Ordinance No. 2,020ORDINANCE NO.2020
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OFORDINANCES OF THE
CITY OF BAYTOWN,TEXAS,BY THE AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 29,
TAXICABS,BY AMENDING SECTIONS 29-50 and 29-51 THEREOF,
SOAS TO REPEAL THE PROVISIONS OF SUCH SECTIONS AS
PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED,AND TOSUBMIT IN THEIR PLACES A
NEW SECTION 29-50 SETTING FORTH THE RATES ANDFARESTO
BE CHARGED BY TAXICABS IN THE CITY AND PROVIDING THAT
THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL HAVETHE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR
ESTABLISH NEW RATES OR FARES AT ANY TIME IT DEEMS
NECESSARY,AND A NEW SECTION 29-51 MAKING IT UNLAWFUL
TO VIOLATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER;CONTAINING A
REPEALING CLAUSE;CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE,AND
PROVIDINGFOR THE PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THECITY OF
BAYTOWN,TEXAS:
Section 1:That the Code of Ordinances of the City of
Baytown,Texas,is hereby amended by amending Chapter 29,
Taxicabs,by repealing Sections 29-50 and 29-51 thereof,and
the same shall cease to have force and effect from and after
the effective date of this ordinance.
Section 2:That the Code of Ordinances herein is
hereby amended by adding thereto,a new Section 29-50,
Fares,in Chapter 29,Taxicabs,which shall read as follows,
towit:
Section 29-50.Fares.
(a)The City Council shall have the right to change or
establish the rates and fares to be charged by taxicabs in
the City at any time it deems necessary by ordinance.Until
otherwise changed by the City Council,the following taxicab
rates and fares shall be effective in the City:
(1)The rate or fare for one or more passengers picked
upfrom the same point and delivered to a common
destination shall be Ninety-five ($.95)cents
initial fare andTen ($.10)cents for each two-
tenths (2/10)mile.
(2)Waiting time consumed by the taxicab at the instance
of the passenger shallbe at the rate of five
($5.00)dollars per hour.Waiting time shall be
registered on the taxicab's meter with the selector
lever in the time position.
(b)No taxicab shall be operated any time with a
passenger unless the meter is correctly operating and
showingthe rates that are being charged.If at any time
the taximeter stops or fails to operate or is operating
incorrectly,it shall be the duty of the operator of the
taxicab to immediately take the taxicab to its terminal and
not operate it until the meter has been fixed and adjusted.
(c)It shall be the duty of the operator or each
taxicab to have the taximeterinspected at the same time the
car is inspected by the City to see thatsame is in good
working order and free of mechanical defects.The City
shall have the right to inspect the taximeter at any time it
so desires.
Section 3:That the Code of Ordinances herein is
hereby amended by adding thereto,a new Section 29-51,
Misdemeanor to overcharge,in Chapter 29,Taxicabs,which
shall read as follows,towit:
Section 29-51.Misdemeanor to overcharge.
It shall be unlawful for any owner,driver,or operator
of any taxicab to refuse to convey a passenger over the most
direct route practical,or to demand or receive an amount in
excess of the rates displayed on the ratecards displayed in
the taxicab and/orthe rate shown on the meter,freewill
tips excepted,orto violate any of the provisions of this
Chapter.
Section 4:Repealing Clause:All ordinances or parts
of ordinances inconsistent with the terms of this ordinance
are hereby repealed;provided,however,that such repeal
shall be only to the extent of such inconsistency and in all
other respects this ordinance shall be cumulative of other
ordinances regulating and governing thesubject matter
covered by this ordinance.
Section 5:Savings Clause:If any provision,exception,
section,subsection,paragraph,sentence,clause,or phrase
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of this ordinance or the application of same to any person
or set of circumstances shall forany reason be held uncon
stitutional,void or invalid,such invalidity shall not
affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this
ordinance or their application to other persons or sets of
circumstances and to this end,all provisions of this
ordinance are declared to be severable.
Section 6:Effective Date:This ordinance shall take
effect from and after ten (10)days from its adoption by the
City Council.TheCityClerk is hereby directed to give
notice hereof by causing the caption of this ordinance tobe
published in the official newspaper of the City of Baytown
at least twice within ten days after its passage.
INTRODUCED,READ and PASSED by the affirmative vote of
the City Council ofthe City of Baytown,on this loth day
1976.
TOM GENTRY,Mayor
ATTEST:"
EI-EEEN P.HALL,City Clerk
APPROVED:
NEEL R/CKARDSON,City Attorney
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