Every person who drives a taxicab in the city, whether the owner of the taxicab he drives or not, shall be regarded as the employee, agent, and representative of the holder of the franchise for whom the taxicab is being operated, regardless of whether the franchise holder owns, leases, contracts for, or otherwise legally controls the taxicab so being driven and operated in the taxicab service of the franchise holder.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; 1957 Code, sec. 20-31)
(a) 
Every person, before driving or accepting employment to drive a taxicab, shall apply for and obtain a certificate of registration as a taxicab driver from the chief of police.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any operator to employ as a taxicab driver or permit any person to drive a taxicab of such service unless such person so employed or so permitted to drive shall have a certificate of registration in good standing for the current registration year duly issued by the chief of police.
(c) 
When the applicant complies with all requirements and pays the license fee, the certificate of registration shall be issued.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; 1957 Code, sec. 20-23)
Every person proposing to drive a taxicab under the provisions of this article shall apply for registration as a taxicab driver to the records division of the police department in writing on forms provided by the city. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for a one-year term, and every applicant shall furnish under oath the following information:
(1) 
Name, age, sex, and race for purposes of identification;
(2) 
Residence address in the city and telephone number;
(3) 
Name and business address of operator to whom applicant for registration intends to apply for employment as a taxicab driver;
(4) 
Number of years and months applicant has actually resided in the city next preceding the date of application, and the number of years and months applicant has resided in the state; also whether applicant is a citizen of the United States and whether citizenship is by birth or naturalization;
(5) 
Height, weight, color of eyes, complexion, color of hair, body and facial marks, and other physical characteristics useful in identifying applicant and distinguishing applicant from other persons;
(6) 
Experience applicant has had in driving a motor vehicle and specifically and by separate statement applicant’s experience, if any, in driving a taxicab, public transportation bus, or other vehicle or means of transportation for passengers or property;
(7) 
Number and date of expiration of state driver’s license issued to applicant;
(8) 
Whether applicant has ever been convicted, been on probation, parole, or served time on a sentence during the period of five (5) years prior to the date of application, for any misdemeanor violations of the law in the operation of motor vehicles, or had any driver’s or chauffeur’s license suspended or revoked for a period of five (5) years prior to the application, and full information concerning the convictions, violations, suspensions and revocations;
(9) 
That applicant has read in full and understood the provisions of this article;
(10) 
Exhibit a proficiency with the English language so as to be able to comprehend and interpret traffic signs, issue written receipts to passengers, and obey lawful orders of police and others in lawful authority;
(11) 
Whether the applicant has any defects of mind or body known to him to be a handicap in driving a motor vehicle.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 89-03, sec. 1, adopted 1/10/89; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; 1957 Code, sec. 20-24; Ordinance 2008-31 adopted 7/22/08)
Each applicant for registration as a taxicab driver shall submit to the records division a CCH, as herein provided, and the fingerprints of every such applicant shall be taken for purposes of identification. Every applicant shall be photographed so as to show clearly the head and facial features of the applicant, and such photograph shall be securely affixed to the certificate of registration issued to the applicant by the chief of police. The application fee shall be ten dollars ($10.00) as set forth in section 4-10-152. On the first application of a taxicab driver, the records division shall do a local criminal history. There shall be an additional fee of ten dollars ($10.00) paid to the city police department for a criminal history report from the state. If the applicant has not been a resident of the city for the six-month period immediately preceding his/her initial application, the records division will request local criminal history checks from all municipalities in which the applicant has lived during the six-month period preceding his/her application prior to issuing a temporary permit. If the driver’s local criminal history is clear and the driver shows adequate proof that the driver has submitted the application for the CCH, and all other ordinance requirements are fulfilled, the driver shall be issued a temporary permit that is good for up to forty-five (45) days. The temporary permit shall expire on notice that the CCH shows criminal history that is not permitted or for violation of any provisions of this article that require suspension, or at the end of the 45-day period, whichever is first. If the CCH is clear and not in violation of this article, and all other requirements have been complied with, the city shall issue a certificate of registration for the remainder of the one-year period. On a renewal of a permit, where a CCH has been provided, the records division shall do a local criminal history only and a CCH shall not be required. Permitted drivers shall be furnished proof of the current permitted status so that it can be displayed by the driver at any time when operating a taxicab.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; Ordinance 98-14, sec. 1, adopted 2/10/98; Ordinance 2004-30, sec. 2, adopted 8/10/04; 1957 Code, sec. 20-25)
The certificate of registration shall be plainly marked to show that it does not constitute a license or permit from the city, but that it is evidence only of the fact that the holder of such certificate has been registered for purposes of identification with the police department. While on duty as a driver, every driver shall keep the certificate of registration posted in the taxicab in a conspicuous place and within view of passengers.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; 1957 Code, sec. 20-26)
(a) 
Existing annual certificates shall expire one (1) year after issuance by the police department.
