6429.5. - SCHEDULE OF FARES.

The operator of every automobile for hire and taxicab licensed in the City shall file with his application for an operator's permit a true and correct schedule of fares to be charged for the transportation of passengers in any and all vehicles operated under such permit, and such operator shall not change or amend said fares in any manner without first filing said changes or amended fares with the City Clerk thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of such change or amendment. No person shall charge, collect or receive any other or different compensation for the use of such automobile for hire or taxicab than that specified in the schedule of fares on file with the City Clerk and at the time in effect.

No holder of an operator's permit or driver operating any taxicab shall operate such automobile in the City unless it is equipped with a taximeter of such type and design as may be approved by the License Officer. The holder of an operator's permit of such taxicab shall keep such meter accurate at all times. Such meter shall be subject to inspection from time to time. The City Manager or his duly authorized agent or any police officer of the City is authorized at his insistence or upon the complaint of any person, to investigate such taximeter and, upon discovery of any inaccuracy of such taximeter, to remove or cause to be removed from service any such vehicle equipped with such taximeter until such taximeter shall have been repaired and correctly adjusted.

(Amended by Ord. 2263 adopted 12-1-09)

The charge for any service to all patrons of a taxicab shall be calculated and indicated by a taximeter, and all taximeters shall be placed so that the reading dial showing the amount to be charged shall be well lighted and readily discernible by the passenger riding in such automobile.

No driver of any taxicab shall display the "flag" attached to the taximeter in the "in use" position until the passenger has entered the taxicab, except in the case of a request for a taxicab at a specified time and location, in which case the "flag" may be placed in the "in use" position at the time and location requested by the customer, or at any time thereafter, after the driver has personally contacted said customer. No driver, while carrying passengers, shall display the "flag" in such position as to denote that such vehicle is not employed, or fail to place the "flag" in the "home" or "for hire" position at the termination of each and every service.

No operator of any taxicab, upon receiving payment of a fare as indicated by the taximeter thereon, shall refuse to give a receipt upon the request of any person making said payment. Said receipt shall indicate the amount of the fare, the date, the initial location, and the destination of the trip, the taxicab number and name of the driver.

Irrespective of whether the operations are within or extend beyond limits of the City, every automobile for hire and taxicab shall display in the passenger's compartment thereof and in full view of the passengers a printed notice not less than five inches by seven inches (5″ x 7″) in size, which shall have printed thereon in legible print:

(1)

The name of the holder of the operator's permit under which the vehicle is being operated;

(2)

The name of the owner of said automobile;

(3)

The name under which such business is operated;

(4)

The business address and telephone number of such business;

(5)

The rates to be charged persons using such vehicle, and whether said rates are determined by the number of passengers, the distance traveled, per mile, per trip, for waiting time, or otherwise.

The services of a taxicab operating pursuant to any permit granted under the provisions of this Chapter shall be available only upon telephone call, engagement of the taxicab when parked at a regular stand or when hailed from the street, sidewalk or curb, but not otherwise. No taxicab driver, holder of an operator's permit, or his agent shall solicit passengers from or about the vehicle, except through written and posted advertising.

The services of an automobile for hire operating pursuant to any permit granted under the provisions of this Article shall be available only upon telephone call or upon engagement at the public or private garage from which such vehicle is operated. No person shall cruise or cause to be cruised any automobile for hire. An automobile for hire shall be deemed to be cruising when it solicits or takes on any passenger other than in

response to an order given at its business office, or in response to a telephone call requesting transportation.

No driver of a taxicab or automobile for hire shall park or stand the same upon any public highway in the City any period of time longer than is necessary to discharge or receive passengers then occupying or then waiting for such vehicle.

All persons engaged in the taxicab business in the City operating under the provisions of this Article shall render an overall service to the public desiring to use taxicabs and shall keep open twenty-four (24) hours a day for the purpose of receiving orders and dispatching vehicles. The holder of any permit who refuses to accept a call anywhere within the corporate limits of the City at any time when such holder of an operator's permit has available vehicles, or who fails or refuses to give service without reasonable cause relating to the health, safety or welfare of the driver, shall be deemed to be in violation of the provisions of this Article and his operator's permit shall be subject to revocation.

Any driver employed to carry passengers to a definite point shall take the most direct route possible which will carry the passengers safely and expeditiously to their destination.

When an automobile for hire or taxicab is engaged, the occupants shall have the exclusive right to the full and free use of the passenger compartment, and no driver of said automobile shall solicit or carry additional passengers therein.

No person shall knowingly or intentionally misrepresent to any City official any material fact in procuring any permit or license herein provided for.

(Original Division 9 amended by Ord. 1354 adopted 7-18-67, Ord. 1557 adopted 5-4-76, Ord. 1562 adopted 6-15-76, Ord. 1622 adopted 2-21-78, and Ord. 1629 adopted 5-2-78 was repealed and a new Division 9 added by Ord. 1836 adopted 6-3-86)