(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)
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:
(A) 
$100,000.00 for the injury or death of one or more persons in any one accident; and
(B) 
$50,000.00 for the injury or destruction of property in any one accident.
(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)