It shall be lawful for any person owning, operating or controlling a taxicab or taxicabs to operate the same without installing for the purpose of determining the fare to be charged, a taximeter; but if a taximeter is used, it shall be of size and design approved by the city council, and conform to the following specifications:
A. A taximeter is a mechanical instrument or device by which the charge for hire of a taxicab is mechanically calculated, whether for distance traveled or for waiting time, or both, and upon which such charge shall be indicated by means of legible figures, which are electrically lighted each time the taximeter flag is thrown from nonearning to earning position. There shall also be a similar indicating mechanism to show charges for extra passengers.
B. Such meters must register upon visual counters the following items:
1. Total miles.
2. Paid miles.
3. Number of trips.
4. Number of extras.
C. Each taximeter must be furnished with a tamperproof switch and system of electrical distribution so that when the taximeter flag is in the vacant or nonearning position, the vacant sign on the top of the taxicab will be lighted, and when the meter flag is thrown to an earning position, the fare indicator on the taximeter will be lighted.
D. Each taximeter must be driven direct from the taxicab transmission, or connected with speedometer driving shaft to the taximeter head itself.
E. No person shall use or permit to be used upon any taxicab a taximeter which does not conform to these allowable tolerances.
F. No taximeter shall be allowed to determine fare until the taximeter shall have been inspected and found to be accurate.
G. No driver of a taxicab equipped with a taximeter while carrying passengers, or under employment, shall display the taximeter flag affixed to such taximeter in such position as to denote that such vehicle is not employed, or in such a position as to denote that he is employed at a rate of fare different from that to which it is entitled under the provisions of this chapter. It shall be the duty of the driver to call the attention of passengers to the amount registered and the taximeter flag shall not be changed to "vacant" position until after the fare is paid. (2003 Code § 5-09-20)