€2,000 fine for taxi driver who did not switch on meter

A taxi driver who failed to switch on the tariff meter while carrying passengers has been fined €2,000 and has had his licence suspended for six months. His car has been confiscated for a month and had three penalty points deducted from his driving licence. Christopher Cope, 53, from Vittoriosa, had been stopped by Transport Malta officials on March 29, 2009 in Attard. They noticed that he only switched on the meter as he was being stopped. The point at which he had picked up tourists on their way to the airport was 1.2 kilometres from where he was stopped and the meter had a reading of €3.49, which was the starting price. Magistrate Francesco Depasquale found him guilty of failing to switch on the taxi meter.