Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN wb hare mrefully 00 1912, rhioh rbada ar follourr “Mb, the under81 of ‘fbXN, do berob fachual eLtua ion groundbd fror thi8 Oorrirllon ority to uao the hlghvaytl of Texa8 in intermtrte emrob for the transportation of per8on8 for hire under the Motor Bus Lav OS Tsxar. "With aore particularity, the f8otm are now given to you a8 follovs~ ‘$&,,ti - Of tOXal< mb 2 “The Qephart Emplo)arsnt Agenoy, of San Antonio, TbXIL8, ia e lioenmd jppplgrant labor agent with the Labor Board of the State of Texas and 1~ prb- abntly operating under CbPtiiioste 100, 16 Issued to It by the state Labor Board. Qephart ham ap- pro*tblr 30 8genta or bmplo~a, v0rkl.q In the Counties of Dal-, Dlmmlt, Eldalgo, Haverlok, Yubcba, Val Vbrdb, Webb, Eavalla, El Paao, and U Sbllb, bngaged in thb solioltation of imm.igrrnt ;e$ooa;r the Qreat Wbatbm Sugar Comm of Dmver, agents arb paid a salary B a c ho f la l;d tar the& vork by thb Qbphart Bmplogrent -op. ‘A prrtioular a&ant of the Qejbart -lop- mat Agenop vlll, for bxbmplo, aontabt a number of Nbx.laan laborer in Meroedba; bnd, if the Hbzl- aan laborer8 are agrowble to go to tha augar beat tiI3hb in OIib Of thb evlousl~ nambd atstbo, maid agent will give maid G box-bra the right to go by their ovn prlv4te vehtole to San Antonlo, or the Qbphart Ediploymnt agbnay vi11 pay the tranbporta- tion eoat of transporting sold laborer8 over & duly authorltbd paaacm&br carrier from Msraedba to San Antonio. “In the event the laborer doe8 not 6ove over a duly authorlEad obrrler from Hbroedea to &an Antonio, you are to aaetaae that he mwee by a pri- vate vehiole and that there ii no oompbnbatlon or for hire eleaent involved,--the vehlolb In eaah ruoh Ubtanob bblonging to some ona of the labor- ers mbkjng the trip. Rvhen maid laborers have rbaohed the Qbphart $ntplO~bnt &t?llOy iLl 88n hltOILi0 th4J -8 O@A88i- fied 88 to the points and lQoalltls8 in vhiah th@? dealre to engage in the sugar bebt vtmk. ‘Thereaf’ter, Qephart Z@slomnt Agemy vi11 permit thb head of a fbmll~, who la the owner of a passenger vehlole or motor trwk of vhloh he ia then rmd there the Lavf!al ovner and the holdbr of the osrtilloatb Of titlb t0 oeid VbhiOlb, t0 tra338port himself axadthb metuber oihla f’amilyfrom%anAn- tonio, Texae to loam one point in ox@ ol the above Rallraad Coml.aalon0r Tbxaa, pago 3 namd at8tear llw ovmr oi thb robbOb u vbll am the lumbersOS him iemily, rlll, upon maah- hgtheir dbatS.nati~, al go to vork in QM of the sugar beet fieldsin bald lobalit and, for thb purpoaoa of thla oplnio~, tbbp vl 91 not rb- turn to thb State of Tbxar. For lubh truuporta- tlon the Qqahut~lopnt~~pr)r the owmr or thb rehiole#lO.OOfor l8eh m8bbr 0r bib Suoilrover tha -0 ol 14 -8 th8t na tmna- ported in bald vohlolo,--which bald amaunt is olaimbdto bb for thb bxpbnu o? thb trip. IR eaoh lnatanoeenlf OM trip k aa& by a guti- oplar ownbr of the nhiole and hr anly tranaporta h&iua~hndt~neiabaraortbaf~lJo~phLoh . 