1967-008 NO
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF DENTON
PROVIDING FOR THE LICENSING OF TAXICABS AND DRIVERS,
REGULATING TAXICABS, PROVIDING FOR RATES FOR CARRIAGE
OF PASSENGERS, FOR POLICIES OF INSURANCE, AND REVO-
CATION OF LICENSE, CREATING THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR
OF TAXICABS, DEFINING HIS DUTIES, AND PROVIDING FOR
APPEAL FROM HIS DECISION, PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES
FOR VIOLATION OF SAID ORDINANCE, AND DECLARING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, HEREBY ORDAINS
SECTION I.
That the Code of Ordinances of the City of Denton, Texas,
is hereby amended and supplanted by adding new Sections 26-43
through 26-64, ~nclus~ve, to said Code which shall hereafter
read as follows
SECTION 26-43 - DEFINITIONS
CITY - (a) The term "City" as used in this ordinance shall
mean the City of Denton, Texas.
STREET - (b) The term "Street" as used in this ordinance
shall mean and include any street, alley, avenue, land, boule-
vard, drive, public place or highway commonly used for the
purpose of public travel wlth~n the zncorporated limits of the
C~ty of Denton
TAXICAB - (c) The term "Taxicab" as used in thzs ordznance
shall mean every automoblle or motor propelled vehicle used for
transportation of passengers for h~re over the publzc streets
of the C~ty of Denton and irrespective of whether or not the
operaltlons extend beyond the incorporated l~m~ts of the C~ty of
Denton PROVIDED, however, the term "Tax~cab" shall not apply
to motor buses operated w~thln the incorporated l~mzts of the
City of Denton under a franchise from the Czty over a fzxed or
defined route, nor shall sald term apply to motor buses regular-
ly operated over a f~xed and defined route zn the C~ty to or
from points outside of the ~ncorporated llmlts
PERSON - (4) The term "Person" shall ~nclude both singular
and plural, and shall mean and ~nclude any ~ndzvzdual, fzrm,
corporation, association, partnershzp or soczety,and their
agents, servants or employees
CRUISE - (e) The term "Cruise" or "Cruising" as used in
thzs ordinance shall mean the movement of unoccupied tax~cabs
over the publmc streets of the City of Denton ~n search of
prospective passengers for hire EXCEPT, however, unoccupied
taxzdabs proceeding to answer a telephone call for taxlcab
servmce from an ~ntend~ng passenger, and tax~cabs returning by
the most d~rect roads, after havzng discharged a passenger, to
the garage where such taxicab is housed, or to the unoccupzed
tax~cab stand nearest the place of dzscharge of the passenger
or passengers, shall not be conszdered to be cruising
Page 1
OWNER - (f) The term "Owner" when used in this ordinance
shall be construed to mean any person, firm, corporation,
association, partnership or society who has the control, direc-
tion, maintenance and the benefit of the collection of revenue
derived from the operation of taxicabs on or over the streets
or public ways of theClty, whether as owner or otherwise, except
as "Driver" as hereinafter defined
DRIVER - (g) The term "Driver" shall be held to include
every person in actual charge of the operation of a taxicab,
as herein defined, whether as owner or agent, servant or em-
ployee of the "Owner" as herein defined
TAXIMETER - (h) The term "Taximeter" as used in this
ordinance shall mean a machine adapted automatically to calcu-
late, at a predetermined rate or rates, and to register, the
charge for hire of a tax,cab and such charges shall be indicat-
ed by means of figures
WAITING TIME - (1) The term "Waiting Time" as used in
this ordinance shall mean such times 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 be-
fore reachlng his final destination and no charge shall be
made agalnst a passenger for any time lost on account of any
other delay whatsoever
SECTION 26-44 - INSPECTOR OF TAXICABS.
