(A) All applications for a taxicab owner license under this chapter shall be filed with the Inspector of Taxicabs on forms furnished by the City Secretary for that purpose. The application shall contain the following information:
(1) The name, age and residence of the applicant and his or her customary occupation, if a natural person. If the applicant is a partnership, the name, age and residence of all partners, general and limited. If the applicant is a corporation, its name, date and place of incorporation, the address of its principal place of business, the names and residences of all its officers and directors, and the names and residences of all its stockholders owning 10% or more of the total issued capital stock each, and showing the percentage of the total issued capital stock owned by each of them, the total amount and nature of its authorized capital stock, the amount thereof fully paid up, as well as a duly certified copy of its charter and bylaws and if applicant is a foreign corporation, a duly certified copy of its permit to do business in the state;
(2) If a natural person, the length of time applicant has been a resident of the city;
(3) The trade name, if any, under which the applicant proposes to operate, which must not be the same, or substantially similar, to the name of any currently licensed taxi cab company. The Inspector of Taxicabs shall be the sole judge of the similarity, or lack thereof, of any name.
(4) The address of the place of business from which the applicant purposes to operate;
(5) The make, type, model, capacity and condition of the taxicabs, limousines or shuttle buses proposed to be operated; the design and color schemes of each taxicab and the lettering and marks to be used thereon;
(6) The number of taxicabs, limousines or shuttle buses for which a permit is desired, and proof that these taxicabs, limousines or shuttle buses are registered to the applicant;
(7) Full information pertaining to the extent, quality and character of the service that applicant purposes to render;
(8) A full and complete statement of the experience, if any, the applicant has had in rendering taxicab, limousine or shuttle bus service in the city or elsewhere; if the applicant is a partnership and each partner, general and limited; if the applicant is a corporation, a like statement for the corporation and each of its officers, directors and shareholders; and
(9) A copy of the applicant's valid Texas driver's license and a copy of insurance policy showing the current coverage as required by this chapter.
(10) A statement of whether or not the applicant has been convicted of any violation of a motor vehicle law or criminal ordinance of the city, or of the laws of the State of Texas, or of any other state, or of the United States or any foreign country and, if so, a statement giving the particulars of each offense, the time and place of conviction thereof, and the court in which convicted.
(11) Two photographs, front and side view, and two sets of fingerprints of the applicant, such finger prints to be made under the supervision and direction of the Inspector of Taxicabs.
(12) The proposed color scheme of the taxicabs, which must be distinct from any currently licensed taxicab company. The Inspector of Taxicabs shall be the sole judge of the distinctiveness of any color scheme.
(B) In considering whether or not to grant an application for the company’s license to operate vehicles for hire as taxicabs, limousines or shuttle buses within the city, the Inspector of Taxicabs shall consider the following:
(1) The probable permanency and quality of the service to be provided by the applicant, the experience gained in rendering the service in the city or similar service elsewhere, and the past record and experience of the applicant in adjusting claims and paying judgments, if any, to claimants;
(2) The financial ability of the applicant to respond in damages to claims or judgments arising by reason of injury to persons or damage to property resulting from the operation of a taxicab, limousine or shuttle bus;
(3) The condition of the taxicabs, limousines or shuttle buses to be used;
(4) The character of the applicant. If the applicant is a partnership, business entity or corporation, the character of the owners, partners, officers, directors, managers and shareholders will be considered, along with their criminal history, if any;
(5) The Inspector of Taxicabs is authorized and directed, to make such investigation, as he or she may deem necessary to determine the fitness of the applicant for such license. Such investigation may include testing the applicant’s knowledge of the city streets and thoroughfares on such terms as the City Manager may prescribe;
(6) Any person who has been convicted of a felony or serious crime enumerated under Article 42A.054 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, a sexually violent offense under the definition provided in Article 62.001 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, or an equivalent crime under the laws of the United States, another state or a foreign country, or any person convicted within the last five years of a crime of moral turpitude. The Inspector of Taxicabs and City Manager have broad discretion to consider any other criminal charge or criminal history in determining fitness of any applicant for a taxicab owner license or operator license.
(Ord. 548B, passed 1-27-2009; Ord. 548-C, passed 6-22-2010; Ord. 548-E, passed --; Ord. 548-F, passed 12-15-2020)