(a) Owner duties. An owner may not permit a taxicab to be operated by the same taxicab operator for more than a total of 12 hours in a 24-hour period.
(b) Operator duties. A taxicab operator shall:
(1) accept an orderly person as a passenger upon request, unless previously engaged or prohibited from doing so by the provisions of this title or another law or regulation;
(2) proceed with a passenger to the requested destination by the shortest practicable route;
(3) give a receipt for fares on an authorized form upon request;
(4) deliver fares and other legal charges received to the owner;
(5) answer promptly all communications from the Department; and
(6) carry only one person in the front seat with the driver and, in other seats, no more than the number of passengers for which passenger restraints are available.
(c) Operator prohibitions. A taxicab operator may not:
(1) permit another person to use the taxicab operator's license;
(2) permit an unlicensed person to drive the taxicab for hire;
(3) operate a taxicab for more than a total of 12 hours in a 24-hour period;
(4) smoke while transporting a passenger without the passenger's consent;
(5) refuse or fail upon request to inform a passenger or prospective passenger of the number of the taxicab or the correct rate or fare;
(6) willfully mislead or misconvey a passenger;
(7) use abusive, indecent, or offensive language;
(8) operate a taxicab recklessly, in an unsafe manner, or in disregard of the public general or local laws of this State governing the operation of motor vehicles;
(9) require a passenger to share a taxicab with another person;
(10) refuse service in order to group passengers more profitably; or
(11) transport non-paying passengers in the taxicab unless an off-duty sign is displayed.
(1985 Code, Art. 16, § 17-303) (Bill No. 24-00)