'For the vork deno bf tihbeb porsena rittJ@ rbaohbg thhr db@tlMtiOR thbp Pb paid 80 moh pbr aore over a glvon dbSlnit* pbrlod of tl8b at thbbndofrhiahthb~arb~dabanub and,thbro- a fter ,th b p lr b fr b o to g o vhb r b th y ifk b . “First “QbghPrt Llbev &blWJ, tie tradb PUI, fOP &me Qbph*rt, hating 80 authorit fra this Bop- liralenOS aiqkind, 70'0~M mq\watbd to give ua pouropinianaato vhethororaottbi8 Oarrirafon aan atop him olthbr by iajunotionor by eMahal proaboutlan. "Qrbat Wbatern sugar Daqartp, a terb&gn aar- poration, having PO PUthOritY fro0 this Ooamiaalon 0r my kiad to tameport parnab ?a for him, deba this Comlaalon hate thb jurir 3Fatian to prwbud w&ainat it or its agbnta bithbr by arimlml proabou- tlon or by injunotlve prooeedbga’l ‘Third 'las hbad of the faslly,harm DO authority of any kind from tW.8 Comdralon to transportpaa- aengbra for l&b, deem this QamlaaiQn h4ro jurla- dlotlonto pewbed agaInat him .Sthba by brin%nal proaboutlon or by injunotivb prOObbdbg8t ullrom3 C6mlaalon of Tbua, page 4 “I?, uld in th6 bV.lit Jolul UUW t0 OIiO or tDre of the above qudoaa is in th6 urinu- tire, thbn please 8-t to aa a re 0 lalnt or indiotamnt abarging maid raon vith a7v ol8- tlon of Artlalbglla, VwnonPa &UIOtatbd B;vll Statutoa, rNoh raid inbiotmnt w oanplrlnt vould in pow oplaha, tithatanda lb& teat betor thb oourta of this state. "In tidltionto the abtirltibaor thb Qbphart aploment hgonop, thore lr alao locukhdat San htopio, Texas,l b b w wzwp wnb d a a U 6pbrated by Y. P. A6oata end opratrd under t& tra& name of A6oata I Agenep. Phi8 partioolulwnop la Ukbvlae bngagod in th6 bulbearn o? lolloiting and proour* lmmlgraat labarera, moatlp WrxUaa, fort&J sugar fibldn located in th6 peoioualy mbntltmbtl atrtea. “Thb plan of opocatUn of the Ameta L&w Agbnopla rombvhatdM?erbat fru that of the QQ~- hart maplopmbnt&baoy. “The Aaoata Ubw A~enep haa mama 300 agbnta eaplopd ia dl??erentoountleawitbin the Mate o? Texas who a?e eqpged In t&e bualaea~a of lo lh %t- b a g a ml p r o o wing imaigraat la b wwa fw th bsu g a r bbbt oupaniea &mated ia the above nud at&tom. Phase agents do not r eo elvb l lposiiied balmy far their aerrloea but are pcld on the bada of the numbw of laborers vhioh the7 OOwb and deliver, -- the per oapita rate b6lag #LO r pw head, @.oO pw head, or $2.50 pbrhead, dqbndlxq on thb dla- tame ?rcm the point of poarpbmnt to 8az3 Antonio. lJnuc6th6 Qephartmploynnt A$enoj,the p~obure- abnt agbatr fw Aeoata, at the reveral poiata of proaurwbnt, lnfw81pbrmau oowbd by t&m at pointsof proowbment just di C thbfr dbatlnatlon la to be: and tbao 3abwera knov vhbre they are going bbfwb timp ever leave hbm6. Qhbn a partioular *bat ooatrota and roowea a givennumber 0r 18borbra in uar onb loo8s tp, he vi11 tranbpoa-tuld l8bcwbPa in hla avn 6ar to 8bn Antonio,Texaaj and, tar lubh 8elrvlloo8, hb till re- oelvb $1.00,&?.OO,oc &Ze.50, dbpbadingupan the dta- t-00 botubll~travrrbdto MA Antonio;bad he vlll Rake only one trip. milraaU Ctwiraioa of Tw, pbgb 5 “After thb laborore rbaeh 8an Aatonio the Ip U dM b r ub uq uent a r 6o la a a l?iba Ua Ulx a mlnb W& to 80~ poinaIn oae of the lbovb aamd tr a nsp o r ted Staten in the follovingmaaner: 