(b) 
All certificates issued or renewed shall be for a period of one (1) year and shall expire one (1) year after issuance by the police department.
(c) 
Certificates may be renewed upon written application to the chief of police, accompanied by a renewal fee of ten dollars ($10.00), unless the original certificate has been revoked for good cause or has expired for failure to renew prior to the expiration date.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 89-03, sec. 2, adopted 1/10/89; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; 1957 Code, sec. 20-27)
The certificate of registration provided for hereinabove may be denied or suspended or revoked for any of the following reasons, in the discretion of the chief of police:
(1) 
Driver not at least eighteen (18) years of age;
(2) 
Fails to possess a valid Texas driver’s license, which must have been held for a minimum period of one (1) year prior to application;
(3) 
Fails to be a citizen of the United States or an alien admitted for permanent residence or who has otherwise been granted employment authorization by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service;
(4) 
Fails to exhibit a proficiency with the English language so as to be able to comprehend and interpret traffic signs, issue written receipts to passengers, and obey lawful orders of police and others in lawful authority;
(5) 
Convicted of a crime that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the driver as provided in section 4-1-1 of the city code and guidelines adopted by the city manager and on file for public inspection in the office of the city secretary;
(6) 
Fails to wear proper clothing while operating a vehicle for hire. As used herein, the term “proper clothing” shall mean shoes, pants to ankle length or skirt or dress and shirt or blouse with sleeves and collar. If a hat is worn, it shall be a baseball-style cap or chauffeur’s cap. Clothing shall not be visibly soiled;
(7) 
Continues to smoke, or plays a radio or tape player, or uses profanity, if objected to by a passenger;
(8) 
Fails to provide the police with notice of any change of address within five (5) days of such change;
(9) 
Mental incompetence to a degree that the person is not held responsible for criminal actions in a court of law or is not competent to stand trial;
(10) 
A violation of any provision of this article by the driver;
(11) 
Any false or misleading statement made by the applicant for registration on the written application.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; Ordinance 95-13, sec. 1, adopted 2/14/95; Ordinance 98-14, sec. 1, adopted 2/10/98; Ordinance 2004-06, sec. 3, adopted 1/27/04; Ordinance 2008-05 adopted 2/12/08; 1957 Code, sec. 20-28)
A registration file shall be kept and maintained in the police department on each person to whom a certificate of registration as a taxicab driver has been issued by the chief of police. The file shall contain all information furnished by the applicant under this article and all other facts and data supplied by investigation of the police department, including, without limitation, fingerprints, personal history, police or criminal record, character, experience, qualifications, and such other matters considered by the chief of police to be consistent with and pertinent to a showing whether the registered driver is a fit and proper person to drive and operate a taxicab within the corporate limits of the city in a manner consistent with the welfare of the citizenry of the city.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; 1957 Code, sec. 20-29)
The registration file of any registered taxicab driver may be inspected at the police station by any holder of a taxicab franchise upon showing that the registered driver has applied to the franchise holder for employment as a driver. Every applicant for registration as a taxicab driver under the provisions of this article shall execute an agreement and waiver in writing, at the time of filing the application, by which the applicant authorizes the chief of police, or any person in the police department designated by the chief of police, to permit a franchise holder to make such examination in good faith to determine whether, in the judgment of the prospective employer, the registered driver should be employed to drive taxicabs in the city.
(Ordinance 85-76, sec. 1, adopted 9/10/85; 1957 Code, sec. 20-30)