§ 4-1. Taxicabs and limousine service

A. Definitions.

(1) Taxicab means a for hire, chauffeured motor vehicle, used to transport persons, with a rated passenger capacity of eight or less, that typically operates on irregular routes, irregular schedules, and on a call and demand basis, but not including limousines as defined in this section.

(2) Limousine means a vehicle that has a manufacturer's rated capacity of not more than 15 passengers and that is used for the transportation of persons.

B. Permit required. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to drive or operate any taxicab or limousine service having a local base of operations within the City of Sachse upon or over any street in the City of Sachse without first having obtained a permit from the City of Sachse issued under the terms and provisions of this section.

C. Application for permit. An applicant for a permit under the provisions of this section shall file with the police department of the City of Sachse a written application signed by the applicant. The following information is required in the application:

(1) Name, address and telephone number of the applicant, including the trade name (Assumed Name Certificate) by which applicant does business; the street address of the business, and if incorporated, the name and address of the corporate officers registered with the secretary of state;

(2) Name, local address and telephone number of the business to be permitted;

(3) Proof of insurance as required in subsection E hereof;

(4) A description of the business services which the applicant intends to offer including the number and identification number of all vehicles for which a permit is sought.

D. Nature of permit. A permit issued under this section:

(1) Is an annual permit which expires 12 months after the date of issuance;

(2) Is effective for a single place of business only;

(3) Vests no property right in the permittee except to operate a taxicab or limousine service within the city in accordance the terms and conditions of this section;

(4) Permit must be openly displayed in vehicle at all times;

(5) Is nontransferable and nonassignable;

(6) Is subject to a fee of $200.00 per vehicle per year.

E. Insurance required. Before any permit is issued to conduct a taxicab business, the applicant shall file with the police department of the City of Sachse a public liability insurance policy covering at least the period for which the permit is to be issued, and shall keep the same in full force and effect during the term of such permit. Such policy shall be written by an insurance company duly authorized to do business in the state, shall be performable in Collin County and Dallas County, and shall insure the public against any loss or damage that may result to any person or property from the operation of a taxicab. The maximum amount of recovery provided for in such policy shall not be less than the following sums:

(1) $50,000.00 for the injury and destruction of property.

(2) $100,000.00 for injury and death of any one person.

(3) $300,000.00 for injury or death of any two or more persons in any one accident.

Insurance companies issuing such policies of insurance shall, at the time of issuance of such policies, issue a certificate to the city, specifically providing that the insurance policy will not be cancelled without notice first being given to the City of Sachse. The city shall not be deemed to have assumed any responsibility for the solvency of any insurance company, or in any manner to have become liable for any sum on account of any such claims or on account of any act or omission of any officer or employee of the city in connection with any matter relating to such taxicabs and/or limousines, nor shall the lawful liability of the owner or operator be in any manner limited or enlarged by anything in connection with this section, or such insurance policies, but persons having any cause or action secured thereby shall be authorized to sue upon such insurance policies without impeding the city.

F. Disqualification of applicants and drivers. No person shall be eligible for a taxicab permit who, within ten years preceding the date of the application or employment, has been finally convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of any of the following offenses:

(1) Prostitution or related offenses;

(2) Driving while intoxicated; or

(3) Driving while under the influence of drugs, and no such person, firm or corporation to whom a permit has been issued shall employ anyone as a driver who has been finally convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of the same offenses.

G. Maximum rates of fares. No person operating a taxicab or limousine within the city shall charge any amount of money for transporting service plus waiting time in an amount greater than the schedule of fares established in this section. Rates shall be established by the city council. The following shall be the maximum lawful rates for taxicab service:

Number of Passengers	Rate for 1st Mile or Fraction of Mile	Rate for each Additional ¼ Mile	Waiting Time Per Hour	Each Additional Passenger
1	$2.50	$0.25	$8.00	Within Sachse $0.50 Outside Sachse $1.00

 

As a part of its rate schedule, each permittee is encouraged to offer a senior citizen discount to those persons 55 years of age or older.

H. Meters. All taxicabs operating within the city limits shall be equipped with meters which shall register the following:

(1) The mileage traveled from the time a passenger enters the taxicab until the passenger reaches his destination or the service of the taxicab is otherwise terminated.

(2) The amount of money which is to be charged for the transporting service, plus any waiting time, such amount not to exceed the amounts displayed on the meter herein required.

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a taxicab within the city limits without a working meter, which performs the function hereinabove listed. All taxi meters required in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be maintained in good operating condition and shall be tested and sealed at least once each year in accordance with state weights and measures laws. The city may order a taxi meter to be tested at any time, and the holder of a permit, issued in accordance with the provision of this section, shall make the taxicab available for testing when so ordered. The holder of such permit shall pay the cost of testing taxi meters.

I. Parking on streets; driving through alleys. It shall be unlawful for the holder of any permit issued under the terms of this section, or the agent, servant or employee of such permittee to park or leave standing any taxicab on the streets of the city, except while loading and unloading passengers into and from such taxicab, or to drive through the alleyways instead of streets, except to deliver passengers to a point in an alley.

J. Cruising prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any driver of any taxicab to drive or cruise about on the streets of the city seeking passengers who have not therefore ordered or called for a taxicab.

K. Increasing number of cabs after issuance. If at any time the holder of a permit under this section desires to use an additional taxicab under the existing permit, he may do so only after he has made application to the police department and has been granted by the police department a permit to use such additional taxicab, and he shall furnish the police department the same information regarding such additional vehicle as required regarding those covered by the original permit.

(Ord. No. 507, 10-20-86)