Ordinance No. 6,926Published In: THE BAYTOWN SUN
Thursday, Feb. 24, 1994 940210 -1
Friday, Feb. 25, 1994
ORDINANCE NO. 6926
AN ORDINANCE REPEALING CHAPTER 29, "TAXICABS," OF THE
CODE OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS, AND REPLACING
IT WITH A NEW CHAPTER 29, "TAXICABS "; PROVIDING A
REPEALING CLAUSE; CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF.
Section 1: That Chapter 29, "Taxicabs," of the Code of
Ordinances, City of Baytown, Texas, is hereby repealed and replaced
with a new Chapter 29 "Taxicabs," to read as follows:
ARTICLE I. IN GENERAL
Sec. 29 -1. Definitions.
(a) Cruise or cruising. The movement of unoccupied taxicabs
over the public streets of the city in search of or
soliciting prospective passengers for hire; except,
however, unoccupied taxicabs proceeding to answer a call
for taxicab service from an intended passenger, and
taxicabs returning to a taxi terminal or sub -taxi
terminal, by the most direct route, after having
discharged a passenger or passengers, shall not be
considered cruising.
(b) Driver or chauffeur. Every person in actual charge of
the operation of a taxicab, as herein defined whether as
owner or agent, servant or employee of the "owner," as
herein defined.
(c) Limousine. Any automobile or self - propelled vehicle used
for transportation of a passenger for hire over a public
street of the City of Baytown, whereby the rate for hire
of such vehicle is based solely upon the time the vehicle
is used, with a minimum time being charged of at least
two ( 2 ) hours, and the vehicle is routed to a destination
under the direction of the passenger or person hiring the
same.
(d) Manifest. A daily record prepared by the taxicab driver
of all trips made by such driver showing time and place
of origin, destination, number of passengers, the amount
of fare for passengers, and total number of hours driven.
(e) Owner and taxicab operator. Any person who has the
control, direction, maintenance and the benefit of the
collection of revenue derived from the operation of
taxicabs on or over the streets or public ways of the
city, whether as owner or otherwise, except "driver" as
hereinafter defined.
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(f) Permit. Authority granted to the owner allowing such
owner to operate a taxicab or taxicabs and shall
authorize such operator of a taxicab or taxicabs to
engage in the business of transportation by taxicab, and
shall include the term "license."
(g) Taxicab. Every automobile, or self - propelled vehicle
used for transportation of a passenger for hire over the
public streets of the City of Baytown, irrespective of
whether or not the operations extend beyond the city
limits, at rates for distance traveled, wait time, or for
both, or at rates per hour, whereby such vehicle is
routed to a destination under the direction of the
passenger or person hiring the same. However, the term
"taxicab" shall not apply to vehicles or motor buses
operating over a fixed or definite route under permit,
franchise, or license issued by the city or other
regulatory authority, nor to school buses (either private
or public) , church buses, authorized emergency vehicles,
limousines, or vehicles hired in connection with funeral
service, nor to any vehicle for hire whose route
originates outside of the city and passes through the
city without discharge or pickup of a passenger or whose
route is terminated within the city without picking up a
passenger.
(h) Taximeter. A machine adapted automatically to calculate
at predetermined rate or rates, and to register, the
charge for hire of a taxicab and such charges shall be
indicated by means of figures.
(i) Taxi sub - terminal. Any place other than a taxi terminal
in which the drivers or chauffeurs of taxicabs shall
receive calls from a dispatcher and said calls are
relayed from a taxi terminal and which shall likewise
mean and embrace the space and area used by taxicabs
while waiting for passengers.
(j) Terminal. The taxi depot at which place the taxicabs
shall be housed or parked, and at which place the
telephone calls and requests for service shall be made,
and at which place a dispatcher shall control the
movements of the taxicabs to points of request for
taxicab service. This term shall likewise be synonymous
with taxi terminal and shall mean and embrace that space
and area of land and buildings off the streets of the
city, and upon private property, and shall be and
constitute the main office of the owner and taxicab
operator.
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(6) Each vehicle shall be equipped with an air
conditioner that is in good working order and shall
have windshields that are free from cracks.
