§ 115.253 RATES OF FARE.
   The following maximum rates of fare and fees are what may be charged for the use of a vehicle for hire and must be readily available to passengers in a manner prescribed within this subchapter or approved by the Department.
   (A)   Taxicabs.
      (1)   Hourly rate: $23.86 per hour for one or more passengers.
      (2)   Mileage rate: $5.50 for the first mile or less and $2.55 for each additional mile.
      (3)   Each taximeter shall be calibrated to measure mileage in distances less than or equal to 1/10 of a mile.
         (a)   The mileage rate shall be equally
apportioned over the distances measured by the taximeter, except that an initial drop fee may be assessed for the first mile so that the taximeter reflects the authorized rate.
         (b)   A passenger surcharge of $3 per passenger over four will be allowed to be added to the metered or flat rate of fare.
         (c)   Waiting time: $.30 for each one minute of waiting time or fraction thereof, except for transportation fares involving Kentucky Medical Assistance Program recipients, for whom no waiting time shall be charged.
         (d)   Any other charges or tolls to enter or leave any passenger terminals, to use cross roads or bridges or pick up or discharge passengers at public facilities, shall be borne by the passenger(s) in addition to the metered rate of fare. Flat rate fares cannot add any additional charges.
      (4)   Airport rates: For all trips originating at the Louisville Muhammed Ali International Airport, the maximum rate of fare shall be the metered fare plus all fees, tolls, or charges assessed by the Louisville Regional Airport Authority plus a surcharge of $1.50. Fees for waiting time may be added, as they are to all taxi metered fares. If the metered fare plus all additional charges except for waiting time is less than $12.00, a minimum flat rate of $12.00 may be charged.
      (5)   Downtown/airport flat rate zone fare: There is a flat rate of $21.55 for fares between Louisville Muhammed Ali International Airport and downtown, with no intermediate stops. No additional charges whatsoever may be assessed for a flat rate fare with the exception that a passenger surcharge of $3 per passenger over four will be allowed to be added.
      (6)   Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center/downtown flat rate zone fare: There is a flat rate of $20.00 for fares between Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center and downtown, with no intermediate stops. No additional charges whatsoever may be assessed for a flat rate fare with the exception that a passenger surcharge of $3 per passenger over four will be allowed to be added.
      (7)   Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center/airport flat rate zone fare: There is a flat rate of $8 for fares between the Kentucky Exposition Center and Louisville Muhammed Ali International Airport, with no intermediate stops. No additional charges whatsoever may be assessed for a flat rate fare with the exception that a passenger surcharge of $3 per passenger over four will be allowed to be added.
      (8)   Taxicab and disabled persons vehicle drivers shall be required to take the shortest and most reasonable routes for all fares unless instructed by the passenger to do otherwise.
      (9)   Drivers shall be required to transport all Kentucky Medical Assistance Program voucher passengers directly to and from the scheduled medical appointment, and shall not deviate nor detour from the shortest available route, nor make any additional stops, even if requested to do so by the passenger.
      (10)   (a)   The Director is hereby authorized to declare a fuel emergency and to authorize a fuel surcharge to be added to the Taxicab rate when the cost of gasoline exceeds $4.00 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association’s published gasoline costs for medium grade gasoline for a period of 15 days. The allowable surcharge of 5% rounded to the nearest $.05 will be added to the rates of fare authorized in this section. Any taxicab operator or company implementing this surcharge shall reset its taximeters and flat rate schedules to include the 5% surcharge, and the Director shall provide a form notice of the surcharge to each taxicab company, and said company shall cause a copy of the notice to be placed in each licensed taxicab. The Director is further authorized to terminate the surcharge when the cost of gasoline falls below $4.00 per gallon according to the American Automobile Association’s published rates for medium grade gasoline for a period of 15 consecutive days, or to extend the surcharge in 30 day increments if the cost of gasoline remains above $4.00 per gallon based upon gasoline costs for medium grade gasoline as published by the American Automobile Association.
         (b)   The Director is hereby authorized to declare a fuel emergency and to authorize a fuel surcharge, which will be in addition to the surcharges in subsection (10)(a), above, to be added to the taxicab rate when the cost of gasoline exceeds $4.50 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association’s published gasoline costs for medium grade gasoline for a period of 15 days. The allowable surcharge of 5% rounded to the nearest five cents will be added to the rates of fare authorized in this section. Any taxicab operator or company implementing this surcharge shall reset its taximeters and flat rate schedules to include the 5% surcharge, and the Director shall provide a form notice of the surcharge to each taxicab company, and said company shall cause a copy of the notice to be placed in each licensed taxicab. The Director is further authorized to terminate the surcharge when the cost of gasoline falls below $4.50 per gallon according to the American Automobile Association’s published rates for medium grade gasoline for a period of 15 consecutive days, or to extend the surcharge in 30 day increments if the cost of gasoline remains above $4.50 per gallon based upon gasoline costs for medium grade gasoline as published by the American Automobile Association.
         (c)   The Director is hereby authorized to declare a fuel emergency and to authorize a fuel surcharge, which will be in addition to the surcharges in subsections (10)(a) and (10)(b), above, to be added to the taxicab rate when the cost of gasoline exceeds $5.00 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association’s published gasoline costs for medium grade gasoline for a period of 15 days. The allowable surcharge of 5% rounded to the nearest five cents will be added to the rates of fare authorized in this section. Any taxicab operator or company implementing this surcharge shall reset its taximeters and flat rate schedules to include the 5% surcharge, and the Director shall provide a form notice of the surcharge to each taxicab company, and said company shall cause a copy of the notice to be placed in each licensed taxicab. The Director is further authorized to terminate the surcharge when the cost of gasoline falls below $5.00 per gallon according to the American Automobile Association’s published rates for medium grade gasoline for a period of 15 consecutive days, or to extend the surcharge in 30 day increments if the cost of gasoline remains above $5.00 per gallon based upon gasoline costs for medium grade gasoline as published by the American Automobile Association.
   (B)   Fixed rate vehicles.
      (1)   The fares for all fixed rate vehicles shall be approved by the Director prior to implementation.
      (2)   All fixed rate vehicles that operate solely on an established route must have the routes, including all intermediate stops and timetables for departures and arrivals, approved by the Department prior to implementation.
      (3)   The maximum allowable fares, except for limousines, shall never exceed the maximum rates of fare allowed in § 115.253 for taxicabs.
   (C)   General.
      (1)   Nothing contained in § 115.253 pertaining to rates of fare shall constitute a minimum rate of fare for fixed rate vehicles nor preclude the certificate holder or driver from charging a rate of fare less than the allowable maximum rate of fare for taxicabs.
      (2)   The driver and certificate holder must insure that the maximum rates of fare are readily available to all passengers. The Department must approve the format and medium used to distribute this information to the passenger.
      (3)   Upon application received from certificate holder to the Director, special rates of fares maybe authorized for special events held within Louisville Metro. The application must list factual reasons that would justify the authorization of special rates of fare.
(1999 Lou. Code, § 111.564) (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. 068-2000, approved 6-28-2000; Lou. Am. Ord. No. 0045-2002, § 1, approved 3-29-2002; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. 133-2005, approved 9-9-2005; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 223-2005, approved 12-27-2005; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 28-2006, approved 2-28-2006; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 55-2022, approved 5-11-2022) Penalty, see § 115.999