Ail taxicabs shall be under the supervision of an officer
to be known as Inspector of Taxicabs of the City of Denton,
who shall be appointed by the City Manager
SECTION 26-.45 - DUTIES OF INSPECTOR OF TAXICABS
(a) APPLICATION - It shall be the duty of said Inspector
of Taxicabs and his successors in office, to receive from owners
applications for permit to operate taxicabs, and to receive
applications for chauffeur's license, conduct hearing thereon,
from time to t~me inspect the operations of taxicabs within the
incorporated limits of the City, and to perform such other and
further duties as may be required of him in connection with
sa~d taxicab bus~ness
(b) INSPECTION - It shall be the duty of every owner to
have every taxicab licensed hereunder inspected every slx (6)
months by a qualified automobile mechanic doing business in
the C~ty, which mechanic shall be approved for maklng such
test by the Inspector of Taxicabs such test to include condi-
tion of lights, brakesj steering un~ts, and general mechanical
condition, and such mechanlce shall issue his certificate certi-
fying that such vehicle has been tested showing the date thereof
and the description of the vehicle, and that the same ~s in good
mechanical condlt~on, which shall be f~led with the Inspector
of Taxicabs, who shall then paste a paper seal on said vehicle
statlng the date said vehicle was inspected, and that said
vehicle was approved by him
No taxicab shall be operated in the City without the
approval seal of the Inspector of Taxicabs being attached
Page 2
thereto. If said Inspector of Taxicabs finds that said
taxicab ~s ~n a defective condition and ~s unsafe to be used
as a taxlcab he shall order sa~d vehicle not to be used as a
taxicab untll sald defect is remedied After the owner of
sald vehicle has remedied sa~d defect, he shall again offer
same for ~nspect~on, and ~f said Inspectorof Tax~cabs shall
find sa~d vehicle to be safe for public use he shall approve
said as hereinbefore provided If said vehicle is st~ll ~n a
defecltlve condition he shall order the same not to be used
until ~t passes the inspection of sa~d Inspector No additional
fee for said lnspect~on shall be charged No taxicab found to
be unsafe by the Inspector of Tax~cabs shall be operated over
the streets of the C~ty Nothing here~n, however, shall pre-
vent said Inspeotor of Tax.cabs from inspecting any tax.cab
at any reasonable time that he sees f~t, and upon finding ~t
to be ~n a defective condition shall order its use as a tax.-
cab discontinued until same is approved. A complete record
shall be kept by sa~d Inspector of all inspections made
(c) DEFECTIVE TAXI - Should the Inspector of Tax~cabs
flnd any taxicab ~n a defective condition and shall order ~ts
use as a tax~cab d~scont~nued the owner of such taxicab shall
have the right to appeal to the C~ty Council as hereinafter
provided
SECTION 26-46 - LICENSES
(a) REQUIRED - It shall be unlawful for any person to
dr~ve or operate, or cause to be driven or operated, any taxi-
cab upon or over any street in the C~ty of Denton, unless there
has been obtained by th~owner of and for such tax~cab and exlst-
lng ~n full force and effect, a license duly issued by the C~ty
Secretary of the Clty of Denton as hereinafter provided
(b) NECESSITY - No l~cense to operate taxicabs shall be
· ssued by the City Seoretary until the Inspector of Taxicabs
of sa~d Clty shall, after a hearing duly had, declare by cert-
ificate that the pu~llc convenience and necessity require the
proposed tax~cab service for whlch application for l~cense ~s
made
(c) NECESSITY, HOW DETERMINED - In determining whether
public convenience and necessity require the licensing of such
tax.cabs for which application may be made, the Inspector of
Tax.cabs shall take ~nto consideration whether the demands for
pu l~c convenience and necessity require such proposed or such
additional tax.cab serv~oe within the C~ty, the f~nanclal
responslb~l~ty of the applicant, the number, kind, type and
ownership of equipment, the lncreased traffic congestion on
the streets of the C~ty which may result, and whether the safe
use of the public streets of the City by the public, both
vehicular and pedestrian, w~ll be unduly endangered by the
granting of such additional l~cense, and such other relevant
facts as the Council may deem advisable or necessary, which may
throw llght on the public necessity and convenience
(d) APPLICATION, HEARING - Any applicant for a taxlcab
l~cense under the provision of this Section, shall make proper
application therefor on blanks to be furnished by the Inspector
Page 3
of Taxicabs, andlmmedlately upon filing of such applacatlon
the Inspector of Tax,cabs shall cause a notice to be published
· n the official newspaper of the C~ty, the cost of publishing
sa~d not~oe shall be advanced in full by the applicant, and
said not,ce shall state that application has been f~led for a
taxicab license, setting forth the name of the applicant, k~nd
of equipment, theownersh~p of same, and all other pertinent data
set forth in said application which theClty Council may deem
necessary, and said publ~oat~on shall constitute a notlce to all
holders of the ex~stlng tax~cab licenses that a publ~ hearing
