§ 46-31. Rates prescribed.

(a)

Except for taxicabs dispatched through a mobile dispatch service, all taxicab permittees and licensees shall comply with and abide by the rates established in this section:

(1)

Daytime metered travel. For daytime trips, the metered travel fee shall be $2.75 for the first 1/11 of a mile or less plus $0.20 for each additional 1/11 of a mile or less.

(2)

Nighttime metered travel. For nighttime trips, the metered travel fee shall be $3.75 for the first 1/11 of a mile or less plus $0.20 for each additional of a mile or less.

(3)

IAH flat rates. Alternative flat rates shall be imposed for trips between George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston (IAH) and its geographic zones I through X. Current rates shall be posted on the website maintained by the department of administration and regulatory affairs and kept on file in the office of the city secretary, where, upon request, such rates shall be made available for viewing during normal business hours. Provided that the lesser of the applicable flat rate or the actual metered rate shall be charged. A copy of the zone map for IAH taxicab rates shall remain on file for public inspection in the office of the city secretary. The centers of the streets and geographic features noted thereon as boundary lines shall determine boundaries between adjacent zones. The foregoing zone rates exclude the airport use fees, which may be additionally imposed on metered or flat fares.

(4)

HOU flat rates. Alternative flat rates shall be imposed for trips between William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and its geographic zones I through XI. Current rates shall be posted on the website maintained by the department of administration and regulatory affairs and kept on file in the office of the city secretary, where, upon request, such rates shall be made available for viewing during normal business hours. Provided that the lesser of the applicable flat rate or the actual metered rate shall be charged. A copy of the zone map for HOU taxicab rates shall remain on file for public inspection in the office of the city secretary. The centers of the streets and geographic features noted thereon as boundary lines shall determine boundaries between adjacent zones. The foregoing zone rates exclude the airport use fees, which may be additionally imposed on metered or flat fares.

(5)

Waiting time. An amount not to exceed $24.00 per hour may be charged for waiting time, provided the clock on the taximeter is set and regulated at a rate not to exceed $24.00 per hour.

(6)

Hand luggage. No charge will be made for hand luggage.

(7)

Reservation and billing service fee:

a.

A reservation and billing service fee may be added to the total trip charges authorized in this section, provided:

1.

The trip originates with an advance reservation; and

2.

At the request of the account holder or his authorized agent the fare and other charges are billed on account by the permittee, rather than being paid at the end of the trip.

The reservation and billing service fee shall not exceed ten percent of the total trip charges imposed, including the tip, if any.

b.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this item (7) shall not be construed to authorize the operation of a taxicab service in such manner as to constitute a chauffeured limousine service. In the event of conflict, the provisions of article IV of this chapter shall prevail.

(8)

Toll road fee. In addition to the fees prescribed in this section, the permittees and licensees may impose a toll road fee in an amount exactly equal to any fees imposed by the Harris County Toll Road Authority for use of its facilities during the trip, provided that the imposition of the fee is noted on the posted rate card, and further provided that the passenger(s) are notified of the fee before the taxicab enters the toll road. Where passengers are being carried to two or more destinations, the toll road fees shall be prorated among them, per destination.

(9)

Alternate central business district flat rate. An alternate flat rate of $6.00 shall be imposed for trips entirely within the central business district. All forms of payment shall be accepted for these trips.

(10)

Annual TCI review. On or before December 31 ^st of each year, the director shall conduct a review of the TCI, which shall be used to determine whether taxicab rates need to be adjusted. Current rates as adjusted by the TCI shall be on file in the office of the city secretary and upon request made available for viewing during normal business hours. The TCI shall be weighted as indicated in Table 46-1 below:

Table 46-1 Taxi Cost Index Factors and Weighting
Fuel	22.0%	CPI—Gasoline (All Types)—Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX
Repairs and Maintenance	7.0%	CPI—Motor Vehicle Maintenance—US City Average
Parts and Equipment	7.0%	CPI—Motor Vehicle Parts and Equipment—US City Average
Insurance	6.0%	CPI—Motor Vehicle Insurance—US City Average
Depreciation/Return on Investment	4.0%	CPI—Used Cars and Trucks—City Size A
Driver/Operator Returns—Part I	25.0%	Average Hourly Earnings—Transit and Ground Transportation—National
Driver/Operator Returns—Part II	25.0%	CPI—All Items—Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX
Fees and Miscellaneous	4.0%	CPI—All Items—Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX
Total	100.0%

 

(11)

