In order to ensure that the city’s vehicle requirements are complied with, the operator and the owner of the vehicle shall be required to obtain a city vehicle permit that will be affixed to the vehicle. The fee for issuing the permit shall be ten dollars ($10.00). The fee should be paid to the billing and collection department before the vehicle is inspected and the receipt for payment should be shown to equipment services to verify payment. No person shall drive a taxicab and no operator shall permit a vehicle to be used as a taxicab when it does not have affixed a valid current city vehicle permit. The permit will be valid for a period of one (1) year. To obtain a permit, the owner must deliver the vehicle to the maintenance garage of the city for inspection. A city employee will inspect the vehicle pursuant to a checklist prepared by the director of equipment services and, if the vehicle is in compliance, issue the vehicle permit. Until such time as a valid current city inspection sticker is affixed to the vehicle, it shall not be operated and used as a taxicab in the city.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; 1957 Code, sec. 20-13)
Before being allowed to operate upon the streets of the city, each taxicab shall be inspected and approved pursuant to the laws of the state. No taxicab shall be driven or operated upon the streets of the city unless the same is in safe condition and free of mechanical defects, with brakes in excellent condition, and the interior and exterior appearance shall be clean and maintained in a reasonable state. Each taxicab shall be further regularly inspected once each year and shall be subject to at least one (1) annual random inspection. In the event that a taxicab is not approved, it shall be suspended from operation until it complies with all city requirements.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 98-14, sec. 1, adopted 2/10/98; 1957 Code, sec. 20-14)
(a) 
Each taxicab operated upon the streets of the city shall have painted upon both sides, in letters and numbers more than three (3) inches in height and one-half (1/2) inch in width, the trade name of the organization under whose license such taxicab is being operated and the number assigned to such taxicab by or under the direction of the chief of police.
(b) 
Such letters and numbers shall be painted on each taxicab with permanent, nonwashable paint of a color sharply contrasting to the color of the taxicab so that the same will be readily apparent, and such letters and numbers shall not at any time be covered with any substance, material or other object that would prevent the same being seen, or in any way obscure their visibility.
(c) 
In lieu of painted markings, a decal meeting the same specifications can be used.
(d) 
Taxicab companies shall not have more than two color schemes. Any color scheme must clearly show that the vehicle is operating as a taxicab, and must be distinguishable from the color scheme of other taxicab companies and must be approved by the chief of police.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; Ordinance 2008-05 adopted 2/12/08; 1957 Code, sec. 20-16; Ordinance 2008-31 adopted 7/22/08)
(a) 
The interior of each vehicle for hire shall be maintained in a clean condition, free of foreign matter and offensive odors. There shall be no litter in the vehicle or trunk and the seats shall be kept clean and without holes or large wear spots.
(b) 
All vehicles for hire shall present a clean environment for passengers.
(c) 
All taxicabs shall be required to post and maintain a sign clearly readable to the passengers in the vehicle which shall read as follows: “The driver and taxicab company are required by law to maintain the interior of the cab in a clean condition, free of foreign matter, and offensive odors. Complaints may be filed with the Police Department (Sergeant in the Traffic Division), No. (432)-335-5756. This cab number is __________.”
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; 1957 Code, sec. 20-17; Ordinance 2008-31 adopted 7/22/08)
(a) 
The minimum weight of a taxicab shall be two thousand (2,000) pounds, as determined by the manufacturer’s specifications.
(b) 
No taxicab shall be equipped with shades, curtains, or any other vision-obstructing device.
(c) 
No taxicab shall have less than four (4) doors, and each taxicab must be either an SUV or a sedan.
(d) 
No taxicab shall be a model that is more than seven (7) years old with the following exceptions: taxicabs permitted for service to Midland International Airport shall be no older than five (5) years.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 86-58, sec. 1, adopted 8/26/86; Ordinance 98-14, sec. 1, adopted 2/10/98; 1957 Code, sec. 20-18; Ordinance 2008-31 adopted 7/22/08)
(a) 
Exterior.
Headlights, taillights, brake lights, directional signal lights, license plate lights, windshield, vent glasses, windshield wipers, all other vehicle glass, glass window raisers, doors and door locks, trunk lid, trunk, hood, and interior door handles, exhaust system, hubcaps, bumpers, fenders, body and tires shall be maintained in a reasonably clean condition. There shall be no tears or rust holes in the vehicle body and no loose pieces such as fenders, bumpers or trim hanging from the vehicle body. There shall be no unrepaired body damage which would create a safety problem or interfere with the operation of the vehicle.
(b) 
Interior.
The rearview mirror, steering wheel, foot brakes, parking brakes, and air conditioning and heating systems shall be inspected to ascertain that each is functioning properly. The upholstery, floor mats, head lining, door panels, and trunk compartment shall be inspected to determine whether they are clean and free of tears and that the trunk has sufficient space for passengers’ luggage. The taximeter shall be inspected to determine that it is properly calibrated.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; 1957 Code, sec. 20-19)