which are not defined herein, including but not limited to limousines and charter buses.
§ 8-162. Definitions and license requirements.
[Ord. of 12-17-1997(2), § 8-162; Ord. of 8-5-2002, § 8-162; Ord. of 8-18-2004, § 8-162; Ord. 2015-04, April 15, 2015, § 8-162; amended 6-21-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-06]
(a) For purposes of this article pertaining to Motor Vehicles for Hire, the following definitions shall apply:
- “Taxicab” means and includes every motor vehicle for hire, other than a jitney as defined in § 39-14-1, used for transporting members of the general public for compensation to any place within this state as may be directed by a passenger on a call-and-demand basis, when the solicitation or acceptance of the passenger occurs within the location named in the certificate; provided, that the vehicle’s driver may, if and when solicited on a public highway at any location at which he or she is discharging a passenger, which location is not shown in the certificate, provide transportation from the location only to a place named in the certificate.
- “Limited public motor vehicle” means and includes every motor vehicle for hire, other than a jitney, as defined in § 39-14-1, or a taxicab, as defined in this chapter, used for transporting members of the general public for compensation only from a designated location on private property to such points as may be directed by the passenger.
(1) MOTOR VEHICLE - Means every vehicle that is self-propelled or designed for self-propulsion. Except as otherwise provided, for the purposes of this article, any device which is a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped shall be deemed not to be a motor vehicle.
(2) OPERATION OR USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE FOR HIRE - Means the transporting of a passenger or passengers in any motor vehicle in the Town of New Shoreham to such points as may be directed by the passenger for compensation for the service, directly or indirectly.
(3) OPERATION OR USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE FOR HIRE IN A POINT-TO-POINT PROGRAM - means the transporting of a passenger or passengers in any motor vehicle in the Town of New Shoreham to preset, designated drop off and pickup locations as determined by motor vehicle for hire operators for compensation for the service, directly or indirectly. This amendment shall take effect upon passage
(b) No person shall transport passengers for hire in any motor vehicle as defined herein, without first obtaining a New Shoreham taxi, charter bus or limousine license from the town clerk, upon approval of the town council. The license shall be visibly displayed in any vehicle for hire at all times the vehicle is being operated for hire, and shall be produced upon request of any law enforcement official or passenger.
§ 8-163. Total number of licenses; transfer; renewal; eligibility.
[Ord. of 12-17-1997(2), § 8-163; Ord. of 8-5-2002, § 8-163; Ord. No. 2013-12, December 2, 2013, § 8-163; Ord. No. 2014-01, January 15, 2014, § 8-163]
(a) The total number of licenses under this article shall be as follows:
(1) Thirty-two taxicab licenses.
(2) Two limousine licenses.
(3) Two charter bus licenses.
The town council may, by majority vote, increase or decrease the number of taxicab licenses in any and all categories.
In the event that the town council votes to decrease the number of licenses in any category or in the event that this ordinance is amended to reduce the number of licenses in any category, such reduction shall be implemented by attrition and not by cancelling a license held by any individual. For purposes of this paragraph, attrition means the death of a license holder (unless the deceased license holder's spouse applies for the cancelled license as provided in paragraph (b) of this § 8-163), the revocation of a license, and/or the failure of a license holder to renew a license.
§ 8-164. Application for license; qualifications of applicants.
(d) Before forwarding any application for motor vehicles for hire to the town council for possible granting, the commission on motor vehicles for hire shall ascertain that each of these criteria have continued to be met during such time the application was awaiting town council action or that, in case of renewal, the applicant continues to meet the criteria set forth in subsections (c)(1), (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section. For renewal of a New Shoreham charter bus license, except a license granted under § 8-163(b), the applicant must hold a valid state commercial driver's license with appropriate passenger endorsement, and must obtain a New Shoreham chauffeur's license each year. No application can be forwarded to the town council for granting of a new or renewal license that does not meet this criteria nor can the town council grant a New Shoreham charter bus license to any person who does not meet this criteria. These applications will be received and acted upon at a hearing before the commission on motor vehicles for hire open to the public and the results will be forwarded immediately to the town council.
(b) The fee for charter buses arriving from the mainland will be set by the town council per landing in addition to the per capita landing fee for passengers. The fee for charter buses whose operators meet the criteria of § 8-164(c) shall be set annually by the town council and kept on file in the town clerk's office.
(c) (b) The fee for a license issued under this article shall be paid to the town clerk before the license is issued.
§ 8-166. License requirements for drivers; town chauffeur's license.
(c) Any taxi, limousine or bus licensee must provide the town clerk with a current list of drivers and a photocopy of their licenses prior to a license being issued and must advise the commission and town clerk of any additions or deletions in writing or by email within 24 hours.
(d) The town clerk is hereby authorized to issue to any person who meets the criteria of this article and who is authorized by a taxi license holder a New Shoreham chauffeur's license.
(e) The town chauffeur's license shall expire May 15 next succeeding the date of issuance.
[Ord. of 12-17-1997(2), § 8-167; Ord. of 7-6-1998(1), § 8-167; Ord. of 8-5-2002, § 8-167]
(a) The town clerk shall not issue or renew any license under this article until the applicant furnishes proof of adequate liability insurance. Each licensee is required to carry liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $250,000 per occurrence for motor vehicles as defined herein other than charter buses which are to carry liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence. The coverage shall remain in full force and effect during the term of any license issued pursuant to this article, unless the licensee notifies the commission and the town clerk, in writing, that the license is not being utilized.
(b) Each licensee shall notify the commission and the town clerk of cancellation or change in the terms of the licensee's liability insurance coverage. Notification shall take place, in writing, within 72 hours of the receipt by the licensee of notice of such cancellation or change.
§ 8-170. Suspension, fines of taxi, limousine or charter bus license.
§ 8-171. Revocation of license; hearing.
(c) If a person has permanently lost his/her Rhode Island chauffeur's license or commercial driver's license for any criminal activity, it will result in permanent loss of a New Shoreham taxi, limousine or charter bus license.
Posted: April 10, 2026
Hearing: May 5, 2026
Adopted:
Effective:
Posted:
Attest: Millicent Highet, MMC
Town Clerk