(a) No person shall operate or permit to be operated in the City any taxicab on a distance tariff or transport passengers in or offer for hire, any taxicab unless such vehicle is equipped with a taximeter that has been approved by the Police Department. No person shall operate or drive a taxicab 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 such taximeter for the trip, except that the hourly rate may be used by previous arrangement with the passengers after the meter has registered an amount equal to that of the first hour conforming to the rates as herein provided for. No other methods of figuring rates, amount due or measuring distances shall be allowed.
(b) No person shall operate or drive any taxicab equipped with a taximeter, in public service, with the case of such taximeter not sealed and the cover and gear thereof not intact. No person shall operate or drive any taxicab after sundown, without having the face of the taximeter thereon illuminated as hereinafter provided; or drive such taxicab without having the taximeter set and regulated to conform with the requirements as set forth by law. All taximeters and the power take-off gear box shall be sealed by the Police Department and shall at all times bear this seal when operating. Every such meter and gear box may be inspected by the Police Department at periodic intervals as determined by the Department. 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 City. Every taximeter shall be equipped with a suitable light so arranged as to throw a steady light on the face thereof. The owners of such taxicabs so equipped shall present to the Police Department as frequently as they may require, the certificate of the manufacturer or lessor of such taximeters that each taximeter in use is in good working order and that it does accurately indicate 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 751.17.
(Ord. 390. Passed 6-20-73.)