will be held by the Inspector of Taxicabs at a publlc place an
the C~ty of Denton, Texas, to be designated, at a t~me given in
said not~ce, sa~d designated time shall not be less than five
days nor more than fifteen days after date of the first publa-
cation of sa~d not~ce, and said not,ce, is to be published
for three successlve days All holders of taxacab licenses or
any other citizen shall thereupon be entitled to file any comp-
lalnts or protests that sa~d party may see fit In all such
hearings the burden of proof shall be upon the applicant to
establish by clear, cogent and convincing evidence that the
public convenience and necessaty require such operation of the
vehicle or vehicles for which saad appllcataon has been made
(e) CERTIFICATE - If the Inspector of Taxicabs finds
from his investigation and hearing that the publac convenience
and necessity justify the operation of the vehicle or vehicles
for which sa~d license is desired he shall notify the applicant
of his finding, and w~thln fave days thereafter the applicant
shall furnish to the Inspector of Taxicabs any and all relevant
information which may be required and if the Inspector of Taxi-
cabs then f~nds that the applicant ~s the owner of the vehicle
or vehicles for whlch license is desired, as the term "owner"
as defined in this ordinance, he shall require of such applacant
a policy of insurance as hereinafter provided, and ~f he shall
further find that such policy of insurance has been filed, and
approved as hereinafter provaded for, and such vehacle or vehicles
comply w~th and the applicant has complied w~th all relevant ord-
inances of the Clty, and all rules and regulations established
to more effectively carry out the purpose and intent of th~s
ordinance, he shall issue h~s wratten certificate to the City
Secretary certifying that the public convenience and necessity
require the operation of sa~d tax~cabs, or any less number there-
of which the applicant desires and proposes to operate, and that
said appllcant is entitled to have sa~d vehicle or vehicles
licenses as taxicabs upon complying w~th all other provisions
of th~s ordinance
(f) NOTICE - If the Inspector of Ta, xlcabs finds from such
investigation and hearing that the public ~onvenlence and nec-
ess~ty do not justify the operation of the vehicle for which
license is desired, he shall forthwith not~fy the applicant of
said f~ndlng
(g) APPEAL - After the Inspector of Tax,cabs has made his
flndlngs and has declared the same, either the applicant for
sa~d,l~cense or the opponent or opponents of said applacat~on
shall have the r~ght to appeal to the City Council of the City
of Denton, as hereinafter provided
Page 4
(h) MAY REVOKE OR SUSPEND - Upon complaint against a
license filed by any person w~th the Inspector of Taxicabs, or
upon has own motlon, charging violation of any of the terms
of this ordinance, or any ordinances of the C~ty of Denton, or
laws of the State of Texas regulating motor vehicles, the
Inspector of Taxlcabs after glvlng five days not.ce of the
gound of sa~d complaint to such licensee against whom complaint
· s made, may hear evidence w~th reference to such complaint,
and after such hearing the Inspector of Tax~cabs may revoke or
suspend the l~cense for good cause shown
(~) FINDINGS - After the Inspector of Taxicabs has heard
the complaint for the revocation or suspension of the l~cense
of any owner of a taxicab, he shall make h~s f~nd~ngs and
declarethe same, and e~ther the owner of such tax~cab or the
complainant shall have the right to appeal to the C~ty Council
as hereinafter set out
(]) LICENSE CONTENTS - Sa~d l~cense shall state the year
for which ~t ~s issued, the name of the owner of said vehicle,
shall designate that sa~d vehicle is a "Tax~cab", shall state
the make of sa~d vehicle, the engine number of sa~ vehicle, and
the current l~cense number of said vehicle, and shall state
the amount of l~cense tax pa~d for the operation of said vehicle
and shall further state that the owner of said vehicle has de-
poslted w~th the City an ~nsurance policy for the protection
of the passengers thereof and of the general public as provided
for in this ordinance, and said l~cense shall be signed by the
C~ty Secretary, and countersigned by the Inspector of Taxicabs
S~CTION 26-47 PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE
(a) REQUIRED - Before any lzcense shall be ~ssued to any
owner of a tax~cab hereznbefore defzned, or before any renewal
of llcenses shall be granted, the owner shall be required to
fzle with the City Secretary, and thereafter keep in full force
and effect, a policy of public liability ~nsurance approved by
the Clty Attorney executed by an insurance company duly authorized
to do busmness ~n the State of Texas, and performable in Denton
County, Texas, insuring the public agaznst any loss or damage
that may result to any person or property from the operation of
such vehicle or vehzcles, and the maximum amount of recovery ~n
such policy of znsurance specified, shall not be less than the
following sums, to w~t
For total l~abll~ty in any one accident for personal ln3ur~es
or death, $90,000 00
For the ~n]ury or death of any one person ~n any one accident,
$10,000 00
For ~nDury or destruction of property ~n any one accident,
$5,000 00.
