(a)  Every motor vehicle used in the transportation of passengers for compensation in a taxicab service over the publicly used highways of this state shall be equipped with a taximeter. Any motor carrier or operator who shall knowingly and willfully cause a motor vehicle to be operated as a taxicab that is not equipped with a taximeter, or when so equipped the taximeter is not in a recording position for the purpose of registering charges at the time the service is rendered, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense; and, upon conviction for a second offense, shall be fined not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) and shall have his or her certificate suspended for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days; and, upon conviction for a third offense, shall be fined not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) and shall have his or her certificate suspended for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days.

lawyer at desk

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 39-14-14.1

  • Certificate: means a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued to a common carrier. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-14-1
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Division: means the division of public utilities and carriers. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-1-2
  • Motor carrier: means a common carrier by motor vehicle. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-14-1
  • Taxicab: means and includes every motor vehicle for hire, other than a jitney as defined in § 39-13-1, equipped with a taximeter, used for transporting members of the general public for compensation to any place within this state as may be directed by a passenger on a call-and-demand basis, when the solicitation or acceptance of the passenger occurs within the location named in the certificate; provided, that the vehicle's driver may, if and when solicited on a public highway at any location at which he or she is discharging a passenger, which location is not shown in the certificate, provide transportation from the location only to a place named in the certificate. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-14-1
  • Taximeter: means any instrument or device by which the charge for transportation in any taxicab or limited public motor vehicle is mechanically calculated and indicated by means of figures, either for distances traveled or for waiting time, or for both. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-14-1

(b)  A certificate holder authorized to provide taxicab services is not required to utilize the vehicle’s taximeter for registering charges when the transportation services are being coordinated by, and paid for by, a state department, authority, or agency on behalf of clients of the state department, authority, or agency, provided, the alternative method for registering or calculating charges is approved by the division.

History of Section.
P.L. 1973, ch. 201, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 252, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 306, § 1.