§ 505. RULES OF OPERATION.

(1) No horse-drawn vehicle for hire shall operate in the City and County of San Francisco unless the owner(s) and operator(s), as applicable, have valid horse-drawn vehicle business and driver's permits, current tax licenses and stand contracts, licenses or permits. The horse-drawn vehicle business vehicles and animals shall meet all requirements of this Article.

(2) No horse-drawn vehicle for hire shall operate in the City and County of San Francisco unless the operator has within the vehicle the operator's valid California driver's license and a copy of the permits for the horse-drawn vehicle business and driver.

(3) The operator shall, on the demand of any peace officer, animal control officer, or their agents, present copies of all required licenses and permits.

(4) The horse-drawn vehicle business permit holder, or his or her agent or employee, shall supply information regarding the condition of the business' vehicles and/or animals within one business day when requested by a peace officer, animal control officer, or their agents.

(5) All drivers, agents and employees of a horse-drawn vehicle business shall comply with all traffic and other laws adopted by the State of California and/or the City and County of San Francisco and all horse-drawn vehicle regulations enacted by the Chief of Police.

(6) No person may sit in the driver's compartment area or position except the permitted driver, and a trainee.

(7) No horse-drawn vehicle driver, agent or employee shall have any firearm or illegal weapon in any part of the horse-drawn vehicle or in his or her possession while working.

(8) No horse-drawn vehicle driver, agent or employee shall possess or control any alcoholic beverage or illegal drug while near or responsible for the horse-drawn vehicle, stand or animal.

(9) No driver shall operate any horse-drawn vehicle, or handle any horse-drawn vehicle animal, after consumption of prescription or non-prescription drugs or medication, if the effect of that drug or medication limits or hinders, in any way, the driver's ability to operate the horse-drawn vehicle or to care for the animal.

(10) No owner, driver, agent or employee of a horse-drawn business shall fail or refuse to comply with a lawful order from any peace officer or animal control officer.

(11) No person may solicit members of the public for horse-drawn vehicle services except at an authorized stand.

(12) Horse-drawn vehicles may load passengers at stands, or at marked loading zones on their approved routes if the passengers previously arranged with the horse-drawn vehicle for pick-up at a particular time and location. Passengers may disembark at any location along the horse-drawn vehicle's approved route. The driver shall maintain personal and direct control of the horse or animal by holding the reins while passengers are loading or unloading at any location.

(13) Drivers shall not unnecessarily stop or wait at any location other than an authorized stand, except to load or unload passengers along their approved routes.

(14) Any horse-drawn vehicle business owner, driver, agent or employee, who finds the property of another, shall return the property to its rightful possessor. If the rightful possessor is unknown, the horse-drawn vehicle business shall hold the property for no more than thirty (30) days before delivering the property to a San Francisco police officer.

(a) The horse-drawn vehicle business shall keep a log of all found property. The log shall include entries for the date and time the property was found, a description of the property, and disposition of the property.

(b) After the thirty (30) day period, any unclaimed property shall be delivered to a San Francisco police officer for safekeeping.

(c) Failure to safeguard found property may subject the driver and/or horse-drawn vehicle business to permit revocation proceedings.

(15) Every horse-drawn vehicle operator shall keep an accurate and legible waybill. Waybills shall be retained for at least one year at the horse-drawn vehicle business address and be available for review by any peace officer or his or her agent during normal business hours. Waybills shall set forth, as a minimum, the following information:

(a) Driver's name;

(b) Vehicle number;

(c) Date of waybill;

(d) Starting time for period covered by waybill;

(e) Origin and destination of each trip;

(f) Time of hire and discharge for each trip;

(g) Charges for each trip;

(h) Number of passengers for each trip;

(i) The identity of the horse used for each trip.

(16) The driver must maintain control of the horse or animal at all times and never leave the horse-drawn vehicle unattended.

(17) The horse-drawn vehicle shall not block or impede traffic at or near the stand when the stand is occupied with another horse-drawn vehicle.

(18) The horse-drawn vehicle business shall operate horse-drawn vehicles at least seven (7) days during any given calendar month, unless weather precludes operation.

(19) The Chief of Police, or the Chief's designee, has the authority to restrict or suspend the operation of horse-drawn vehicles for any situation that reasonably warrants the restriction or suspension.

(20) For special events, if the horse-drawn vehicle operator has a valid horse-drawn vehicle business permit from the San Francisco Police Department, the horse-drawn vehicle business or driver must provide 24-hour notice to the District Station of the time of the event and the route to be taken. If the horse-drawn vehicle operator does not have such a permit, the horse-drawn vehicle business or driver must submit to the Chief of Police two (2) weeks prior to the event a proposed route for consideration and approval.

(21) If a horse-drawn vehicle participates in a special event that is not along the horse-drawn vehicle's authorized route, the horse or animal and vehicle must be transported by another, appropriate vehicle(s) to and from the site of the special event.

(22) The maximum number of passengers, not including the driver or trainee, allowed to ride in the carriage compartment area is six persons.

(Added by Ord. 238-98, App. 7/17/98; amended by Ord. 284-99, File No. 991587, App. 11/5/99)