(7) Each vehicle shall be equipped with a taximeter and
shall have a certificate of calibration showing
that such taximeter was calibrated within the
thirty (30) day period immediately preceding the
application or renewal of such application for a
taxicab permit and that the taximeter is in good
working order.
(b) The chief of police or his designee shall forward his
findings to the city clerk prior to the issuance or
transfer of a taxicab license so that a determination can
be made by the city clerk that all inspection
requirements have been met.
(c) At no time shall any taxicab that is found to be unsafe
by the chief of police or his designee be operated over
the streets of the city. Nothing herein, however, shall
prevent the city from inspecting any taxicab at any time
and if the city, through its agents, servants, and /or
employees, should find that any taxicab is in a defective
condition, the chief of police shall order the use of
said taxicab discontinued until the same is reinspected
and approved.
Sec. 29 -17. License renewal; not transferable.
Each permit issued hereunder may be renewed from year to
year by the holder of the permit provided same has not been
cancelled for any violation under this chapter. The permit
issued under this chapter shall be deemed personal to the
holder thereof and shall not be transferable or assignable.
Section 29 -18. Insurance required.
(a) Any applicant for vehicle- for -hire licensing under this
chapter shall, before the license can be issued, procure,
maintain, and furnish proof of financial responsibility
as required by law and as hereinafter prescribed. Said
applicant shall keep in full force and effect during the
entire term of his license a policy of public liability
and property damage insurance, insuring the public
against any loss or damage that may result to any person
or property from the operation of such vehicle or
vehicles. Specifically such coverage shall be no less
than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) for bodily
injury to or death of one person in any one accident and,
subject to said limit for one person in the amount of
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forty thousand ($40,000.00) for bodily injury to or death
to two (2) or more persons in any one accident, and in
the amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) for
injury to or destruction of property of others in any one
accident. Insurance coverage means an insurance policy
or policies and /or a certificate, or certificates of
insurance covering all taxicabs of the insured, insured
by a company or companies qualified to do business in the
State of Texas and performable in Harris County, Texas.
The insurance company shall be of sufficient assets, with
an agent in Texas upon whom service of process may be
made, and shall be approved by the city attorney. All
insurance policies and /or certificates of insurance must
contain a provision or an endorsement, requiring that the
city clerk shall be given at least ten (10) days' written
notice prior to the date of cancellation before such
policy may be cancelled by the insurer for any cause.
(b) Should the city attorney determine that the public
liability and property damage insurance policy provided
for above has become impaired, and requires new and
additional insurance, the city attorney shall require
such additional insurance in such company or companies as
he may feel is required to insure a faithful performance
by the operator of taxicabs, his agents, servants and
employees as well as a payment by such operator of
taxicabs, his agents, servants and employees or by reason
of the violation by said operator of taxicabs,
individually or through his agents, servants, or
employees of any of the ordinances of the City of
Baytown, or any of the laws of the State of Texas, or of
the United States of America.
(c) In the event that the insurance policy is cancelled and
no insurance policy is filed by the owner or taxicab
operator before the cancellation, the license to operate
taxicabs granted to such person shall be automatically
revoked.
(d) The insurance policy described above shall be issued to
cover the year during which the taxicab license is to be
in full force and effect.
Sec. 29 -19. City not responsible for solvency of insurer;
suits on insurance policy.
Neither the city nor any officer thereof shall be held
liable for the pecuniary responsibility or solvency of any
insurer or in any manner become liable for any sum on account
of any such claim or act or omission relating to any taxicab
nor shall the liability of the owner of any taxicab nor his
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insurer be in any manner limited or changed in connection with
this chapter, but the judgment creditors having causes of
action secured thereby shall be authorized to sue directly on
such policy of insurance without impleading the city, and all
persons known to any insurer to have been injured or damaged
in the same accident and claiming damages thereunder may be
parties without priority of claim on payment in any suit had
or instituted on account of such matters.
Sec. 29 -20. Payment of ad valorem taxes.
It shall be the duty of every owner of a taxicab that is
operated in the city limits to pay all ad valorem taxes
assessed by the city against such vehicle and all other
personal and /or real property used in such business. Failure
to pay such ad valorem taxes before they become ninety (90)
days delinquent shall operate as a revocation of the permit
issued in accordance with this chapter.