'TheALcoda Ubm &eno;r will takb the Vbhi- cle owned by oae mubbr of tha goup to be traaa- pWtQd,--rod Of Whbh VbhlOlb uld m i0 thba ti th6r8 th. lb@ bMbP,-- md rill By to 8ald labororowninguid vehiolo#lo.00for each mbmbw o?thb?amllpo?rhi6hhblathehudm6viag6n aald vohlolb, whieh 8aid amouat ir doalgnatod u tr8vel6xpua808. I? in 8dUitlanto the 86mbbra of the drlver’r?a&, thwo are othw laboera mavlng in th6 808b vohiolo,tbp mave frbe. Qn Od0r that 00~ ltatbmat ma b8 pbrrootly o&w to you, vo give you th6 foil OYI ng bxuplQ, “Ia the *rant l labww la th b o va w of a vehlolemad ir a aevba, the A6orta Ubw Agbaeptill ovaw and labwer #&A0 u lspoaas or tranaporta- t1onj and at the URb tab, l.? thQr6 are few au- dit1onaliabwbr8 to Mv6 ln th6 um6 vehi&Q, no $IAAI will be mode for 8816 Sow a&Utienal . 9a ooanbotlaatith fihafwogoiag, in soy hIataa6Qrth6 Oat rha 08M.fO8 tb IrbWWO, ?W lnBtaa60, ?roR x *mall to 8aa Ae&nls via 60 on through to the partioular ?lelUa in thb fwdga stat0 and vi11 rbaain there 88 a vwkw. In othbr inrt~erhexi~gobrokto1~u31v;Lthhll~ but he does not nke mother tsip lnbhto~ ?ror Pearatilto San Antonio vith aaothe pb~p. & laataaooa whbra hb gbbr b86k to m*oUUte?hv- b tb,oabwlea Itiuel?eangregat- ; ovlanga OU* Xn thla l4tter kQtd of a oue ku requima that. th6 furilp go to ;z fr$otinl or $2.60,w viththem3abbr vho oarried the ~0pl.b to 9ur Aatoaio. WlreaU Qad.aal.an of Tomu, pagb 6 Wltf ?Pa t&t,8 @olllliUiOlI t0 oarrp pu8engwa ?a hire. "You are amkeelthe ?ollowLngqruatlona on the latter faota: Qoba this Oomlaalon~r, the jurladlotlan to pmobed agabt A8oata I&w Agonop llthor W erirbl proooedlngror by injunetirepoaoedinglt '8QOOBU %ma this Corrirrlenhave the jueldlotloa to proabbd a&ast th. b t 8olyrr mmpaaier SW V~O~Qbeabflt th u elotlv'fh tlba WQ ourled On, 01 agaia@t their ~$4, by wlmlaal ~udlagm w by iajoxmtln preoebdlngat ‘Third “Dabr thla Gamiaatsn haw the jwtsdi~tlcm, lithw by whinal pmoee4lnga or W lnjuaotlve pm, to pwud agalast thbme ma0 three h-pro0 -t a#fMt8? V~makb thb au0 mq\urtvithreapeettoa omplalnt or bill ofbdiotaontin theorent~u should aanwr map b? the fwogoiag aUbStlW8 in tha a??lrmtive rhiah w nda abow rith Napmot to Qbgthwt. "In0ormo0t1anrith tiloftihe lboreurdf(b19- "Thla C~alonia~~ttpowurl~~e8aed with this matterboth by those vho dlaim wo have 1 gtailroaU Cotmlaalon of Texas. page 7 jurladlotlon and those vho cllr we bme ao jwla- dlotion; and you are urgent17 requbated to give IM m opinion am urgently a.a pf3aalble.* We oonatrue pour queatlom to reUte, of oourme, only to pour authority in the premises qmler Artiole glla, Vernon@8 ¬ated Civil Statutes, the motor bun JAY of Texas. The folloving f’aota exist In eaoh altuation you havb dwwlbbdr (1) EIoh motor vbhlole makes but one tram- portatlcm trip; (2) The motor vehicle la pPivatel7 owned by the driver in baahkuatanae~ (3) The puaengera In the first aaae deaarlb- ed are members of the ovnwa f8milp on%p~ in thb aeoond oaae, mmbera of the frnilp, uod, ii othbra, transportation la without charge am to themg (4) X0 passenger in any mokw rahiole paya oompenaatlon to 