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There seems to be some confusion about PROGRAMMING and CALIBRATION of your taximeter. Let’s define both and note the differences.PROGRAMMING: Your taximeter is a small computer. It cannot do anything by itself until it is “programmed” with your rates, charges, fees and information about HOW the money is to be calculated. You tell it things like the Initial “flag drop” fee, the amount you charge per mile, what increment of coinage is to be registered (like 25-cents per tenth of a mile), how much to charge for waiting time, etc.. Programming also sets up such things as multiple rates if needed, lease time-outs, special circumstances for changing rates, etc. Most meters are quite simple. If they are purchased from Fred Stock Electronics or www.TaxiCabElectronics.com, they arrive at your door already programmed with your information (providing you have given that to us.) Your meter must be programmed in order to work.CALIBRATION: Once the meter is installed in your car, and connected properly including a source for measuring travel activity, it receives data from your car on the actual distance you have moved. Understand, the meter needs to know exactly how many pulses are sent to it in the distance of one exact mile (or kilometer if that is your local system.) This is accomplished by “calibrating” the meter. This is usually accomplished by driving an exact measured mile with the meter in “counting” mode. Then you enter the information into the meter computer memory, in effect telling it, “expect this many pulses in one mile.” It then applies the program already in the meter, and produces your fares and other information. It is illegal to operate a meter which has not been calibrated to the vehicle’s systems. Most places, you’ll then need to take it to “weights and measures” or a regulatory agency or police inspector to be inspected and “sealed”.The meter on the top left is an illegal meter. It lacks the blue seal that the city or state inspector from the weights
and measures office.this meter is widely used in alabama.
This meter bottom left is legal and has an inspection seal placed on front so that the passenger in the back seat can
see it. notice the blue seal.
An educated consumer will never get ripped off.If you feel that you have been overcharged, here is a link to the Better
Business Bureau. www.BBB.org or www.ago.state.al.us
A cab driver has lost his license, after an investigation revealed he was ripping off riders by charging twice the normal
rate.
Taxi and Limousine Commission officials say they've pulled Wasim Khalid Cheema's license. The city began examining his records after a passenger complained the fare increased quickly during a trip from Manhattan to Queens last summer. Officials used GPS data to determine Cheema was overcharging by setting his meter to the suburban rate, which is double the rate used within the city limits. The city determined Cheema had overcharged passengers nearly 600 times in just one month, and that he earned $40,000 more than the average cab driver in six months.....This driver did this where taxi meters are regulated, in auburn these meters are not ,in the state of alabama, the weights and measures law states that these meters be inspected and calibrated.No one in the state of Alabama is inspecting these meters, if they did you would see a seal placed on the meter by the dept, of agriculture weights and measures division.this is the main reason why we at twin city taxi charge our customers a flat fee. |
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