(a)
The
city council shall have the right to review charges, fares, or rates
of all taxicabs operating in the city, and from time to time, alter
or change such rules and regulations. Before any charges, fares, or
rates shall be changed and in order to ascertain the facts, the city
council shall have full power to inspect the books, papers, and other
documents in respect to the affairs of any taxicab company and to
compel the attendance of witnesses to ascertain the true condition
of said business.
(b)
It
shall be unlawful for any taxicab operator to charge higher rates
than those rates which have been approved by the city council and
are on file with the city secretary.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse to pay the legal
fare of any taxicab after having hired the same, and it shall be unlawful
for any person to hire any taxicab with intent to defraud the person
from whom it is.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
All drivers of taxicabs shall promptly deliver to the police
department of the city or to their employers all property left in
such vehicles by passengers. If a driver delivers such articles to
his employer, the latter shall deliver them to the police department.
When articles left in taxicabs have been delivered to the office of
the chief of police, he shall make an entry of the fact in a book
provided for that claimed by the owner, as the city council may authorize.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
(a)
It
shall be unlawful for any person to drive a taxicab unless such person
holds a valid class C license issued by the Texas Department of Public
Safety.
(b)
In
addition, no person may drive a taxicab if he or she has been convicted
of a felony or class A misdemeanor citizenship restored by other official
action; or is afflicted with a physical or mental disease or disability
that is likely to prevent him from exercising ordinary or that is
likely to endanger the public health or safety; or that has been convicted
of more than four moving traffic violations arising out of separate
transactions or involved in more than two automobile accidents in
which it could be reasonably determined that he was at fault within
any 12-month period during the preceding three years; or has been
convicted of, or discharged by probations or deferred adjudication
for, driving while intoxicated within the preceding 12 months or more
than one time within the preceding three years.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
There shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the inside of
each taxicab for the passenger’s view, a card showing the rates
charged for the use of such taxicab. The owner or operator of each
taxicab shall be responsible for the posting of such rate cards and
phone number of the city to receive complaints against the taxi service.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
No taxicab shall be operated in the city unless it is equipped
with a meter to register the fare to be charged and which shall be
clearly visible to the passenger, unless taxi is operating under a
flat rate system. The taximeter must be maintained in good operating
condition and shall be tested and sealed at least once each year in
accordance with state weights and measure laws. The owner or operator
of the taxicab shall be responsible for furnishing certification of
such testing by a qualified inspector to the city before any permit
or renewal of any permit is granted. Such inspection shall not be
longer than 30 days prior to any application for a permit or renewal.
The city reserves the right at anytime to require any taximeter to
be tested by an inspector of their choice, especially if there is
reason to believe that said meter is not calibrated accurately or
is not registering properly. Any testing of taximeters shall be at
the owner’s expense.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
All taxicabs shall have 4-inch lettering located on both the
side doors and rear of vehicle indicating the vehicle is a taxicab.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
Any taxicab driver employed to carry passengers to a definite
point shall take the most direct route possible that will carry passengers
safely and expeditiously to their destination.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
(a)
Permit required to operate taxicab.
All persons who
shall engage in the business of owning and operating taxicabs on the
public streets, avenues, and alleys of the city shall be required
to operate under a permit to be secured from and granted by the city
council.
(b)
Application for permit.
Application for a permit to
engage in a taxicab business shall be made to the city council and
shall show a public necessity and convenience therefor.
(c)
Liability insurance required.
(1)
Before any person shall be issued a permit to operate a taxicab business
in the city, he or she shall have filed with the city secretary a
policy of public liability and property damage insurance written by
an insurance company duly authorized to do business in the state and
performable in the county insuring the public against any loss or
damage from the operation of such taxicab. The maximum amount of recovery
of such policy shall not be less than the following:
(2)
However, if such taxicabs are also to be operated from within the
city to destinations outside the city and operate under the jurisdiction
of the Texas Railroad Commission, the amount and character of insurance
coverage shall not be less than specified by the Texas Railroad Commission
for such vehicles. Each insurance policy shall also contain an endorsement
that cancellation of such policy shall not become effective before
ten days’ written notice to the city of such termination or
cancellation.
(d)
Permit fee.
(1)
Any person to whom a permit is issued for the operation of a taxicab
company shall pay a $50.00 annual fee for each taxicab owned and operated.
(2)
At the election of the taxicab company, said payments may be made
for the full term of one year, or quarterly or monthly. Said payments
in any event shall be made in advance on or before the tenth day of
the month in which said payments shall become due. Failure or refusal
to make such payment when due shall automatically revoke the permit
issued by the city and work a forfeiture of the right of any such
person to operate taxicabs within the city.
(e)
Transfer of permits and consolidations prohibited without city consent.
No person holding a permit from the city to engage in the taxicab
business shall at any time transfer such permit, or any part of it,
to any other person or make any consolidation with any such person
without the consent of the city council expressed by motion and passage
of said motion by the city council.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
The city council shall have the right to revoke any business
permit to operate a taxicab service within the city for any misrepresentation
of facts given in the permit application or for any violation of any
section of this article or any other state law or ordinance of the
city regulating or pertaining to the operation of taxicabs.
(Ordinance 2009-01-05-010 adopted 1/5/09)
