A. Taximeters required. It shall be unlawful for any permittee or driver to operate any taxicab in the City unless such vehicle is equipped with a taximeter of such type, style, and design as may be approved by the Chief of Police. Taximeters which are capable of being programmed to carry multiple rates are prohibited unless the customer in each instance is given a receipt showing the “flag drop rate” or initial charge, the charge per mile, miles traveled and the total charge. Where such receipts are given, the permittee shall maintain a copy of each receipt which shall be maintained with a record of the number of trips taken. It shall be the responsibility of the permittee to audit such receipts and assure that a receipt was prepared for each trip. It shall be the duty of every owner operating a taxicab to keep such taximeter in good condition so that such taximeter will, at all times, accurately indicate the correct charge for the distance traveled and the waiting time. Such taximeter shall be at all times subject to inspection by an inspector appointed by the City or by any police officer. Such inspector or police officer is hereby authorized at his or her instance or upon complaint of any person to investigate, or cause to be investigated, such taximeter, and upon the discovery of any inaccuracy in such taximeter, to remove or cause to be removed such vehicle from the streets of the City until such time as the taximeter shall have been correctly adjusted and certified by the Los Angeles County Department of Weights and Measures or other person or agency approved by the Chief of Police.
B. Taximeter “For Hire” indicator. Every taximeter shall be equipped with a flag or other mechanical or electronic device which displays the words “For Hire.” Such flag or device shall be so attached and connected to the mechanism of the taximeter as to cause the mechanism not to operate when the flag or device indicates that the taxicab is for hire. The flag or device shall, when activated, start the operation of the taximeter so that the same will operate in the manner set forth hereinabove.
C. Use of “For Hire” indicator. It shall be unlawful for any driver of a taxicab, while carrying passengers to display the flag or device controlled by such taximeter which denotes that such vehicle is for hire or is not employed, or to have such flag or device in such a position as to prevent the taximeter from operating, or for any driver to operate such flag or device of a taximeter in a manner which causes the taximeter to record when such vehicle is not actually employed, or fail to operate such flag or device on a taximeter into a non-recording position at the termination of each and every service.
D. Charges—amount recorded. All charges for transportation of passengers in taxicabs operated in the City shall be based on the charges indicated on the taximeter. It shall be unlawful for any owner, driver, or operator of any taxicab to charge any passenger any sum other than the sum indicated on the taximeter, the charging or solicitation of a “flat rate fare” not recorded on the taximeter is prohibited.
E. Placement of taximeter. The taximeter shall be placed in the taxicab so the reading dial or display showing the amount to be charged shall be well lighted in not less than one-half (½) inch block numbers and shall be readily visible by the passenger unless such taximeter is equipped and operated as a receipt printing taximeter.
('65 Code, § 34-12(a)) (Ord. No. 83-020 § 1; Ord. No. 83-031 §§ 2-3; Ord. No. 84-003 § 1)