April 12, 1939
HonorableA. .I.Luckett
CouutyAttorney
Coiml coimty
Rev Rrauufels,Texas
Daar Sir:
oplnlonNo..o-609
Re: ~iheth.+,wider the facts'shted,
the'transpor&atlonoflabor&3t6'
Ohiiiis in dolation bf Art.'l69Oa,
PenalCode;withont obtairilng
certTflcafe'br permitfromthe
RallroadCommlssionunderArt. 9&*
R. c. s.
Ue are in receiptof your letterof April 6, 1939, whereinyou outline
$he folIowingfacts:
"A~citiaenofthis coasmmltyhascontractedwiththe
~.'ownerof a ,largetruck.farmin'theState of Ohto to
furnisha numbarof Mexicanlaborers. He has contacted
a numberof local laborersand they have agreed to go
with him to Ohio.His agreementW:to deliverat the
truckfarmona certaindate the+e laborersfor the
purposeof cultivating the cros and harvestingsqme.
lieplans to transport'.
these laborersfrom.thls
commuuityto Ohio on a truck ovned and operatedby
him. He receivesa compensation of about $10.00 to
$15.00per haad from these laborersfor gettingthem
this .job. He will also receivea compensationfrom
the truck farmerfor locatingthese laborers. After
they arrive in Ohio,he will act as a sort of sub-
foremanand'tlmelzeper.Upon the completionof the
work in the fall,he is to return these laborersto
this Countywithoutany additionalchargesto them.
If for-anyreasonhe is unableto transport6aid
laborers,ha will make said trip to Ohio with his
familyon the same truck."
You requestour opinionwhetheror not under the above facts the person
transporting said laborerswill be in violationof Article 1690~~
of the
Penal Coda uulesshe first obtainse permit from the RailroadCommission
Of Texas under Articleglla,RevisedCivil Statutes.
. . 1
Hon. A. J. Luckett,April 12, 1939,Page #2 0-6'39
Article16903,Penal Code, providesa penaltyfor those who violate
Article glla,RevisedCivil Statutes. Article9lla providesfor the
regulationof motor bus transportation.Section 1 (c) of the last
mentionedact reads in pert as r0ihf6:
%he'term 'MotorBus Company'when used in this Act (Art.
gllajP. C. l&la) means every corporationor persons as
herein defined,their lessees,trustees,receivers,or
trusteesappointedby any courtwhatsoever,owning,
controlling,operating,or managingany motor propelled
psssengervehicle,not usuallyoperatedon or over rails,
and engagedin the businessof transportingpersonsfor
compensationor hire over the publichi&ways within the
State of Texas,whetheroperatingover fined routesor
fixed schedules,or otherwise;. . ."
Section2 of said Articlegala, providesthat "all motor bus companies
as definedherein are.hereby.declared
to be common carriersand
subject.toregulationbytheState of Banas and shallnotoperata any
mot& popelled passengervehiclefor the regulartransportation of
peraoneaapsssengersfor compensation or hire over any publichighway
In this State in accordance.wlththe
provisionof this Act."
Other parts 0r Articleglla providefor the issuance0r certificates
andpermits under propar.circumstances.~
In the case of Hoffmanv. State,20 5. W. (2) 1057, it was held that
this law is not violatedby an agent 0r .a.OOnpanywho hires a .service
car one time to transport'overa::publlchighway of.this State passengers
who bad been brought.toour State.~lineupon a -vehicleoperated,outside
the State by such company.
In the case of Coaanercia1Credit'Company.e.Groeeclose;66 8. W. 709, the
El Paso Court of Civil Appealsheld that Artlcle.16gOaof the Penal Code
was not violatedby a.personwho-in making an isolatedtrip fromEi Paso
to Big Spring,acceptedcompensation.from.a.,personwho nccompanied.him
on the trip.
Under the facts outlinedby you,.theperson whom you~mention~iaapparently
not engagedin the regulartransportation of.personsas passengersfor
compansation‘or hire over the publichighwaysof this State.andthe above
caseswould control.
Our answerto your questionis .inthe ne.gative.
Hon. A. J. Luck&t, ALgil 3.2,1939,Page # 3 0-60s;
Yours very t-uly
ATTORNEXGz?mmu OF TEXAS
s/ GlennR. Lewis
.By
Glenn 3. Lewis
Assistant