Would it be legal to drive a cab as your personal vehicle and take fares in the process?
Doesn't appear so.
State regulations
http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/commercial/#mcs/programs/intrastate/taxicab.asp
City regulations:
Sec. 32-3. Registration of drivers.
(a)
No person shall drive a motor vehicle for hire, including any taxicab, in the city until he has been registered by the chief of police, as follows:
(1)
On or before January 1st of each calendar year, or no later than March 1 of the calendar year if the driver was registered with the police during the preceding calendar year, a person who drives, or intends to drive a passenger motor vehicle for hire, including a taxicab, within the city shall apply to the chief of police for a registration.
(2)
Each applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the chief of police his or her moral and business integrity, ability to safely and legally drive a passenger motor vehicle for hire, including a taxicab, and his knowledge of city traffic laws and ordinances and of the provisions of this chapter. The chief of police shall conduct an investigation with respect to each applicant's application and qualifications.
a.
Each applicant shall state on his application whether he is self-employed or employed by a taxicab or other type of operator. A self-employed applicant shall present a copy of a current business license authorizing him to do business in the city. An applicant employed by an operator shall present a signed statement attesting to such employment.
b.
If the chief of police is satisfied that an applicant meets the requirements of this section and of any regulations promulgated pursuant to section 32-5 of this chapter, and that the applicant is eighteen years of age or older, then registration shall be granted.
(b)
A registration card shall be issued for each driver registered, and shall exhibit the name and a valid mailing address for the driver.
(c)
For drivers' registrations, a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for the first registration granted to each driver, and five dollars ($5.00) for each driver's annual registration after the first, shall be paid by the driver to the city.
(d)
No person shall permit any passenger motor vehicle for hire, including any taxicab, owned or controlled by him to be driven in the performance of any transportation service in the city by a person who has not been registered by the chief of police as required by this chapter.
(e)
A driver's registration shall be subject to suspension and/or revocation, as follows:
(1)
If the chief of police receives information suggesting that a taxicab driver registered under this chapter may pose a threat to the health, safety, welfare or comfort of passengers or the general public, he shall give such driver not less than ten (10) days' notice, by certified mail, to appear at a hearing to show cause why the driver's registration should not be denied, suspended or revoked. The required notice shall specify the nature of the information received by the police chief, a notice that the failure to respond may result in the denial, suspension or revocation of the driver's registration, and shall inform the driver that he may present information at a hearing, by witnesses or otherwise. The required notice shall also specify a hearing date, not to be sooner than ten (10) days following the date of the notice.
(2)
If, after providing the driver with notice and an opportunity to be heard, the police chief determines that the driver poses a threat to the health, safety, welfare or comfort of passengers or the general public, the police chief may revoke or suspend the registration in question, as may be appropriate under the circumstances.
(3)
The chief of police may revoke any driver's registration for any cause which would have been grounds for refusal of such registration, whether such cause arose before or after the granting of such registration.
(4)
A taxicab driver whose registration is revoked or suspended or an applicant who is denied registration by the chief of police shall have the right to appeal to the city manager, by following the procedure set forth in section 32-2(d)(2) of this article.
(5)
The suspension or revocation of any registration shall be in addition to any other penalty imposed for any violation of this chapter.
(5-19-97, § 1; 9-16-02(3))
Sec. 32-4. Bond or insurance required of operators.
Every person operating motor vehicles or taxis for hire within the city shall be required to give a satisfactory bond in the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00), to cover any liability that might result to persons or property from such operations; provided, that such bond shall not be required when the owner of such vehicle shall take out and keep in force public liability and property damage insurance in some company authorized to do business in this state on each motor vehicle as follows:
(1)
Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) for loss sustained by the insured by reason of bodily injury to or death of any one person in one accident.
(2)
Forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00) for loss sustained by the insured by reason of bodily injury to or death of more than one person in any one accident.
(3)
Five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for damages to property of any person other than the insured. Such policies or certificates thereof shall be deposited with the chief of police.
(5-19-97, § 1)
Sec. 32-5. Rules and regulations of city manager.