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if it be shown to the satlsfact~on
of the Inspector of Tax~cabs that pol~czes ~n the above amounts
cannot be obtazned, then policies ~n lesser amounts may be se-
cured and fzled in full compliance w~th the provisions hereof,
upon Cert~flcate to that effect being filed wzth the City Secretary
by the Inspector of Taxzcabs, and upon approval of the stated
lesser amounts by the Clty Attorney
Page 5
(b) EXCEPTIONS, EMPLOYEES - The above described public
liability insurance shall be for the protection of the passengers
of said vehlcles and for the pbllc, but shall not cover personal
ln]urles sustained by the servants, agents or employees of the
person as filing the same
(c) CONTINUING - All policies of public l~ab~llty ~nsurance
shall contain a provlslon for a continuing l~ablllty thereon up
to the full amount thereof, notwathstandlng any recovery thereon
(d) JUDGMENT-EXECUTIONS - In the event of the return un-
sat~sfaed of any execution assued on any f~nal ]udgment rendered
agaanst any such person, firm or corporation, an any actaon for
damages on account of injury to person or property occasaoned
by the operataon of any such motor vehicle, such person, firm
or corporataon, wathln ten days after the return of such execu-
tion unsatisfied, provided said judgment is stall unpaid, shall
ancrease the amount of thear ansurance by the amount of such
judgment, and faalang to do so shall forthwath cease the operation
of motor vehacles in the Caty until such additional insurance
as deposited or such judgment as paid
(e) RELEASE OF INSURER - In the event that any insurer
may desare to be released from any ansurance, at may gave wratten
notice of such desire to the Inspector of Taxicabs at least
ten days before at desires 1ts llabalaty released, and the
Inspector of Taxicabs shall thereupon give written notace by
personal delivery or by maal to any such licensee, and demand
that saad lacensee, furnash new assurance before or upon the
expiration of the ten-day period above provided for and shall
dascharge such farst ansurer from any liability whach shall
accrue after the time of approval by the City Attorney of such
new polacy that said licensee may fale, or shall dascharge such
farst ansurer after the exparataon of said ten-day period
(f) CANCELLATION - And, PROVIDED FURTHER, in the event any
policy is so cancelled upon the request of the surety or insurer,
and no insurance policy Ks filed by said l~censee before the
cancellataon of saad orlganal assurance, then the lacense to
operate taxacabs granted to said licensee shall be automatically
revoked
(g) CITY NOT LIABLE - An~, PROVIDED FURTHER, that neither
saad City nor any officer thereof shall he held liable for the
pecuniary responsabal~ty or solvency of any such insurer, or in
any manner become laable for any sum on account of any such
claam or act or omlssaon relating to any such motor vehicle,
nor shall the laaballty of the owner of any such motor vehacle
be in any manner l~mzted or changed in connection with th~s
orda~ance of such license or assurance but the judgment creditors
havang causes of actlo~secured thereby shall be authorized to
sue directly on such policy of insurance without zmpleadlng the
Caty of Denton, and all persons known to any insurer to have
been injured or damaged in the same accident and clalmang damages
thereunder may be made partaes without praoraty of claim on pay-
ment in any suat had or anstatuted on account of such matters
SECTION 26-48 - TAXES
(a) After the Inspector of Taxacabs has issued certlfacates
to the City Secretary as provaded for ~n this ordinance, and
Page 6
before any license or renewal of 1Kcense, to operate a tax~cab
shall be issued, the City Secretary shall examine the Tax
