§ 20-280. Filing proof of financial responsibility with governing board of municipality or county. - North Carolina Statutes

Article10.

Financial Responsibilityof Taxicab Operators.

§ 20‑280.  Filing proofof financial responsibility with governing board of municipality or county.

(a)        Within 30 daysafter March 27, 1951, every person, firm or corporation engaging in the businessof operating a taxicab or taxicabs within a municipality shall file with thegoverning board of the municipality in which such business is operated proof offinancial responsibility as hereinafter defined.

No governing board of amunicipality shall hereafter issue any certificate of convenience andnecessity, franchise, license, permit or other privilege or authority to anyperson, firm or corporation authorizing such person, firm or corporation toengage in the business of operating a taxicab or taxicabs within themunicipality unless such person, firm or corporation first files with saidgoverning board proof of financial responsibility as hereinafter defined.

Within 30 days after theratification of this section, every person, firm or corporation engaging in thebusiness of operating a taxicab or taxicabs without the corporate limits of amunicipality or municipalities, shall file with the board of countycommissioners of the county in which such business is operated proof offinancial responsibility as hereinafter defined.

No person, firm or corporationshall hereafter engage in the business of operating a taxicab or taxicabswithout the corporate limits of a municipality or municipalities in any countyunless such person, firm or corporation first files with the board of countycommissioners of the county in which such business is operated proof offinancial responsibility as hereinafter defined.

(b)        As used in thissection "proof of financial responsibility" shall mean a certificateof any insurance carrier duly authorized to do business in the State of NorthCarolina certifying that there is in effect a policy of liability insuranceinsuring the owner and operator of the taxicab business, his agents andemployees while in the performance of their duties against loss from anyliability imposed by law for damages including damages for care and loss ofservices because of bodily injury to or death of any person and injury to ordestruction of property caused by accident and arising out of the ownership, useor operation of such taxicab or taxicabs, subject to limits (exclusive ofinterests and costs) with respect to each such motor vehicle as follows: thirtythousand dollars ($30,000) because of bodily injury to or death of one personin any one accident and, subject to said limit for one person, sixty thousanddollars ($60,000) because of bodily injury to or death of two or more personsin any one accident, and twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) becauseof injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.

(c)        Every person, firmor corporation who engages in the taxicab business and who is a member of orparticipates in any trust fund or sinking fund, which said trust fund orsinking fund is for the sole purpose of paying claims, damages or judgmentsagainst persons, firms or corporations engaging in the taxicab business andwhich trust fund or sinking fund is approved by the governing body of any cityor municipality with a population of over 50,000, shall be deemed a compliancewith the financial responsibility provisions of this section.

Provided, however, that in thecase of operators of 15 or more taxicabs, the limits (exclusive of interestsand costs), with respect to each such motor vehicle shall be as follows: twentythousand dollars ($20,000) because of bodily injury to or death of one personin any one accident and, subject to said limit for one person, forty thousanddollars ($40,000) because of bodily injury to or death of two or more personsin any one accident, and twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) becauseof injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident. (1951,c. 406; 1965, c. 350, s. 1; 1967, c. 277, s. 7; 1973, c. 745, s. 6; 1979, c.832, ss. 9, 10; 1991, c. 469, s. 5; 1999‑228, s. 6.)