Q8. Are there any laws regulating the installation of taximeter and receipt printer in a taxi?
Installation of taximeter
Yes.
Under Regulation 44 of Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374A) :-
- Every taximeter shall be tested by the Commissioner for Transport before it is fitted to a taxi and thereafter at intervals of not more than 6 months, and, if the tests prove satisfactory and the receipt printing device installed in respect of the taxi (whether by forming part of or being connected to the taximeter) is in proper working order, stamped and sealed by the Commissioner for Transport.
- The registered owner of a taxi shall submit the taxi, with the meter properly affixed, to the Commissioner for Transport in order that tests may be made.
- The registered owner of a taxi shall report to the Commissioner for Transport, as soon as reasonably practicable, any fault or damage to the taximeter fitted to the taxi that may result in any inaccurate recording of the fare, or any damage to any stamp or seal of the Commissioner for Transport thereon.
Under Regulation 121(3)-(4) of Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374A) :-
- Any person who uses or suffers or permits to be used to ply for hire or for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward on any road, any taxi on which—
- the stamp or seal of the Commissioner for Transport on the taximeter has been broken;
- the taximeter has not been stamped and sealed by the Commissioner for Transport within the previous 6 months;
- the wheel of the taxi by which the taximeter is driven is, with fully inflated tyre thereon, of a diameter different from that for which the taximeter has been designed, geared and tested or that marked on the taximeter;
- the taximeter was affixed thereon without the prior approval of the Commissioner for Transport;
- the taximeter does not comply in every way with the provisions of these regulations; or
- a receipt printing device is not installed in accordance with Regulation 42A,
commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $10,000 and to imprisonment for 6 months.
- Any person who without lawful excuse defaces, damages or alters any taximeter commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $10,000 and to imprisonment for 6 months.
Under Regulation 49(1)(a) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D), the driver of a taxi available for hire shall display the taximeter indicator.
Thus, it is implied from these Regulations under Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374A) and the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D) that the installation of a taximeter on a taxi is mandatory or otherwise the fares cannot be properly calculated.
Installation of receipt printer
Yes, there are laws regulating the installation of receipt printer.
Under Regulation 42A of Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374A), there shall be installed a device, which is capable whilst in proper working order of printing a fare receipt within 12 seconds, in respect of every taxi, either by forming part of or being connected to the taximeter with which the taxi is fitted.
Under Regulation 49A(1) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D), a receipt issued in respect of the payment of any fare for the hiring of a taxi shall be printed by the receipt printing device installed in respect of the taxi; and comply with the requirements set out in Part I of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D).
Under Regulation 49A(2) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D), where the receipt printing device installed in respect of a taxi is not in proper working order, a receipt shall be issued by the driver of the taxi and comply with the requirements set out in Part II of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D).
Under Part I of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D), a receipt issued in respect of the payment of any fare for the hiring of a taxi must be in a form specified by the Commissioner for Transport and must include:
- registration number of the taxi;
- date and time when the journey starts;
- date and time when the journey ends;
- total distance travelled;
- distance over which a distance rate is charged;
- waiting time over which a time rate is charged;
- surcharges, if any; and
- total taxi fare.
The letters, characters, and figures on the receipt must be printed in black or blue and be at least 2 millimetres in height. The receipt must also be printed on paper with a white background.
Under Part II of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D), a driver shall issue a hand-written fare receipt in a pre-printed form prescribed by the Commissioner for Transport upon request which contains information as taxi number, date of journey, time of the end of the journey, fare shown on the meter, surcharges if any, total taxi fare and name of the driver.
Thus, there are laws regulating the installation of receipt printing device, and it is implied from the Regulation 49(1) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D) that a receipt printing device in compliance with Part I of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D) is required.