Records of the C~ty and ascertain whether or not the ad valorem
taxes assessed by the C~ty against the vehicle or vehicles and
other equipment to be used in the buslness of the appllcant have
been fully pa~d If sa~d ad valorem taxes have not been paKd,
said C~ty Secretary shall refuse to ~ssue the applicant such
l~cense or renewal thereof until all of said ad valorem taxes
have been pa~d If said ad valorem taxes have been pa~d saKd
CKty Secretary shall lssue to sa~d applicant for l~cense a
l~cense or renewal thereof for each and every vehicle as shown
by the certificate as provided for in thls ordKnance f~led with
him by the Inspector of Taxicabs to operate such vehicle or
vehicles over the streets of the City as a Taxicab, upon payment
by sa~d applicant of the llcense and inspection fees hereinafter
provlded for In no event shall a l~cense or cert~fKcate be
issued wlthout a certificate of publlc convenience and necessity
having been ~ssued for same by the Inspector of Tax,cabs, and
Kf any llcense ~s lssued w~thout sa~d certKflcate sa~d l~cense
shall be void and of no effect.
(b) It shall be the duty of every owner of every taxicab
operated wKthln the C~ty to render all vehKcles or other equlp-
ment used in such buslness, and a failure to render for and to
pay such ad valorem taxes to the Clty before they become delinquent
shall operate as a revocation of any license or permit authori-
zing the operation over the public streets, alleys and ways of
the Clty of any such tax,cab
(c) No permit or l~cense or renewal thereof authorizing
the operation of any suoh tax,cabs on the streets, alleys and
ways of the C~ty shall ever be ~ssued if any delinquent taxes
are ~ue the C~ty upon any tax~oab for which such permit or
l~cense or renewal thereof is sought or if the owner there of
has falled to render same for ad valorem taxation
SECTION 26-49 - LICENSE AND INSPECTION FEE
In order to defray a part of the expense necessary to
provide surveillance, supervision and ~nspectlon of taxicabs
required under the terms and provisions of thKs ordinance,
there ~s hereby lev~ed a license and Knspectlon fee of $15 00
per annum for each tax,cab so operated plus $20 00 per annum,
which fee shall be collected from every person, firm or corpor-
ation owning and operatlng tax,cabs on the streets of the City,
by the C~ty Secretary before sa~d license or renewal thereof
· s ~ssued Sald fee shall be payable in advance on an annual
basks, and shall be due and payable for any year not later than
the 1st day of January of any year,such fee to cover the calendar
year If a l~cense to operate any tax~cab is granted during a
current year the fee shall be pald for the balance of the year
ending December 31st IN the event a tax~cab on which the fee
has been pa~d for the then current year Ks sold, wrecked or
destroyed, the owner thereof shall have the r~ght to replace
sald~taxlcab wlth another, and upon wrKtten appllcatKon to the
Inspector of Taxlcabs, the l~cense and inspection fee therefor
pa~d on sa~d tax,cab so sold, wrecked, or destroyed shall be
made applicable to the vehlcle designated to replace such taxa-
cabs so sold, wrecked or destroyed, and the 1Kcensee shall
surrender the l~cense certificate on the vehicle so sold,
wrecked or destroyed before received a new l~cense certificate
In case any llcensee shall lose his
Page 7
license certificate, sald l~censee shall forthwith and before
doing any further business procure a duplicate l~cense cert~f~-
cate from the City Secretary, an~ shall pay for such duplicate
l~cense certificate the sum of One Dollar ($1 00). There shall
not ~n any event be any refund of license and ~nspect~on fees
pa~d under th~s ordinance The fees shall be pa~d to the City
Secretary who shall ~ssue a receapt therefor on a form prepared
by h~m for that purpose.
