A. Testing and Sealing of Taximeter. Prior to placing any taxi vehicle into service, it shall be the duty of every taxicab business permit holder to present its licensed taxicabs at a designated reasonable place and at such reasonable time as may be specified by the weights and measures division of the county of Riverside or by other appropriate regulatory authority for the purpose of testing, checking and sealing taximeters. Failure to produce a taxicab for such purpose will be sufficient grounds for the city to deny a sticker and/or to require that the vehicle be taken out of service until the taximeter has been checked, tested and sealed by such regulatory authority in accordance with the provisions of law. The cost of all such tests, checks and seals shall be borne by the holder of the permit. Proof of completion of this requirement shall be presented to the chief of police, or his or her designee, prior to any issuance or renewal of a taxicab permit.
B. Rates—To be Filed. Every holder of a taxicab business permit shall file with the city clerk a true and correct statement of the rates proposed to be charged for the transportation of passengers in all taxicabs operated by the holder pursuant to this chapter. The company shall submit, not less than sixty (60) days in advance of changing rates, a formal request to the city council for approval of the proposed rates. At the discretion of the city council, a public hearing may be set to consider the proposed rates. The city council may require justification for the proposed rates. If the council does not hold a public hearing within sixty (60) days after the submittal, the proposed rates will be deemed to have been approved.
C. Taximeter—Operation.
1. No holder of a taxicab business permit or of a taxicab permit or of a drivers permit shall operate,
drive, cause or permit to be driven or operated, any taxicab in the city unless and until the taximeter for such taxicab shall have been approved by the appropriate regulatory authority, and it shall be the duty of such permit holder to keep the taximeter operating at all times within such standards of accuracy as may be prescribed from time to time by the appropriate regulatory authority and consistent with the approved rates on file with the city.
2. No passenger shall be carried in any taxicab unless the taximeter shall be in operation. This provision shall apply regardless of whether a taxicab is engaged for a trip entirely within the boundaries of the city or partially outside thereof, and the taximeter shall be kept operating continuously during the entire time that it is engaged in the transportation of passengers, regardless of the point of destination.
3. Within one month prior to submitting an application for issuance or renewal of a taxicab permit, the taximeter of such taxicab must be tested and sealed by the appropriate regulatory authority.
4. A taximeter shall be placed in each taxicab so that the reading dial showing the amount to be charged will be well lighted and readily discernible to a passenger riding in the taxicab.
5. Every taximeter used in the operation of taxicabs shall be subject to inspection at any time by a duly authorized representative of the city, or by other appropriate authority, including a police officer. Upon the discovery of any material inaccuracy of a taximeter or inconsistent with approved rates, the operator thereof shall remove, or cause to be removed from service, the vehicle equipped with the inaccurate or inconsistent taximeter until such taximeter shall have been replaced or repaired, and tested and resealed.
D. Flag Drop Charges. The driver of any taxicab, while carrying passengers, must immediately activate the meter once the vehicle is in motion and is actively transporting passengers, and must be deactivated by the driver once the passengers have reached the desired destination, or the passenger verbally communicates the cancellation of the service, and/or at the termination of the service.
E. Charges to be Registered. All charges for taxicab service shall be calculated and indicated by taximeter, and at all times while the taxicab is engaged, the taximeter shall be activated to register the charges.
No taximeter shall be so operated as to cause any charge to be registered thereon except during the time when the taxicab is engaged by a passenger or passengers.
F. Receipt for Charges. No driver of any taxicab, upon receiving full payment for a fare as indicated by the taximeter, shall refuse to give a receipt when requested. The receipt shall show the name of the taxi company, name of the driver, date of service, and taxicab number, total amount of fare, origin of fare and destination.
G. Charges Must be Indicated. Charges for transportation of passengers in a taxicab operated in the city shall not exceed the amount shown on the taximeter installed in the taxicab and is verified by the county of Riverside Weights and Measures. It is unlawful for any owner or driver of any taxicab to charge any passenger or passengers any sum in excess of the sum indicated on the taximeter.
(Ord. 344 § 12, 2005)