Sec. 29 -21. Alteration of terms of permit by city council.
The city council expressly reserves the right to modify
amend, change or eliminate any of the provisions of any permit
during the life of the same for any of the following purposes:
(1) To eliminate or delegate any conditions as might
prove obsolete or impractical
(2) To impose any additional conditions upon any owner,
as may be just and reasonable, and which are deemed
necessary for the purpose of promoting adequate,
efficient, safe taxicab service to the public.
Sec. 29 -22. Cancellation of license.
All operators of taxicabs in the city shall be licensed
in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas. In
addition to the penalties as provided for in this code for the
violation of any of the provisions of its laws, any owner or
operator of a taxicab service who violates any section
contained herein, including permitting drivers to operate or
drive any vehicle while not properly licensed, is subject to
the immediate cancellation of his license to operate in the
City of Baytown by the Chief of Police. However, not less
than ten (10) days before such cancellation, the owner shall
be given written notice and an opportunity to be heard before
the Chief of Police as to why the license should not be
cancelled. No such notice or hearing shall be deemed
necessary prior to the revocation of a license for failure to
maintain proper insurance as required in Section 29 -18.
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Sec. 29 -23. Existing permits.
All holders of valid, legally issued taxi permits which
are actually and legally being operated by the holder thereof
on the effective date of this chapter shall have the right to
secure the same number of such permits that they are so
holding and using, by accepting all the terms and provisions
of this chapter and by fully complying with the same within
sixty (60) days after the effective date hereof.
Secs. 29 -24 -- 29 -37. Reserved.
ARTICLE III. OPERATING REGULATIONS
Sec. 29 -38. Posting of license.
Both the license issued by the city clerk and the
official identification of each taxicab driver required herein
shall be posted by the applicant within the vehicle in a
conspicuous place, visible to all passengers; and it shall be
a violation to fail to do so.
Sec. 29 -39. Lettering on vehicle.
Such vehicle shall have on the each side and in the rear
of said taxicab the name of the owner or the assumed name
under which the owner operates, together with the company's
telephone number and the cab number. All of the lettering
mentioned in this paragraph shall not be less than two and
one -half (2 -1/2) inches in height and not less than five -
sixteenths (5/16) of an inch in stroke. The letters shall be
of such a nature that will weather the elements and must be
kept legible at all times.
Sec. 29 -40. Uniform Coloring.
Each taxicab permit owner shall adopt a standard color or
combination of colors and shall not operate a taxicab until
all of the taxicabs are painted the color or combination of
colors adopted by the permit holder.
Sec. 29 -41. Driver approval; driving limit; display of
license; age of driver.
(a) No person may drive or operate any taxicab unless and
until the applicant has provided his /her name, address,
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age, driver's license number, social security number, a
copy of a valid Texas Driver's License, and Department of
Public Safety driving record to the city clerk. Further,
during the term of the license, if any driver is involved
in a traffic accident, receives a ticket for a traffic
violation which is reflected on such driver's Department
of Public Safety Driving record, or commits any offense
which is so reflected, the licensee shall immediately
provide the city clerk an updated Department of Public
Safety driving record for that driver. No operator or
driver of any taxicab shall operate any motor vehicle for
more than ten (10) hours in any twenty -four (24) hour
period. All drivers shall display upon request and shall
have on their person a valid driver's license issued by
the State of Texas. No person under the age of nineteen
(19) years of age shall operate a taxicab.
(b) No driver shall operate a taxicab in the City of Baytown
unless he or she has signed an affidavit stating under
oath that he or she has not been convicted of a felony
crime within the preceding five (5) years or a crime of
moral turpitude. Further, such affidavit shall state
that the driver has not been convicted of the following
specific crimes: driving while intoxicated (a final
conviction within the most recent two years of
licensing), aggravated assault, rape, or theft over
$200.00. Such affidavit shall be filed by the applicant
or licensee with the city clerk prior to the driver
operating a taxicab in the City of Baytown.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any owner or taxicab operator to
permit any taxicab to be driven or operated within the
corporate limits of the city by any person except the
owner of said taxicab or legally authorized agent or
employee of the owner or operator who has satisfied all
the requirements herein.