Requested taxicab rate review. A review of the taxicab rates may also be initiated by taxicab owners and operators by making a request in writing to the director. Upon receipt of a request for a rate review, the director shall prepare an estimate of the administrative cost of the rate review. If the taxicab owner or operator determines to proceed with the rate review, the owner or operator shall submit a cashier's check to the director for the full amount determined by the director. The rate review shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures established for that purpose by the director. Without limitation, the director may select a representative group of taxicab owners and operators and request that they provide verified financial data and vehicle-operating data regarding their operating costs and return on investment for use as a basis in conducting the review. Following receipt and review of the information, the director shall make a recommendation to city council whether a rate adjustment is justified, and, if so, the amount of the recommended rate adjustment. If a rate adjustment is recommended to city council, then city council shall conduct a hearing before adopting any adjustment to the taxicab rate.

(12)

Annual automatic rate adjustment. Except for years in which a rate adjustment adopted by city council under item (11) of this subsection will take effect, the director shall make an automatic rate adjustment if:

a.

The TCI has changed by more than five percent since the last rate adjustment; or

b.

At least three years have elapsed since the effective date of the most recent rate adjustment;

provided however, an increase in the TCI resulting in a rate adjustment of ten percent or more of the current taxicab rates shall require the approval of city council.

The TCI shall be computed annually and shall be based upon the not seasonally adjusted data for the month of October, rounded to the nearest $0.05. Automatic adjustments to the rates shall be calculated by applying the percentage change in the TCI to the current six mile fare. The new rates shall be effective February 1 of the following year. Written notice of the automatically adjusted rates shall be provided by regular mail to taxi permittees not later than the 30 ^th day before the rates go into effect.

This item does not apply to the flat rate specified in item (9).

(b)

The director shall establish a taxicab passenger capacity rating (exclusive of children in arms), which will constitute the maximum number of passengers that may be carried simultaneously.

(c)

In the event two or more taxicab passengers are going to the same destination, the licensee shall collect only one fare as recorded on the taximeter. If the passengers are going to different destinations, the licensee shall clear his taximeter at the first destination and charge the first passenger the amount recorded on the taximeter, and then proceed to the next destination as though it were a completely new trip. Other destinations shall be treated likewise.

(d)

Where any permittee has contracted with any department, agency or subdivision of the state, the United States or any foreign government or any nonprofit charitable organization for the transportation of passengers for the entity on a regular basis within the corporate limits of the city, the permittee is authorized, in lieu of the fares prescribed in subsection (a) above, to make other charges as are agreed to in writing by the contracting parties and filed with the director, prior to the transportation of passengers under the contract. A permittee or licensee transporting contract passengers under this subsection must fully comply with all other applicable provisions of this article.

(e)

Senior citizens' discount:

(1)

Rate; restrictions. Any taxicab passenger 60 years old or older who provides to the licensee proof of age as specified in this subsection at the time the fare is collected shall be charged a reduced fare equal to 90 percent of the fee otherwise applicable as set out in items (a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section; provided, however, the reduced fare set out in this subsection shall not be applicable any of in the following situations:

a.

In the event the passenger has ridden in the taxicab to the same destination with another passenger who is not an attendant but is 13 years of age or older but less than 60 years of age;

b.

The passenger is a person with disabilities who is riding in the taxicab pursuant to the terms of a contract between the taxicab permittee and the Metropolitan Transit Authority; or

c.

The fare is being charged to any account other than the passenger's personal account.

For purposes of this item, an attendant is a person who is accompanying a passenger because the passenger is physically or mentally unable to travel alone.

(2)

Proof of age. To provide proof of age for the purposes of this subsection, the taxicab passenger must allow the licensee to examine one of the following identification documents that has been issued to the passenger and that has a picture of the passenger thereon:

a.

A driver license or identification card issued by a state of the United States;

b.

A military identification card;

c.

A passport; or

d.

An alien registration receipt card (Form I-551 or I-151) or border crossing card issued by the United States Immigration Service.

(3)

Posting of notice in taxicab. A person shall not operate a taxicab unless a notice regarding the discount set out in this subsection is posted in the passenger area of the taxicab. The director shall specify the information to be set out on the notice, the size of the print, the colors, and the location where the notice shall be placed.

(f)

All taxicabs dispatched through a mobile dispatch service shall display their fare rate and provide a fare rate estimator on their website, internet-enabled application, or digital platform used by the permittee to connect drivers and passengers.

(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2014-914, § 6, 10-8-2014; Ord. No. 2015-997, §§ 10, 11, 10-14-2015)