SECTION 26-5.~ - USED BY LICENSEE ONLY, AND APPROVED CHAUFFERS
No tax~cab for which a l~cense shall have been issued shall
be operated by any one except the l~censee thereof, or any
employee properly qualified, and approved by the Inspector of
Tax,cabs L~censee shall obtain the name, address and last
place of employment of each and every l~censed chauffeur apply-
ang for work before hiring h~m, and further saad lacensee shall
forthwith furnish to the Inspector of Tax~cabs the name and
address of every licensed chauffeur before has being hired, and
of every l~censed chauffer that may be d~scharged
SECTION 26-51 - TRANSFER OF LICENSE
No llcense ~ssued under the terms of th~s ordlnance shall
be transferred to any other person, nor shall such license be
used for the operataon of any vehlcle except for the vehicle
for which sa~d l~cense ~s ~ssued
SECTION 26-52 - LICENSE POSTED IN CAB
The license assued for the operation of a tax~cab under
the terms of th~s ordanance shall be posted wlthan saad taxacab
· n a conspicuous place, and it shall be a v~olatlon of thas
ordinance for a failure to do so
sECTION 26-53 - OWNER'S NAME ON CAB
Every tax,cab shall have painted, or affixed by decal on
the door of the cab the name of the owner or the trade name
under which the owner operates, together w~th the owner's
telephone number, and the cab number, and the number of the cab
and the telephone number of the owner shall be affixed upon the
rear of all such vehicles All the lettering mentioned ~n th~s
paragraph shall be not less then two ~nches an height, and not
less than one-fourth (%) ~nch in stroke
SECTION 26-54 - RIGHTS OF PASSENGERS
Any driver employed to carry passengers to a definite
point shall take the most d~rect route possible that w~ll
carry the passengers safely and expeditiously to thear destination
SECTION 26-55 - FARES TO BE CHARGED - RATES
It shall be unlawful for any person to charge more for
transporting passengers for h~re w~thln the C~ty than provaded
· n the followang schedule
From Zone 1 to another point ~n Zone 1 $0 50
From Zone 1 to Zone 2 0 75
Page 8
From Zone 1 to Zone 3 . . $1 00
From Zone 2 to Zone 1 0 75
From Zone 2 to Zone 2 crossing Zone 1 0 85
From Zone 2 to Zone 3 1 00 ~
From Zone 3 to Zone 1 1 00
From Zone 3 to Zone 2 1 00
From Zone 3 to Zone 3 crossing intervening. 1 ~0 J
zones
The above schedule of rates shall apply to the first
passenger, and a fee of thirty cents (30¢) for each additional
passenger shall be the ~axlmum charge where the additional
passenger or passengers are picked up at the same point and
are transported to the same point as the first passenger.
In the case of children between the ages of 6 and 12 years
of age the fare charged shall be one-half (%) that of an adult
fare
SECTION 26-56 - FARES POSTED
There shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the inside
of each licensed taxicab, in addition to the l~cense issued to
licensee r equated by this ordinance, a card showing the rates
charged by said taxicab There shall also be placed in a con-
splcuous place inside of each licensed taxicab a card bearing
the name and chauffeur's lacense number of the dr~ver of said
taxicab as assued to ham by the City Secretary
SECTION 26-57 - FARES MUST BE PAID
It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse to pay the
legal fareof any of the vehicles mentaoned in this ordinance
after having hired the same
SECTION 26-58 - RECEIPTS TO PASSENGERS
It shall be unlawful forthe driver of any taxicab upon
receiving full payment of a fare to refuse to g~ve a receipt
upon the request of any passenger making said payment
SECTION 26-59 - EXCESSIVE FARES
It shall be unlawful for the owner or driver of any tax~cab
to refuse to convey a passenger at the rate spec~fled on the
rate card displayed in said taxicab, or demand or receive an
amount an excess of the rates displayed on said card Except,
that such owner or driver may refuse to convey a passenger
than being gualty of misconduct or a breach of the peace
SECTION 26-60 - CRUISING
No draver shall cruase in search of passengers at any
tame, and whenever a taxacab is unoccupied the driver shall
proceed at once by the most direct route to the garage where
the vehicle is housed, or to the licensee's nearest taxicab
stand or lot
SECTION 26-61 - SOLICITING
It shall be unlawful for any owner or driver of any tax~cab,
or for any other person, to seek or solicit patrons or passen-
