Ground Transportation and/or Taxi Service Within The City Limits of Mineola

I. DEFINITIONS

1. Ground Transportation Service means chauffeured vehicles for hire for the transportation of passengers within the City, including but not limited to taxi cabs, limousines and shuttles.
2. Taxi Cab means a chauffeured motor vehicle equipped with a taxi meter with a rated passenger capacity of eight (8) or less used to transport persons, and which typically operates on a regular route, on a regular schedule and on a call and demand basis.
3. Taxi Meter means a device used in a taxi cab to compute a fare.

 

II. PERMIT REQUIRED

An individual and/or entity may not operate a ground transportation and/or taxi cab service within the City of Mineola for the pickup of passengers inside City’s incorporated limits without first having obtained a permit from the City issued under the terms and provisions of this Ordinance.

A permit in compliance with this Ordinance does not apply to the following:

• A vehicle owned, operated or subcontracted by the federal government, the state or a political subdivision when providing service exclusively to a governmental entity;
• A courtesy vehicle that routinely provides transportation to and from its principal place of business;
• Ground transportation and/or taxi cab services originating outside of City’s incorporated limits;
• An ambulance or other vehicle providing non-emergency medical transports.

To obtain a permit for ground transportation and/or taxi cab service, an individual and/or entity must make written application to the City Secretary.  The application must be sworn or affirmed.

A permit issued pursuant to this Ordinance is valid for a period of one (1) year.  Any amendment to the permit may only be made after the holder of said permit submits a written request to the City Secretary describing in detail the proposed amendment.  Any amendment must be approved by the City Council, except for increases or reductions in the number of vehicles or substituting vehicles the subject of a permit.

A holder of a permit issued herein may not transfer or assign the permit to any other individual and/or entity.

Once a permit is issued, the holder of said permit shall ensure that a copy of the permit is affixed to any and all vehicles operating pursuant to said permit on the passenger side of the windshield in the lower corner inside the windshield.

An individual and/or entity commits an offense under the following circumstances:

• Operates a vehicle with an expired permit;
• or Attaches a permit to a vehicle not authorized to operate.

 

III. VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

Before a vehicle operating pursuant to a permit issued by way of this Ordinance may be used to provide ground transportation and/or taxi cab services, the holder of said permit must present written proof to the City Secretary showing that each vehicle operating pursuant to the permit has a current State of Texas registration and inspection.

Any vehicle operating pursuant to a permit issued by way of this Ordinance must have signage visible on the vehicle depicting the City of Mineola logo and the permit number issued by the City of Mineola.

 

IV. INSURANCE

It shall be unlawful to operate a ground transportation and/or a taxi cab service in the City unless a permit holder maintains in full force and effect during the authorized period of any permit the amount and character of insurance coverage for all vehicles used in providing such service as follows:

Minimum Bodily Injury - $50,000.00 per person and $100,000.00 per accident;
Minimum Property Damage - $25,000.00 per accident;
Said insurance must be carried with an insurance company authorized to do business in the State of Texas.

 

DRIVER QUALIFICATIONS

Any driver providing ground transportation and/or taxi cab services must meet the following criteria:

• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age;
• Possess a valid driver’s license;
• Have a valid contract with or currently be employed by the permit holder, or be the individual to which the permit has been issued;
• Provide authorization to work in the United States if the person is not a citizen;
• Not have been convicted in a three (3) year period preceding the application for a permit of the following:
  • More than three (3) moving violations;
  • Fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving, driving without a valid driver’s license or driving with an invalid driver’s license;
  • Not have been convicted in the preceding five (5) year period for driving while intoxicated, use of a motor vehicle with intent to commit a felony, any felony involving property damage, fraud, theft, an act of violence or an act of terrorism; and
  • Not be registered as a sex offender.

 

VI. APPLICATION AND INVESTIGATION

All drivers operating a vehicle for ground transportation and/or taxi cab services shall file a completed written application with the City Secretary on the prescribed form.

The Mineola Police Department shall conduct such investigation as it considers necessary to determine whether a person is qualified to provide ground transportation and/or taxi cab services as referenced herein.

The City Manager or City Secretary will run a complete background check on all applicants.  The background check shall remain confidential.

 

VII. PERMIT FEES

For the first year that a permit is issued, there will be a fee of $200.00.  The annual fee after the first year will be $150.00.  If the ownership of the ground transportation and/or taxi cab service changes, then a one-time fee of $200.00 will be charged.

 

VIII. TAXI METER REQUIRED

A person may not drive or allow another person to drive a ground transportation vehicle and/or a taxi cab that establishes its fare based on distance or time unless said vehicle is equipped with an operational taxi meter.

Except as provided by subsection C of this section, a driver may not use a device other than a taxi meter for measuring distance or time or to determine the fare to be charged.

Taxi meter rates of fare do not apply to a trip to a destination outside the incorporated limits of the City of Mineola or a trip under a contract with a governmental agency, non-profit organization or as otherwise reasonably necessary to provide a public service.

 

IX. REPEALER

Any and all Ordinances of the City of Mineola, Texas in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance shall be and the same are hereby repealed, and all other provisions of the Ordinances of the City of Mineola not in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.

 

X. SEVERABILITY

 

            It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, subsections and phrases of this Ordinance are severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, subsection or section of this Ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality or illegality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, subsections and sections of this Ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this Ordinance of any such unconstitutional or illegal phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, subsection or section.

 

XI. PENALTY

1. Any offense of a regulation contained within this Ordinance shall be punishable as a Class C Misdemeanor, with a fine if found guilty not to exceed $500.00.
2. Prosecution of an offense under this Ordinance does not preclude other enforcement remedies available to the City, which may include injunctive relief and/or other civil remedies.