(A) Each vehicle for hire for which application for an inspection sticker is made shall be inspected by the Director or the Director's designee, before the inspection sticker is issued. The inspection shall verify that each vehicle conforms to the following requirements including, but not limited to:
(1) For taxicabs only, a cash box securely installed in the interior of the vehicle within normal view of the passengers, or installed in the trunk of the vehicle. The cash box shall be the repository for cash received by the driver during his or her operation of the vehicle and shall remain locked when the vehicle is available to the public for its use. The type construction, operation, placement, installation, and securing of the cash box shall comply with regulations as may be prescribed by the Director. The installation of a cash box shall be optional at the election of the company and/or driver;
(2) For taxicabs only, conspicuous notice clearly visible to passenger(s) from the exterior on both sides of the vehicle and to passengers inside the vehicle to the effect that the drivers cannot carry more than $50 in cash for the purpose of making change;
(3) The proper designation as provided in § 115.259;
(4) A taximeter fastened in a location that is visible to all passengers at all times of day and night;
(a) Taximeters may be operated electronically or mechanically by a mechanism of standard design and construction driven either from the transmission or from one of the front wheels by a flexible and permanently attached driving mechanism.
(b) Each taximeter shall be sealed at all points and connections, which, if manipulated, would affect their correct reading and recording.
(c) Each taximeter shall have thereon a flag or light to denote when the vehicle is employed and when it is not employed.
(d) Buses, charter buses, limousines, airport shuttles and other Department approved fixed rate vehicles shall be exempt from this section.
(5) A current map of Louisville Metro in a place immediately accessible to the driver;
(6) Functional seat belts being accessible for each passenger seat in the vehicle;
(7) The vehicle for hire is capable of allowing the passenger(s) to be able to open the passenger's doors or windows from the passenger's seat;
(8) Any tinting of any windows of the vehicle for hire complies with state law;
(9) All windows, windshields, and bumpers are free from decals or stickers that do not pertain to the person or the ground transportation service industry in general;
(10) An inspection fee in the amount of $20 shall be paid by the certificate holder for each vehicle that is to be inspected before the issuance of the inspection sticker. The inspection fee shall apply to all required initial and semiannual inspections;
(11) The vehicle for hire operated as a taxicab is no more than eight calendar years beyond the manufacturer's model year unless approved by the Director. The following table is provided to further illustrate how this provision works:
Manufacturer's
Model Year Retirement Date
1997 2005
1998 2006
1999 2007
2000 2008
2001 2009
2002 2010
Model Year Retirement Date
1997 2005
1998 2006
1999 2007
2000 2008
2001 2009
2002 2010
(12) For taxicabs only, on the front right visor and on the backside of the front seat facing the rear there shall be a permanent display listing:
(a) The company's name;
(b) The taxicab number;
(c) The Metrocall number for complaints/questions/service concerns;
(d) Seat belts and child restraints must be used in accordance with all state and local laws;
(e) A statement, which says, "All fares must be metered except to and from Downtown/ Airport Flat Rate Zone."; and
(f) Rates of fares displayed on their own and/or by a rate card as approved by the Director.
(B) If the certificate holder has 50 or more vehicles for hire licensed by the Department and can safely and adequately accommodate the inspection process, the semiannual inspections may be performed at the certificate holder's designated place of business.
(C) The certificate holder and/or owner will be informed promptly of inspection results when a vehicle for hire fails to meet the requirements of the inspection.
(D) Re-inspections. Every vehicle for hire operating under a license and inspection sticker issued pursuant to this subchapter shall be re-inspected at a minimum of six month intervals or at such shorter intervals as may be prescribed or required by the Director, based upon a lapse of time or miles driven between re-inspections, the occurrence of certain incidents, or the condition of the vehicle.
(E) Nothing in this subchapter shall preclude the Director, an inspector, any Metro Government police officer, airport authority police officer, or any law enforcement officer, from inspecting within their jurisdiction a vehicle for hire and/or its operator at any time with or without a complaint filed by any person or agency.
(F) New vehicles (those having less than 1,000 actual miles on the odometer) are exempt from the initial mechanical inspection requirement above.
(G) Nothing contained herein is intended to preclude any Department inspector from requesting and receiving verification of mechanical reliability of any vehicle for hire at any time, if in the inspector's judgment, the mechanical reliability of the vehicle is in question. The Department has the right, power, and authority to check for compliance and substantiate any stated or claimed inspection compliance as submitted to that office as required by this subchapter. Further, during normal business hours, the certificate holder shall provide access to and the cooperation of any party responsible for conducting of the mechanical inspection.
(H) The certificate holder also at the certificate holder's garage or expense will provide garage facilities for the Department evaluation and assessment of the mechanical inspection if and when requested by an inspector of the Department.
(I) The certificate holder and/or the driver may be held accountable for the reliability and accuracy of the reported inspection and/or any repairs made to correct deficiencies found. Any one falsely claiming to have met the requirements of a mechanical inspection when in fact the requirements were un-addressed or not met, is subject to revocation of the inspection sticker and an administrative sanction against the applicable certificate holder and/or driver.
(J) Every vehicle for hire driver and certificate holder shall be responsible for insuring that evaluation cards issued by the Department are available to every driver. An evaluation card shall be offered to the primary passenger (passenger that pays the fare) of a vehicle for hire. The driver shall inform the passengers of the availability of the evaluation card and shall give a card to each and every passenger requesting one. Every driver and certificate holder shall be responsible for insuring pamphlets and other forms of literature that serve the interest of Metro Government as authorized by the Department are available to passengers of vehicles for hire in a location and format prescribed by the Department.
(K) All drivers and certificate holders shall insure that a vehicle for hire shall be equipped with an air conditioning system capable of maintaining a temperature of 80º F. or less in the rear passenger compartment at head height during the months of March through October. The air conditioning is to be engaged at the passenger's request or if the outside temperature is above 80º F. unless the passenger requests otherwise.
(L) All drivers and certificate holders shall insure that all vehicles for hire operated pursuant to this subchapter shall have a heating system capable of achieving at least 60º F. in the rear passenger compartment at head height during the months of October through April. The heating system is to be engaged at the passenger's request or if the outside temperature is below 50º F. unless the passenger requests otherwise.
(1999 Lou. Code, § 111.561) (Lou. Ord. No. 115-1979, approved 8-17-1979; Lou. Am. Ord. No. 370-1987, approved 12-28-1987; Lou. Am. Ord. No. 172-1996, approved 8-28-1996; Lou. Am. Ord. No. 0045-2002, § 1, approved 3-29-2002; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 223-2005, approved 12-27-2005) Penalty, see § 115.999