Oceanside Municipal Code Art. VII Fares

(a) Certificate holder shall give sixty (60) days written notice to the city manager of any increase in rates subsequent to the rates listed in certificate holder's petition. The certificate holder shall also publish a notice of the rate change in a newspaper of general circulation in the city. The increased rate may not exceed any ceiling established by the city council pursuant to subsection (c).

(b) If the increased rate exceeds the ceiling amount, the council may, after notice to certificate holder and a hearing, revoke a permit.

(c) The council hereby reserves the right to set by resolution, after a public hearing, a ceiling on taxicab rates as may be necessary to protect the public interest and welfare.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)

It shall be unlawful for any owner or driver to operate any taxicab in the city unless such vehicle is equipped with a taximeter designed to calculate fares upon the basis of a combination of mileage travel and time elapsed, and when operative with respect to fare indication, the fare-indicating mechanism shall be actuated by the mileage mechanism whenever the vehicle is in motion at such a speed that the rate of mileage revenue equals or exceeds the time rate, and may be actuated by the time mechanism whenever the vehicle speed is less than this and when the vehicle is not in motion. Means shall be provided for the vehicle operator to render the time mechanism either operative or inoperative with respect to the fare-indicating mechanism. The taximeter shall also be of a style and design approved by the city manager. Waiting time shall include all time when a taxicab occupied or engaged by a passenger is not in motion or traveling at a speed which is slow enough for the time rate to exceed the mileage rate; and the time consumed while standing at the direction of the passenger or person who has engaged such taxicab. It shall be the duty of every owner of a taxicab to keep such taximeter in perfect condition so that such taximeter will, at all times, correctly and accurately indicate the correct charge for the distance traveled and waiting time, and such taximeter shall be at all times subject to inspection by an inspector of the city manager, or any peace officer, and such inspector or any peace officer is hereby authorized at his insistence or upon complaint of any person to investigate or cause to be investigated such taximeter, and upon discovery of any inaccuracy in the taximeter, or if the taximeter is unsealed, to remove or cause to be removed such vehicle equipped with such taximeter from the streets of the city until such time as the taximeter shall have been correctly adjusted, or sealed.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)

It shall be unlawful for any driver of a taxicab while carrying passengers to display the flag or device attached to such taximeter in such a position as to denote that such vehicle is for hire, or is not employed, or to have such flag or other attached device in such a position as to prevent the taximeter from operating, and it will be unlawful for any driver to throw such flag into a position which causes the taximeter to record when such vehicle is not actually employed, or to fail to throw the flag or other device on such taximeter into a non-recording position at the termination of each and every service.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)

The taximeter shall be so placed in the taxicab that the reading dial showing the amount to be charged shall be well lighted and readily discernible by any passenger riding in such taxicab.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)

It shall be unlawful for any owner, driver, or operator of a vehicle covered by this chapter to demand of a passenger a charge for hire other than the current applicable rate on file with the chief of police for that particular carrier.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)

Information to be posted in taxicabs. In every taxicab there shall be a sign of heavy material, not smaller than six (6) inches by four (4) inches, (or such other specified by the city manager) securely attached and clearly displayed in view of the passenger at all times, providing in letters as large as the size of the sign will reasonably allow, all of the following information:

(a) The name, address, and telephone number of the police department;

(b) The name, address, and telephone number of the carrier licensed under this chapter;

(c) The name or trade name of the certificate holder;

(d) The taxicab number; and

(e) A schedule of rates and charges.

Every person making an inquiry regarding the rates charged by the operator shall be furnished with a copy of such printed rates upon request and at no charge.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)

No person shall refuse to pay the authorized fare of any of the vehicles mentioned in this chapter after having employed the same; and no person shall hire any vehicle defined in this chapter with intent to defraud the person from whom it is hired or engaged, of the value of such service.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)

No driver of any vehicle covered in this chapter, upon receiving full payment for the fare, shall refuse to give a receipt upon the request of any passenger making such payment.

(Ord. No. 12-OR0630-1, § 1, 9-19-2012)