§ 102-60. Inspection.

(a)

The chief of police shall have the right to inspect all taxicabs licensed or to be licensed under this division to determine if such vehicles meet the following minimum standards:

(1)

Each vehicle shall be equipped with a fire extinguisher that has a fire extinguisher tag evidencing that the extinguisher was inspected by a fire extinguisher service during the 30-day period immediately preceding the application or renewal of such application for a taxicab permit;

(2)

Each vehicle shall be free from dirt or rubbish and shall be otherwise clean and sanitary;

(3)

The vehicle identification number and license number shall be compared to the numbers listed on the taxicab license application for accuracy;

(4)

Each vehicle shall have the proper lettering painted on the door as required by this article;

(5)

Each vehicle shall be inspected each year by a person authorized to conduct vehicle safety inspections by the state. Such inspection shall be the same as the yearly state vehicle safety inspection;

(6)

Each vehicle shall be equipped with an air conditioner that is in good working order and shall have windshields that are free from cracks; and

(7)

Each vehicle shall be equipped with a taximeter and shall have a certificate of calibration showing that such taximeter was calibrated within the 30-day period immediately preceding the application or renewal of such application for a taxicab permit and that the taximeter is in good working order.

(b)

The chief of police shall forward his findings to the city clerk prior to the issuance or transfer of a taxicab license so that a determination can be made by the city clerk that all inspection requirements have been met.

(c)

At no time shall any taxicab that is found to be unsafe by the chief of police be operated over the streets of the city. Nothing in this section, however, shall prevent the city from inspecting any taxicab at any time and if the city, through its agents, servants or employees, finds that any taxicab is in a defective condition, the chief of police shall order the use of the taxicab discontinued until the taxicab is reinspected and approved.

(Code 1967, § 29-16; Ord. No. 6926, § 1, 2-10-94; Ord. No. 7920, § 3, 3-13-97)