Sec. 29 -42. Overcrowding.
It shall be unlawful for any person engaged in the
taxicab business to overcrowd the taxicab and thereby endanger
the passengers carried therein; the term "overcrowded" shall
mean that the driver is transporting a greater number of
people in the vehicle than has been recommended by the
manufacturer of the vehicle or for whom there is not a seat
belt, inclusive of the driver.
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Sec. 29 -43. Passengers right of exclusive occupancy.
When a taxicab is engaged, the passenger shall have the
exclusive right to the full and free use of the passenger
compartment and it shall be unlawful for the taxicab driver or
licensee to solicit or carry additional passengers therein,
except with the consent of the passenger who engaged the
taxicab originally.
Sec. 29 -44. Cruising prohibited.
No driver shall cruise at any time. Whenever a taxicab
is unoccupied, the driver shall proceed at once by the most
direct route to the nearest terminal or taxi sub - terminal, or
if dispatched by radio, it shall proceed at once by the most
direct route to the place directed by the radio dispatcher.
Sec. 29 -45. Soliciting prohibited.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any driver or operator of any
taxicab or for any other person to seek or solicit
passengers for any such taxicab by word or by sign,
directly or indirectly while driving on any public street
or public place of the city or while parked on any public
street or alley of the city.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any driver or operator to speak
or call out in a loud manner "taxicab," "automobile for
hire," "hack," "carriage," "bus," "baggage," or "hotel"
or in any manner attempt to solicit passengers at any
passenger depot or upon any passenger depot platform,
grounds or premises of any railroad company, air terminal
or bus station, or upon any sidewalk or street of the
City of Baytown.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any driver or operator of any
taxicab to respond to a call unless he is properly
dispatched. A taxicab is properly dispatched when a
customer or his /her designee requests service from a
taxicab company and the company upon which such request
is made directs one of its taxicab drivers or operators
to respond to such request.
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Sec. 29 -46. Transportation for unlawful purposes.
It shall be unlawful for any driver of a taxicab,
knowingly to transport any person to the abode of a prostitute
or to knowingly transport any person, criminal, narcotic
peddler, or prostitute, for the purpose of aiding in the
commission of a crime or the violation of the law in any
manner or to act in any manner as a pimp for prostitutes, or
to act as a contact -man for any unlawful establishment of any
character.
Sec. 29 -47. Lost or misplaced property.
(a) It shall be the duty of every taxicab driver to return
immediately to the owner, if known, all luggage, merchandise,
or other property left in his taxicab. If the owner of such
property is not known, the driver shall immediately turn over
property to the manager of the taxi terminal from which he
operates all property whatsoever left in his taxicab, giving
a complete report of when and where it was left in his
taxicab.
(b) All of such property shall be tagged for identification
purposes, and if it is not called for by its owner within
seven (7) days, it shall be placed in storage by the taxicab
owner, where it shall be held for at least ninety (90) days,
after which, if not called for by its owner, it maybe sold for
storage charges according to existing state laws pertaining to
public sales.
Sec. 29 -48. Daily manifest.
Every driver of a taxicab shall maintain a daily manifest
upon which is recorded all trips made each day, showing the
time and place of origin and destination of each trip, number
of passengers, the amount of fare, and total number of hours
driven. All such completed manifests shall be returned to the
owner of the taxicab by whom the driver is employed at the
conclusion of the driver's tour of duty of the day. It shall
be the duty of the owner to furnish the forms for such
manifest record and to see that such manifest is kept daily by
each driver.
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Sec. 29 -49. Taximeters.
All taxicabs operating upon the streets in the city shall
be installed and equipped with taximeters which said
taximeters shall be in good working order and subject to
inspection at any and all reasonable times by the city, the
city manager, or his designee.
Sec. 29 -50. Passengers must pay for use of cabs.
It shall be unlawful for any passenger to refuse to pay
the legal fare due from him for the use of any taxicab after
having hired the same. Any person who hires any taxicab with
the intent to defraud the person from whom it is hired, and
after using the same, fails or refuses to pay the taxicab fare
due him shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Sec. 29 -51. Terminals and sub - terminals.