gers for any such taxicab by word or by sign, directly or in-
Page 9
directly wh~le driving any such taxacab over, through, or in
any publlc street or public place of the Caty or whale same ls
parked on any publlc street or alley of the City or to repeat-
edly or perslstently dr~ve any taxlcab through, over or on
any publlc streets or places of the Caty, except an response to
calls by patrons for sa~d tax,cab, or wh~le actually transport-
ang passengers there~n
SECTION 26-62 - LOCATION OF TAXICABS
(a) No tax,cab shall be located upon any street of the
City except upon permlt therefor issued by the Inspector of
Taxicabs, after application by any owner setting forth the
place where saad stand ls desared to be placed and the number
of cabs to be kept at such place Any such permit may be re-
voked at any t~me by the Inspector of Tax~cabs, after hearing,
after f~ve days not,ce to the owner, on h~s own motion or on
the appllcat~on of any ~nterested party
(b) After the Inspector of Tax,cabs has held hearang for
the grantlng of a permlt for location of any taxicab stand
upon any street ~n the C~ty, or for the revocation of any such
permlt, he shall make his f~nd~ng and declare the same and either
the owner or any ~nterested party shall have the r~ght to appeal
to the C~ty Council of the City of Denton as hereinafter provided
SECTION 26-63 - LICENSED CHAUFFEURS
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to dr~ve or operate
or cause to be drlven or operated, any taxlcab for hare upon
or over the streets of the C~ty of Denton unless the dr~ver of
sa~d tax~cab shall have obtaaned a chauffeur's lacense assued
by the C~ty Secretary
(b) All l~censed chauffeurs when operating a taxicab must
keep themselves clean ~n person and dress, and they must das-
play the card lssued to them by the Clty Secretary ~n sald taxacab
(c) APPLICATION - Any person deslrlng to obtaan a chauffeur's
license to operate a tax,cab shall f~le with the Inspector of
Taxacabs application therefor on blanks to be furnished by sald
Inspector, g~vang his name, age, present address and place of
employment during the past three years, wath the reason for
leaving such employment, and whether such appllcant has ever
been convlcted of a v~olatlon of a motor vehlcle, traffac or
criminal law of the Clty of Denton or the State of Texas, glvlng
particulars of each offense charged Two photographs, front
and slde view, of the applicant shall be made at the dlrectaon
of the Inspector of Taxicabs
(d) INVESTIGATION - The Inspector of Taxacabs as hereby
authorized and d~rected ~n consaderang such appllcataon for
chauffeur's l~cense~ make such lnvestagataon as the C~ty Councal
may deem necessary to determine the fltness of the applacant
for chauffeur's l~cense, and if sa~d Inspector f~nds that sa~d
appllcant ~s d~squal~f~ed to dr~ve a tax,cab for hire on the
streets of the C~ty of Denton, at shall be the duty of saad
Inspector of Tax,cabs to refuse to issue certificate of recom-
mendatlon for such l~cense In no event shall a chauffeur's
l~cense be ~ssued to any person who has been convicted of the
Page 10
violation of any of the criminal laws of the State of Texas,
or the ordlnances of the City of Denton, involving moral
turpitude, nor shall any license be issued to any person under
twenty-one years of age
(e) CERTIFICATE - If the Inspector of Taxicabs finds that
applzcant should be granted a chauffeur's l~cense he shall ~ssue
his written certificate to the Clty Secretary certifying such
fact and recommending the issuance of l~cense
(f) NOTICE - If the Inspector of Taxicabs finds from ~n-
vestlgatlon that applicant should be refused a chauffeur's
license he shall forthwith notify the applicant of such finding
(g) APPEAL - After the Inspector of Tax.cabs has made
his flnd~ng, and has declared the same, the applicant for said
l~cense shall have the r~ght of appeal to the City Councal,
as hereinafter provided
(h) MAY REVOKE OR SUSPEND - Upon complaant by any person
filed by any person against a driver with the Inspector of
Taxlaabs, or upon has own motlon, charging vaolat~on of any of
the terms of this ordlnance or any ordinances of the City, or
laws of the State of Texas regulating motor vehicles, or for
other good cause, the Inspector of Taxicabs, after giving five
days notice of the ground of sald complaint to such driver
against whom complaint ~s made, may hear evidence wath reference
to such complaant, and after suah hearing the Inspector of Taxa-
