§ 46-16. Definitions.
The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings assigned to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Daytime trip means a taxicab trip originating between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Gross receipts means an amount of money equal to the total of all fares received and charged for the carriage of passengers by taxicabs permitted to a permittee, including all tip revenue and reservation and billing service fees, if any. Provided, however, special passenger charges for taxicab operations at city airports and toll road fees allowable under this article shall not be included in the calculation of gross receipts.
Hybrid-electric vehicle means a vehicle that is propelled by the use of two or more distinct power sources consisting of an internal combustion engine and an on-board rechargeable energy storage system.
License means a taxicab driver's license issued pursuant to division 2 of article I of this chapter.
Licensee means any person in physical control of a taxicab who is the holder of a current and valid license.
Nighttime trip means a taxicab trip originating between the hours of 8:01 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. of the following day.
Permit means a current and valid permit issued by the director under this article for the operation of a taxicab.
Permittee means the person to whom a permit has been duly issued by the director. Any permittee who operates two or more taxicab companies under separate assumed names or different subsidiary firms or by any other means shall nevertheless be regarded as one and the same permittee for permit applications, disciplinary actions, and all other purposes relating to the administration of this article.
Stool light means an instrument or an accessory which is attached to a vehicle and indicates to the public that a vehicle is a taxicab.
Street means any public street, road, boulevard, alley, lane, highway, sidewalk, park roadway, railroad station, ship landing, ferry landing roadway, viaduct or other place under control of the city or other public authority and established by it for the use of vehicles not otherwise controlled by law or ordinance. It also means any vehicular road, driveway, or area outside of and adjacent to, or in any railroad station, ferry landing, or bus station owned by the city or other public authority that is used regularly by taxicabs for pickup and discharge of passengers, which places shall hereafter remain open to and be used by all duly permitted taxicabs without charge, except as authorized by city council, and without discrimination as to the identity of the permittee. The properties constituting the William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), the George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston (IAH), and the Ellington Airport (EFD) are not designated as streets under this definition.
Taxicab means every automobile or motor-propelled vehicle, whether the vehicle is identified or not as a taxicab as set forth herein, used for the transportation of passengers for hire over the public streets of the city, whether or not the operation extends beyond the city limits. Provided, the term taxicab shall not apply to limousines, school vehicles, emergency vehicles, jitneys, sightseeing or charter vehicles, low-speed shuttles, or transportation network vehicles that operate under a permit issued by the city or any other governmental regulatory authority, and, provided further, the term shall not apply to limousines that are chartered, hired or provided in connection with funeral services or any vehicles operating under a contract with the city.
Taxicab cost index (TCI) means a weighted combination of selected consumer price indexes and employment statistics as published by the United States Department of Labor used to measure the change in the costs of operating a taxicab.
Taximeter means a mechanical and/or electrical instrument that records miles or distances traveled or time consumed, or both, during the period of engagement of taxicab service and is so constructed as to visibly record the cumulative charges to the person engaging the service.
Virtual taximeter means a device that utilizes software designed to record the miles or distance traveled or time consumed, or both, during the period of engagement of taxicab service and is so constructed and mounted as to visibly record and display the cumulative charges to the person engaging the service.
(Ord. No. 2014-754, § 2(Exh. A), 8-6-2014; Ord. No. 2016-736, §§ 10, 11, 10-5-2016 )