(a) Every operator of a taxicab shall maintain within the
city limits a terminal or terminals of sufficient size to
accommodate all of the owner's taxicabs. Every operator shall
maintain twenty -four (24) hour per day public telephone
service at not less than one of such terminals. Sub - terminals
at hotels, depots and other places shall be preapproved by the
chief of police.
(b) The drivers of taxicabs using sub - terminals shall remain
seated in their vehicles at all times while such vehicle is at
a sub - terminal. However, such drivers may leave their
vehicles when actually necessary to assist passengers to enter
or leave same, or in any case of accident, necessity or
emergency beyond the control of the driver.
(c) The form and type of a terminal shall be of such a nature
that affords a safe, sanitary and lawful operation of
transportation by the taxicabs. The site, location and type
of proposed buildings and the sanitary conditions of the
terminal shall be reflected in the application.
Sec. 29 -52. 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:
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(1) The rate of fare for one or more passengers picked
up from the same point and delivered to a common
destination shall be one dollar and forty cents
($1.40) initial fare and fifteen cents ($.15) for
each one - seventh (1/7) mile.
(2) Waiting time consumed by the taxicab at the instance
of the passengers shall be at the rate of twelve
dollars ($12.00) per hour. Waiting time shall be
registered on the taxicab's meter with the selector
lever in the time position.
(3 ) In the event two ( 2 ) or more passengers are going to
the same destination, the driver shall collect only
one fare as recorded on the taximeter. If the
passengers are going to different destinations, the
driver shall clear his meter at the first
destination and charge the first passenger the
amount recorded on the taximeter, and proceed to
the next destination as though it were a completely
new trip. Other destinations shall be treated
likewise.
(b) No taxicab shall be operated any time with a
passenger unless the meter is correctly operating and
showing the 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 such taxicab until the meter has been
fixed and adjusted.
(c) It shall be the duty of the applicant or licensee to
have the taximeter in each taxicab inspected during the
thirty day period immediately preceding the application
for taxicab permit and to provide written proof that each
taximeter is in good working order and free from
mechanical defects. The city shall have the right to
inspect the taximeter at any time it so desires.
Sec. 29 -53. 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 rate cards displayed in
the taxicab and /or the rate shown on the meter, freewill tips
excepted.
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Sec. 29 -54. Penalties
Each violation of this chapter shall constitute a
separate offense and shall each be punishable as a Class C
Misdemeanor.
Section 2: 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 the subject
matter covered by this ordinance.
Section 3: If any provisions, section, exception, subsection,
paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance or the
application of same to any person or set of circumstances, shall
for any reason be held unconstitutional, 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 4: This ordinance shall take effect from and after
ten (10) days from its passage by the City Council. This City
Clerk is hereby directed to give notice hereof by causing the
caption of this ordinance to be published in the official newspaper
of the City of Baytown at least twice within ten (10) days after
passage of this ordinance.
INTRODUCED, READ and PASSED by the affirmative vote of the
City Council of the City of Baytown this the 10th day of February,
1994.
PETE C. ALFARO, Mayor
ATTEST:
EILEEN P. HALL, City Clerk
ACID RAMIR Z, SR , ity Attorney
WORDTAXI
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940210 -1b
(k) Waiting time. Such time as may be consumed or lost at
the special instance and request of a passenger after
such passenger has first entered the taxicab to make a
trip and before reaching its final destination. No
charge shall be made against a passenger for any time
lost on account of any other delay whatsoever.
Sec. 29 -2. Enforcement of chapter.
It shall be the duty of the
authorized subordinates, particular
the police department, to enforce
police power and all provisions of
to any violation of this chapter
taxicabs in the city.
Secs. 29 -3 -- 29 -12. Reserved.
city manager or his duly
-1y the chief of police and
this chapter under their
this chapter with respect
and to the regulation of
ARTICLE II. APPLICATION FOR PERMIT
Sec. 29 -13. License required.
No individual, firm, or corporation shall drive or
operate or cause to be driven or operated any taxicab or
taxicab service for the transportation for hire of persons
upon or over any street in the city unless there has first
been obtained for such, a license duly issued by the city as
hereinafter provided. It shall be and is hereby declared
unlawful to do the hereinabove without the prior license which
must be in full force and effect.
Sec. 29 -14. Application.