cabs may revoke or suspend the l~cense assued by the City to
such person to drave or operate a taxicab for good cause shown
(~) APPEAL - After the Inspector of Tax~cabs has heard
the complaant forthe revocation or suspension of a lacense he
shall make his fandangs and declare the same, and e~ther the
saad driver or the complalnant shall have the rlght to appeal
to the C~ty Council as hereinafter provided
(]) METHOD OF APPEAL - In any anstance where an appeal as
permitted hereln from a decision or determination of any matter
by the Inspector of Tax.cabs, to the City Council, such shall
be perfected w~than ten days from the date of such decasaon by
letter from the person makang such appeal addressed to the
Nonorable Mayor and C~ty Council of the Caty of Denton statang
that an appeal from the decision of the Inspector of Taxicabs
is desired to the C~ty Councll as a whole, and statang the
declslon appealed from, and the date thereof The City Councll
as soon as practlcable after receavang such notace of appeal
shall grant sa~d appellant a hearing, and after such hearing
shall modify, sustaln or reverse the findings or dec~slon of
the I~nspe~tor of Tax.cabs, and shall forthwath certafy ats
decas~on to the Inspector of Tax~cabs and to the appellant for
observance If no appeal ~s taken from the findings or dec~slon
made by the Inspector of Taxlcabs wathan the tame provided here-
an, the decasaon of the Inspector of Tax.cabs shall be fanal
SECTION 26-63 - CU~JLATIVE
This ordinance shall be supplementary to and cumulative of
all other subs~stang ordinances of the City of Denton governing
the operation of vehicles, but any ordinances or parts thereof
an conflict herewith shall be and are hereby repealed
Page 11
SECTION 26-64 - CURRENT DRIVERS
(a) Any person operating taxicabs as herein defined, and
prior to the passage and approval of this ordinance, shall
have thirty days from and after its passage and approval within
which to make application for permit as herein provided, and
to otherwise comply w~th the requirements of this ordinance,
and no fines or other penalties shall be assessed against such
person, firm or corporation during such period for v~olat~on
of any provisions herezn contazned
(b) Any person driving a taxzcab as herein defined, and
prior to the passage and approval of this ordznance, shall have
fifteen days from and after its passage and approval wlthzn
whzch to make application for chauffeur's lzcense as herezn
provided, and to otherwise comply wzth the requirements of thzs
ordinance, and no fznes or other penaltzes shall be assessed
against such person during such period for vlolatzon of any
provisions here~n contained
SECTION II.
The chauffeur's license when issued shall not be trans-
ferable, and same shall be for a perzod of not to exceed one
year, and each license shall cease and termznate on the 31st
day of December followzng the date of such issuance No fee
shall be charged for such lzcense
SECTION III
PENALTY - Any person, firm, corporation, assoczatlon or
partnershlp vzolatlng any provzszon of thzs ordznance shall be
deemed guzlty of a mzsdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof
shall be punzshed by a fine of not more than $200 00 and every
day any such vzolatzon contznues shall constztute a separate
offense
SECTION IV
VALIDITY - If any section or provzslons of any sectzon of
thzs ordinance shall be held to be vozd, zneffectlve or uncon-
stztutlonal, the holdzng of any such section or provzszons of
any section to be void, lneffectzve or unconstitutional for
any cause whatsoever shall not affect the valzdlty of the re-
maznlng sectzon and provzszons of this ordznance
SECTION V
REPEAL - All ordinances or parts of ordznances zn conflzct
herewith shall be and are hereby repealed, and Sections 26-43
through 26-62 of the exzstlng Code of Ordznances are hereby
expressly repealed
SECTION VI
PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE - That thzs Ordznance shall
become effective fourteen (14) days from the date of its passage,
and the Czty Secretary is hereby dzrected to cause the caption
of thzs Ordznance to be published twzce an the Denton Record-
Chronzcle wzthzn ten (10) days of the date of its passage
Page 12
PASSED AND APPROVED thls~_~day of February, A D
1967
...... , Mayor
City of Denton, Texas
ATTEST
~ty Secretary
City of Denton, Texas
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM
Page 13