8ny coned (5) Uhon tranaportatlan i.a br any method ex- cept by a partloulw vehlale driven by its ovner, auah tranapor llrtion la by a duly authorised pusen- ger carrier. Ye must deolde i? theme operaticma aonatltute motor bum aoapanpoperationswithin the purviewof aubaeotlon( a )o f lb o - tio n 1 of Artlole glla, V. A. C. S., whbrefore mah opbratlona rp not be engaged in, under aeotion 2 of Artlale 91La, exoept ln aooordanoe with the provlalona of Artlale 9lla. A motor bus acaapauy vaa orlginrllp defined (Aata, 40th Legislature, 1927, Chapter 270, page 399, aeetlorr 1) am follovar “The term NYotor Bua Coap&np@ when used in thla Aot meana every oorporatlon or person aa herein dellned, their leaaeea, truRtee8, WOeiV- era, or truatees appointed by any court vhotao- ever, owning, oontrolllng, operating or -2ng RalbMd Coaniaronof ‘hue, page 8 my motor prop4ll4d pa4asngor ~shiolo, not u8wl- Seotlon 2 of thin original aot provided: ‘All motor bun companl88, 48 defined h8rela, ace hereby deolared to be to~on o8rrler8* and subjsot to renul4tlon br the Jt4te of Texa8. and hail not opeg4te any a&r pmpellsd p48re&r vehicle iOr the r4uul4r tWI4gOrt4tl~ a? mr8oaa a8 paarengera for oo?axmna&tion or hire over w public hi&way In thlk Stats exoept in Booord- anoe vlth the rovlrions of thl8 Aot, . . .* (RmphAsir Our4P The doilnltlon ~48 maded bJ the 418t Isgi8&ture 1929, Ch4pter 78, p4m 196, 14t 023.) "The term (Ilotor Bun Cmpany~ vhen u8ed in thl8 Aot sum18 ever7 oorporatlon or per8on8 a8 herein defined, their le88ee8, tru8te48, reoeiv- 4r4, or tru8teer 8ppolnted by any GooTt vh4tro- ever, omlng, controlling, oper4tI.q or panaging any motor propelled pssrenger operated on or over rail8, 4.M bualne88 of transporting pars tlon or hire over the pubUo highv4y4 vlthS.a th8 State of Toxaa, vhsther op4mting over i'lxsd rout48 or fixed eohedules, or othervlrej . . .* (E4kpha414 our4 1 It is observed that the vorQ ‘bagularly” va8 omitted from the definition urd the vords "or fired 4ohedulea* ver8 rdd- ed. Section 2 of th4 aiginal eot, oogtalnlng the vord4 "for th4 regular tramportaticm of peraon8, VM left unohanpd. The oaae of Hoffman v. State, 20 3. W. (26) 1057, by the Court of CrimUml Appeal4 of Teams, aro8e under ths orlgixml R&ih'O&d 00~4l44iOn of Texan, -4 9 Ah. Upon the wention of a li43le truuportatlon or paaaengera, tha OOI+ said: "Thin l4v in not violated bj an agent of suoh oomp4ny, vho hires a ler vlo car e one time to transport over 4 publia highvay of thin state pan- sengera who had been brought to otw state line up- on a vehicle %%% Thin in vhat appears frcm the t;zmt to have beeadona b~appellant. l operated outside the stats br 4ai.d seems to be all that he is llaovn br ooi to have done. Unless under the faota the ve E ole in quea- tion van operated on the pub110 highvaya of thin state regularly for the tran8poPtatlon of such pas8enger8 vlthout a permit, its operator would not violate the lav. . . .