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It is the policy of the city of Dallas to promote safety and quality in transportation-for-hire services in the city. The purpose of these regulations is to:
(1) protect the public health and safety;
(2) promote the public convenience and necessity;
(3) ensure that transportation-for-hire is a viable component of the public transportation system;
(4) ensure public safety and consumer protection by regulating transportation-for-hire operating authorities, drivers, and vehicles;
(5) allow different modes of transportation- for-hire to compete directly with each other; and
(6) allow consumers to select the type of transportation-for-hire they prefer to use. (Ord. 29596)
The director shall implement and enforce this chapter and may by written order establish such rules or regulations, not inconsistent with this chapter or state or federal law, as he determines are necessary to discharge his duty under, or to effect the policy of this chapter. (Ord. 29596, eff. 4/30/15)
(a) Before adopting, amending, or abolishing a rule, the director shall hold a public hearing on the proposal.
(b) The director shall fix the time and place of the hearing and, in addition to notice required under the Open Meetings Act (Chapter 551, Texas Government Code), as amended, shall notify each operating authority and such other persons as the director determines are interested in the subject matter of the hearing.
(c) After the public hearing, the director shall notify the holders of permits issued under this section and other interested persons of the director’s action and shall post an order adopting, amending, or abolishing a rule on the official bulletin board in the city hall for a period of not fewer than 10 days. The order becomes effective immediately upon expiration of the posting period. (Ord. 29596)
This chapter does not apply to:
(1) a vehicle operating as a Dallas Area Rapid Transit ("DART") vehicle;
(2) courtesy vehicles;
(3) carpooling;
(4) the transportation of a person by a transportation-for-hire vehicle licensed by another governmental entity from a point outside the city to a destination inside the city, if the transportation-for-hire vehicle leaves the city without receiving a passenger inside the city;
(5) a motor vehicle used to transport persons for hire that is regulated by another chapter of this code, such as ambulances regulated under Chapter 15D, "Emergency Vehicles"; or
(6) a bus or shuttle vehicle that is:
(A) operated for a funeral home in the performance of funeral services;
(B) provided by an employer or employee association for use in transporting employees between the employees' homes and the employer's place of business or between workstations, with the employees reimbursing the employer or employee association in an amount calculated only to offset the reasonable expenses of operating the vehicle;
(C) owned and operated by the federal or state government, by a political subdivision of the state, or by a person under contract with the city for operation of the vehicle;
(D) used to transport children to or from school if only a fee calculated to reasonably cover expenses is charged;
(E) regulated by Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA);
(F) owned by a nonprofit organization and carrying only passengers associated with that organization, if no compensation is received from any other person for carrying the passengers; or
(G) operated under authority granted by the Surface Transportation Board. (Ord. Nos. 29596; 30180)
The definition of a term in this section applies to each grammatical variation of the term. In this chapter, unless the context requires a different definition:
(1) BUS means a motor vehicle that has a manufacturer's rated seating capacity of more than 15 passengers.
(2) CARPOOLING means any voluntary sharing of transportation without compensation.
(3) COMPENSATION means any money, service, or other thing of value that is received, or is to be received, in return for transportation-for-hire services.
(4) CONTINGENT PRIMARY LIABILITY COVERAGE means a liability insurance policy that will act as a primary liability policy in the event that no other applicable primary liability policy exists or a policy exists but denies coverage.
(5) COURTESY VEHICLE means a vehicle that is not for hire, is not used to transport passengers for compensation, and is operated by or for a business that provides free transportation to customers as an accessory to the main business activity.
(6) DEPARTMENT means the department designated by the city manager to enforce and administer this chapter.
(7) DIRECTOR means the director of the department designated by the city manager to enforce and administer this chapter and includes representatives, agents, or department employees designated by the director.
(8) DISPATCH means any communication system that conveys passenger ride requests to drivers.
(9) DRIVE means to control the physical movements of a transportation-for-hire vehicle.
(10) DRIVER means an individual who drives or otherwise controls the physical movements of a transportation-for-hire vehicle.
(11) DRIVER PERMIT means the permit required by this chapter to drive a transportation-for-hire vehicle.
(12) HAILABLE VEHICLE means a transportation-for-hire vehicle that can be immediately summoned by a passenger without the use of dispatch, and that meets the requirements in Section 47A-2.4.9.
(13) HORSE means any member of the species Equus Caballus.
(14) HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE means a non-motorized vehicle designed to carry passengers while being pulled by one or more horses.
(15) METER means a device that measures the time and distance of a trip.
(16) NON-MOTORIZED PASSENGER TRANSPORT VEHICLE means a horse-drawn carriage or a pedicab.
(17) OPERATING AUTHORITY means a person who is granted operating authority under this chapter to provide transportation-for-hire services.
(18) OPERATING AUTHORITY PERMIT means the permit required by this chapter to provide transportation-for-hire services.
(19) PEDICAB means a non-motorized vehicle with three or more wheels propelled by human power or human-assisted power with seating for one or more passengers.
(20) PERSON means an individual; corporation; government or governmental subdivision; or agency, trust, partnership, or two or more persons having a joint or common economic interest.
(21) PUBLICLY REMOTELY ACCESSIBLE DATA SITE means a website, digital platform, or mobile application ("app") that provides content in a manner that is accessible to the public through a network.
(22) SHUTTLE VEHICLE means a van-type motor vehicle that has a manufacturer's rated seating capacity of not less than seven passengers and not more than 15 passengers.
(23) TRANSPORTATION-FOR-HIRE SERVICE means the business of offering or providing transportation of persons for compensation. The term does not include a transportation network company as defined in Section 2402.001(5) of the Texas Occupations Code, as amended.
(24) TRANSPORTATION-FOR-HIRE VEHICLE means any vehicle used to offer or provide transportation-for-hire services.
(25) VEHICLE PERMIT means the permit required by this chapter for a vehicle to operate as a transportation-for-hire vehicle.
(a) The non-refundable fee for an operating authority permit is $278 per year for transportation-for-hire service provided by non- motorized passenger transport vehicles; and the non-refundable fee for an operating authority permit per year for transportation-for-hire service provided by all other transport vehicles are indicated in the fee schedule below.
Number of vehicles in a transportation-for-hire service fleet | Annual Fee |
1 to 5 vehicles | $475.00 |
6 to 10 vehicles | $675.00 |
11 or more vehicles | $875.00 |
(b) The non-refundable fee for a transportation-for-hire vehicle permit is $77 per vehicle permit per year for non-motorized passenger transport vehicles, and $30 per vehicle permit per year or any portion thereof, for all other transportation-for-hire vehicles.
(c) The non-refundable fee for a driver permit is $76 per year.