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Thursday, March 14, 1974
CONVERSION OF TAXI METERS STEPPED UP
The checking and sealing of taxi meters at the new rate is to
be stepped up by the Transport Department from next Monday (March 18).
A spokesman for the department said today that the two centres —
at Whitfield Barracks in Kowloon and So Kong Po on Hong Kong Island -
will be able to increase the number of daily appointment by between
50 and 100 per cent.
An additional machine for testing the taxi meters has already
been installed at Whitfield Barracks and this will be used solely for
checking the converted meters.
It is expected that the two centres will be able to handle a
total of about 70 meters each day. This includes normal annual and bi-annual
inspections which are being carried out simultaneously.
The recalibration of taxi meters began last Monday and up until
this morning a total of 111 had been checked and sealed at the new rate
of $2 for the first mile and 20 cents for each one-fifth of a mile.
The spokesman emphasised that taxi operators should not convert
their meters until they have secured an appointment with the Transport
Department for the meter to be checked and sealed.
Once the meter has been sealed by the department the taxi driver
or operator must remove the conversion table which was issued as a
temporary measure when the new fares were introduced.
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