The city manager, with the concurrence of the city council, may make and promulgate such rules and regulations, not in conflict with this chapter, as the manager may deem necessary to control the operation of passenger motor vehicles for hire, including taxicabs.
(5-19-97, § 1)
Sec. 32-6. Inspection and maintenance of vehicles.
Every passenger motor vehicle for hire, including every taxicab, driven or used for the transportation of passengers within the city shall be maintained by the owner thereof in a good and safe condition at all times.
https://library.municode.com/HTML/12078/level3/CO_CH32VEHI_ARTIINGE.html
Sec. 32-37. Equipment; appearance; construction; maintenance.
(a)
In addition to equipment required of motor vehicles by the Code of Virginia, every taxicab registered pursuant to this chapter,
whether driven or operated as a taxicab or not:
(1)
Shall display taxicab vehicle and driver registration cards, which shall face the passengers and be so located as to be at all times in plain view of such passengers.
(2)
Shall be equipped with a heater in good working order sufficient to heat the interior of the taxicab adequately in cold weather.
(3)
Shall be equipped with seat belts for all passengers.
(4)
Shall not be equipped with shades or curtains which can be manipulated in such a way as to shield the occupants or the driver from observation or obstruct the rear-view window.
(5)
Shall be either of the built-for-the-purpose or of the closed or sedan type and shall be equipped with at least two (2) doors for the entrance and exit of passengers, in addition to the doors which give access to the driver's compartment. Passenger doors shall be so constructed that they will remain securely fastened during normal operation, but may be readily opened by a passenger in case of emergency. Each door shall be constructed with a double or safety lock.
(6)
Shall be equipped with approved safety nonshatterable glass in the windshield and all windows. The center partition, if any, between the driver's compartment and the passenger compartment, shall be of this type glass or plastic.
(7)
Shall be equipped with a standard speedometer properly installed, maintained in good working order and exposed to view and properly lighted at night. No taxicab shall be driven or operated in taxicab service while such speedometer is out of repair or disconnected.
(8)
Shall not be equipped with any lights or signal devices except as allowed by the Code of Virginia, as amended.
(9)
Shall be equipped with a taximeter as prescribed by this chapter.
(10)
Shall be equipped with an "on call" sign, to be used when the taxicab is en route to pick up a passenger or awaiting a passenger at a designated place in response to the request of the passenger. This sign shall be visible from the street and placed in the lower right-hand corner of the front windshield or upon the right-hand sun visor.
(11)
Shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition, and shall be swept and dusted at least once each day. At least once every seven (7) days the interior shall be cleansed thoroughly with suitable antiseptic solution.
(12)
Shall be painted with a distinctive color scheme and insignia, which may be registered with the chief of police.
(13)
Shall have painted on the right-hand side of the exterior thereof, in letters at least three (3) inches in height, the name and telephone number (or a valid mailing address in lieu of the telephone number) of the owner of the vehicle.
(14)
Shall be maintained in a good and safe operating condition at all times.
(15)
Shall be thoroughly and carefully inspected by the owner.
(b)
Once the owner of a taxicab or taxicab fleet has registered a color scheme and insignia, no person shall be permitted to drive or operate under different ownership a taxicab having a color scheme and insignia so similar as to be confusing to the public.
(5-19-97, § 1)
Sec. 32-38. Use for unlawful purposes.
No owner or driver of a taxicab shall permit the vehicle to be used for unlawful purposes or knowingly transport persons therein to places for such purposes.
(5-19-97, § 1)
Sec. 32-39. Occupancy of taxicab stands.
No taxicab shall be placed upon or occupy a public vehicle taxicab stand except for the purpose of being held forth for hire. Vehicles shall be placed on public stands only at the rear (approach) end and shall be moved toward and to the front of stands immediately if space is available or when space becomes available by the departure or movement of preceding vehicles. When a taxicab stand occupied by the full number of vehicles authorized for such stand, no taxicab shall double park, loiter or wait nearby for the purpose of occupying space on such stand.
https://library.municode.com/HTML/12078/level4/CO_CH32VEHI_ARTIITA_DIV1VE.html