# The 43ane of Commeroial Credit Compaq v. ttr08ecloae, 66 8. W. (26) 709, (ait dLamlaaed), arose rubaequent to the &Mad&tory rot. A4 p4PtlaEnt here, the 0444 involved a r40t situation vhere cne Morrl8on van drfring au autcmobllo, belong- iag to, Caweroial Oredlt 0ompany, fbm Los Angeles, Callfornta, to Ddlla4, Texa4. At El Paao he agreed to trampopt O~04401044 to ag spdag, Texan, for the sum or 44.00. In deoldlng that neither Yorriaon nor Comierroial Credit Cs vere engaged %n tha bualne88 of trau8porting person8 for~ocmpen8ation or hire upon the h.Lghvay4 of thin state, the court olted the Hoffmn oaae, lupra, with approval, saying: 'norrison van elmply engaged in tha tuk o? d,rivlng a pa444ng4r oar to Dallu to be there de- livered to appellwt, under a OontPaot 40 to do. Reither #omiaon nor appellant violated either of the lava meat oned (the motor oarrler lav aud th4 motor bu4 lav s in undertaking to truuport plain- tiff for hire f'rom El Paso to Big Spring. Ifoifmn v. State, (Tex. Grim. App.) 20 Y. Y, (26) 1057." It ia obvious that the court & the latter awe did not, regard the elimination Srom the definition of the vord "regular, " by the 1929 .smendment, an ahangkng the rule of the xofsman oa4e regarding a alugle tran4portatlon of pa44enger4 trau4aotlon. Rall.mad Omml44ion of Texa4, page 10 It in ob88rved that th8 1927 doilnltian oontairu the language "vhether operotlng over fired routes or othervlae," viietieaa the 1929 definition reads "vhether operating over flx- ed routes or ?lxeU schedules, or othervine. n The lagl8lativo purpose 14 manifest, It va5 that the abaeaoe of tired l4hedulea should aot remove an operator from the rotor bw 0~ dorm- tion, and 4xplaim t&e eljnilnatlon of the vord “regular llmLl- taaeowly vlth the addition of the vorcla 'fix4d lo hedulea .m The ?allur4 of the 414t laglalature ln 1229 to amend leotlon 2 or the 1927 act containing the 18ngmge for th8 re - ular tramportatfon of peraoaa" evinaea a legi4latire fntea P m the ellalnatlon of the word ~regularly” ln the rotor bus aarpany definition ~44 not lntu+d to oompletel~ awaove th8 sequlnment of BOBLCIregularity or oontlnulty in tha oarrylag of passengers for hire. It in 4law, moreover, that the l.8nguu$o 'eng8ged In the bu8lne88 of," oontaimd in the present lrotor bu8 oomprry deflaitlon, d4notea 4o414thlng in addition to oaa isolated aad lnoldental tranaaotion. In Webster's Il4v Intarnatioaal Dlotlon- ary tha vord *bu8lneaa" is deilmd an follov8: 'That vhlch bunion or engag8s tine, attention or labor, an a prlnoiple aeciou8 oonaern OF intrr48t. S~OlflO411~l a. consteat employmnt; ragulaz oo- oupatioa~ voik. . . b. 4rq pmtlouler oaouprtion or smple~ent habitually engaged in, e4peoLall~.jl ?or lirls.hood or gain. . . .n It 14 ummoeaaarg for UB to explore the full rknlng l&on&d by the phrase "engaged In the bu8lnesa of." SU??iOO it to nay that in our opinion it does net embraoe or iaelude a 4ingle lnoideatal and isolated tmmmtlon vhorap4r44n4 4m trre;orted an under each of the aitu4tlona deaorlbed in JOur . It vould 44ei4, furthermoPe, that the lddltioM1 lle- mnt of kmpenaation or hire " 14 not present under the deaorlb- ed faota. Raeh of your questions ia acoorcllngly 4nawor4d in the nngative.