(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, or permit to be operated in the town, any taxicab on a distance tariff or to transport passengers in, or offer for hire any taxicab unless said vehicle be equipped with a taximeter that has been approved for mechanical accuracy by the Chief of Police or a police officer designated by him or her to so inspect. It shall be unlawful for any person to own, operate or drive a taxicab as herein defined unless such taximeter is used in determining the fare to be charged, and no other or different fare shall be charged than is recorded on the reading face of said taximeter for the trip, except that the hourly rates may be used by previous arrangement with passengers after the meter has registered an amount equal to the first hour conforming. No other method of figuring rates or measuring distance shall be allowed.
(B) It shall be unlawful to operate or drive any taxicab equipped with a taximeter in public service with the case of said taximeters not sealed and covered and gear box thereof intact. All taximeters and the power take-off gear box shall be sealed by the town’s Police Department and must at all times bear this seal when operating. Every such meter and gear box shall be inspected by the Police Department at least twice each year and may be inspected at other periodic intervals upon just cause shown. It shall be the responsibility of both the operator and the driver to ascertain that the meter and gear box are sealed before driving any taxicab within the town.
(C) The owners of such taxicabs so equipped shall present to the Police Department at least annually, a written certification signed by the owner and verified by the manufacturer or lessor of such taximeter that each taximeter in use is in good working order and that it does accurately indicate the fare to be paid upon the distance traveled and the waiting time.
(Ord. 6, 1974, passed 5-7-1974) Penalty, see § 111.99