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ORDINANCE NO. 14,503
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 14,431:
ESTABLISHING METER RATES FOR TAXICAB SERVICE
IN THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK; PROVIDING
SPECIFICATIONS FOR TAXIMETERS; ESTABLISHING
RULES FOR THE USE OF TAXIMETERS; AND PROVIDING
FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF SUCH SPECIFICATIONS
AND RULES.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS:
SECTION 1. Ordinance No. 14,431, Sections 6 through 11, and
Section 14 are hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 6. Rates of Fare.
(a) A holder or a taxicab driver shall not charge a fare
for operating a taxicab in the City except as provided
in this Ordinance. A holder may propose a change in
the rates of fare by filing the proposal with the
Administrator for consideration by the Board of
Directors.
(b) The Board of Directors shall hold a hearing to consider
the proposed change in rates of fare. After the
hearing, the Board of Directors may approve,
disapprove, or modify the proposed change.
SECTION 7. Meter Rates Established.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person owning, operating,
driving or in charge of any taxicab for hire in the
City to drive or operate such taxicab, or to use or
advertise in connection therewith the word "taxi,"
"taxicab" or "cab" or in soliciting trade from the
public to represent or exhibit such vehicle as a
"taxi," "taxicab" or "cab," unless such vehicle is
equipped with a taximeter according to the provisions
of this Ordinance.
(b) Meter rates shall be used exclusively by all taxicabs
excluding waiting time except as provided in
Subsection (e) of this section. The following rates
shall apply to all taxicabs operating in the City after
October 15, 1983:
(1) Exclusive Ride
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A.
Initial Meter Charge $ .75
B.
Charge Per Mile
$ .80
Initial
Charge
(2) Share Rides
Meter Charge
Per Mile
1st
Share Paying Person
$ .75
$ .65
2nd
Share Paying Person
.50 ea.
.55 ea.
3rd
Share Paying Person
.50 ea.
.45 ea.
4th
Share Paying Person
.50 ea.
.35 ea.
5th
Share Paying Person
.50 ea.
.25 ea.
(c) Under the
share ride, a maximum of three pickups at
different
locations shall be
permitted; after which all
parties
must reach their destination before
additional
pickups
can be made.
(d) Passengers shall pay only the fare which appears on the
meter. If no fare appears on the meter, the
passenger's ride shall be free, except as provided in
Section 7 (e) and excluding waiting time.
(e) A taxicab operator may make special contractual
arrangements with persons at fares either higher or
lower than those set forth by this Ordinance, and if
the contract is for a period longer than thirty (30)
days, the contract must be in writing and a copy
thereof filed with the Administrator.
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SECTION 8. Display of Rate Schedule.
(a) A holder shall provide the driver of each taxicab
operating under its authority a printed card or sticker
containing the approved rates of fare. The form and
content of the card or sticker are subject to
regulation by the Administrator.
(b) While operating a taxicab, the driver shall prominently
display the rate card or sticker inside the taxicab in
a manner approved by the Administrator so that it can
be easily read by passengers occupying the taxicab.
(c) These signs shall be displayed and shall be identical
in all respects to those approved by the Administrator.
No signs or other matter shall be affixed to the
windshield, windows or vehicle except as may be
authorized by the Administrator or required by state or
federal law.
SECTION 9. Design and Testing of Taximeters.
(a) The Administrator shall designate and approve the type
of meter to be used.
(b) A taximeter must accurately register in legible figures
total miles, paid miles, number of fare units, number
of trips, total fares and extra units. Figures
denoting each passenger's fare must be illuminated when
the meter is activated.
(c) A taximeter must be equipped to indicate whether the
taxicab is engaged or vacant and with a tamperproof
system connecting the taximeter to a light atop the
taxicab that, when lighted, is visible from all
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directions. The system must be designed so that during
the time the taximeter is registering a fare, the light
is automatically illuminated.
(d) Taximeters shall be installed as approved by the
Administrator and shall be placed in the driver's
compartment with the face of such taximeter upon which
the fare is recorded directed toward the passenger
compartment, so positioned as to be wholly visible and
clearly discernible by a passenger sitting in any of
the rear seats. The face of the dial of every
taximeter shall be illuminated so that the figures may
be read by any passenger.
(e) No taxicab shall be operated until the taximeter
therein has been first inspected, tested, approved and
sealed. Sealing shall be accomplished as follows:
(1) The meter mechanism shall be sealed within the
case;
(2) Driving equipment shall be sealed at the upper end
of the meter bracket.
(f) No operator shall permit anyone to drive or operate a
taxicab if the taximeter has not been duly tested,
inspected, sealed and approved as required by this
Section, and it shall be unlawful to change the size of
the wheels or tires of any taxicab, or the gears
operating the taximeter, from one taxicab to another,
unless the taximeter is again tested, inspected, sealed
and approved before being used.
(g) No approval shall be given and no inspection
certificate for any taximeter shall be issued for any
taxicab until the taximeter attached thereto shall have
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been tested, sealed, inspected and found to be accurate
and in conformity with the specifications fixed by the
Administrator.
(h) Reinspection. Whenever a taximeter has been damaged or
repaired, or any of the official security seals have
been broken, such device shall not thereafter be used
until it has been officially examined and reapproved.
(i) A holder shall cause each taximeter in taxicabs
operating under its authority to be maintained in
proper operating condition. Every taximeter shall be
inspected, sealed and certified at installation, at
change in rate, and within one (1) year of the last
inspection, and otherwise is as required by this
Ordinance. A certificate of inspection shall be
issued by a qualified repair service approved by the
Administrator. Upon each inspection, the certificate
shall include:
(1) The identifying number of the taximeter.
(2) The make, model, serial number and license number
of the taxicab in which the taximeter is
installed.
(3) The name of the taxicab company or association.
(4) The date of inspection.
(S) A certification that the taximeter has been
inspected and approved as operating within the
limits of accuracy specified by the Administrator.
(6) Signature of the individual making the 389
certification.
A copy of the certification shall be forwarded to the
Administrator.
(j) The Administrator may order a taximeter to be tested at
any time, and a holder shall make the taxicab available
for testing when so ordered. The actual cost of such
tests and inspections shall be borne by the holder.
SECTION 10. Fare Collection Procedures.
(a) It shall be the duty of the taxicab driver to call the
attention of passengers the amount registered on the
taximeter, and the taximeter shall not be changed to
the "vacant" position until after the fare is paid.
(b) Upon request by a person paying a fare, the driver
shall give the person a legible receipt that indicates
the name of the holder under whom the taxicab is
operated, the driver's name, taxicab number, an
itemized list of charges, total amount of fare paid and
the date of payment.
(b) A holder shall provide each driver operating a taxicab
under its authority with printed receipt forms adequate
for providing the information required in Subsection
(b).
SECTION 11. Additional Charges.
An additional charge of fifty cents ($.50) may be made for
each passenger who is more than seven (7) years of age and
who is a member of a business or social group on a joint
mission with the passenger paying the fare.
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A surcharge of twenty -five cents ($.25) may be charged to
each passenger for trips originating at the Little Rock
Municipal Airport only.
A charge of twenty cents ($.20) per minute may be made for
all the time a taxicab is required to wait at the request of
the passenger. No additional charge shall be required for
baggage.
SECTION 14. Reserved.
PASSED: September 6, 1983
ATTEST: APPROVED:
City CrWk Jane Czech Mayor W. nafie d