(a) Applications for licenses for taxicab service within the
city shall be filed with the city clerk on a form
provided by the city. Applications for renewal of
existing licenses shall be filed on or before December
30, of each calendar year. Application for initial
service may be made at any time. The applicant shall
provide the following information:
(1) Name of company;
(2) Address of company;
(3) Telephone number of company;
(4) If corporation, name and address of major officers
of corporation and major stockholders;
(5) If partnership, name and address of partners;
(6) If sole proprietorship, name and address of owner;
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(7) Description of make, vehicle identification number,
and license number of each taxicab;
(8) Name, address, age, driver's license number, social
security number, copy of a valid Texas Driver's
License, and a Department of Public Safety driving
record for the applicant and each driver. Such
information shall be kept current during the permit
period. The driving record shall be reviewed for
each driver by the city clerk. No driver who has
been convicted of two or more traffic violations
involving motor vehicle accidents within the past
twelve (12) months shall be allowed to drive a
taxicab or taxicab service upon or over any street
in the city. Failure to provide such information
to the city clerk for each driver operating a
taxicab within the city shall be grounds for
revoking the license of the taxicab company;
(9) Written proof that the minimum standards for each
vehicle as required in this chapter have been met
or surpassed;
(10) Seating capacity of each taxicab according to its
trade rating;
(11) Terminal location;
(12) Standard color or combination of colors adopted by
the applicant for the applicant's taxicab fleet;
and
(13) Color visa -sized photograph cut to 14" by 1;" of
each driver requesting an official identification
or renewal of the same.
(b) The application shall include a sworn statement by the
applicant that the information provided in the
application is true and correct.
(c) Each application shall be accompanied by a non - refundable
license fee of seventy -five dollars ($75.00) per vehicle
to cover the expense of carrying out the provisions of
this chapter.
Sec. 29 -15. Issuance of license and official identification.
(a) The city clerk shall issue to each applicant a license or
renewal thereof for each vehicle upon the filing of written
proof of insurance as required herein, upon insuring that all
city taxes on each vehicle and on all other personal and /or
real property used in such business have been paid and upon a
determination that all requirements of this chapter have been
met. Licenses shall be issued for a twelve -month period.
Such period shall run from January 1 to December 31 of each
year. Any new license issued during the year shall begin on
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the date of issuance and end on December 31 of that year. The
license shall state the period for which the license is
issued, the name of the owner or operator of the vehicle, the
make of vehicle, the vehicle identification number, the
current license number, and that the said vehicle is a
taxicab.
(b) After the city clerk has issued the taxicab license, the
chief of police shall issue an official identification to each
driver of the licensed taxicab company, who has met all of the
requirements herein and is therefore authorized to operate a
taxicab within the incorporated limits of the City of Baytown.
This official identification shall be entitled "Official
Identification -- Baytown Taxicab Driver" and shall contain a
photograph of the driver, the driver's name, the name of the
taxicab company, the issue date of the official
identification, and the expiration date of the same. Such
identification shall expire no later than two years after its
issuance on December 31. It shall be the responsibility of
the applicant for the license to insure that each driver's
official identification is current.
Sec. 29 -16. Inspection; authority of chief of police.
(a) The Chief of Police or his designee shall have the right
to inspect all taxicabs licensed or to be licensed under
this law to determine if such vehicles meet the following
minimum standards:
(1) Each vehicle shall be equipped with a fire
extinguisher that has a fire extinguisher tag
evidencing that the extinguisher was inspected by a
fire extinguisher service during the thirty (30)
day period immediately preceding the application or
renewal of such application for a taxicab permit.
(2) Each vehicle shall be free from dirt or rubbish and
shall be otherwise clean and sanitary.
(3) The vehicle identification number and license
number shall be compared to the numbers listed on
the taxicab license application for accuracy.
(4) Each vehicle shall have the proper lettering
painted on the door as required by this chapter.
(5) Each vehicle shall be inspected twice a year by a
person authorized to conduct vehicle safety
inspections by the State of Texas. Such inspection
shall be the same as the yearly state vehicle
safety inspection and must be passed within the
thirty (30) day period immediately preceding the
application or renewal of such application for a
taxicab permit and thereafter in December and June
of each year.
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