No person shall operate or permit to be operated any taxicab on a distance tariff, nor shall any person transport passengers in, or offer for hire, any taxicab, unless such vehicle is equipped with a taximeter that has been approved by the Director of Public Safety. No person shall own, operate or drive a taxicab unless such taximeter is used in determining the fare to be charged. No other or different fare shall be charged than is recorded on the reading face of such taximeter for the trip, except that the hourly rate may be used by previous arrangement with the passenger after the meter has registered an amount equal to that of the first hour, conforming to the rates as provided for in Section 864.08. No other method of figuring rates or measuring distances shall be allowed.
No person shall operate or drive any taxicab equipped with a taximeter in public service when the case of such taximeter is not sealed and the cover and gear thereof are not intact. No person shall operate or drive a taxicab equipped with a taximeter after sundown without having the face of the taximeter thereon illuminated as hereinafter provided, nor shall any person drive such a taxicab without having the taximeter set and regulated to conform with the requirements of Section 864.08.
Every taximeter and power take-off gear box shall be sealed by the Police Division and shall at all times bear such seal when operating. Every such taximeter and gear box shall be inspected by the Police Division at least twice each year and at periodic intervals. It shall be the responsibility of both the operator and the driver to ascertain that the taximeter and gear box are sealed before driving any taxicab within the City or permitting one to be so driven.
Every taximeter shall be equipped with a suitable light so arranged as to throw a steady light on the face thereof. The owners of taxicabs so equipped shall present to the Director, as frequently as he or she may require, the certificate of the manufacturer or lessor of such taximeters stating that the taximeter in use is in good working order and that it accurately indicates the fare due to be paid upon the distance traveled and the waiting time in a manner not to exceed the maximum rates of fare prescribed in Section 864.08.
(Ord. 1149. Passed 10-4-60.)