Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN rbada
1912, rhioh ar follourr wb hare mrefully the under81 “Mb,
of ‘fbXN, do berob
fachual eLtua
ion groundbd
ority thi8 Oorrirllon uao fror the hlghvaytl of Texa8 intermtrte the transportation emrob for of per8on8 for hire under the Motor Bus Lav OS Tsxar.
"With aore particularity, f8otm are now given to you a8 follovs~
‘$&,,ti - Of tOXal< mb
“The Qephart Emplo)arsnt Agenoy, of San Antonio, ia e lioenmd jppplgrant labor agent with TbXIL8, the Labor Board of the State of Texas and 1~ prb- abntly operating under CbPtiiioste 100, 16 Issued to It by the state Labor Board. Qephart ham ap- pro*tblr 30 8genta or bmplo~a, v0rkl.q In the Counties of Dal-, Dlmmlt, Eldalgo, Haverlok, Yubcba, Val Vbrdb, Webb, Eavalla, El Paao, and U Sbllb, bngaged in thb solioltation of imm.igrrnt ;e$ooa;r the Qreat Wbatbm Sugar Comm of Dmver,
Bach of l al;d agents arb paid a salary tar the& vork by thb Qbphart Bmplogrent -op. a&ant of the Qejbart -lop-
‘A prrtioular 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 evlousl~ nambd atstbo, maid tiI3hb in OIib Of thb agent will give maid box-bra the right to go by G their ovn prlv4te vehtole to San Antonlo, or the Qbphart Ediploymnt agbnay vi11 pay the tranbporta- tion eoat of transporting sold over & laborer8 duly authorltbd paaacm&br carrier from Msraedba to San Antonio.
“In the event the laborer doe8 not 6ove over 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 ruoh Ubtanob bblonging ers mbkjng the trip. involved,--the vehlolb In eaah some ona of the labor-
Rvhen maid laborers have rbaohed the Qbphart iLl 88n hltOILi0 th4J -8 O@A88i- $ntplO~bnt &t?llOy 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 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 t0 oeid VbhiOlb, t0 tra338port Of titlb himself axadthb metuber oihla f’amilyfrom%anAn- tonio, Texae to oam one point in ox@ ol the above *3 Coml.aalon 0r Tbxaa, Rallraad pago 3
namd at8tear llw ovmr oi thb robbOb u vbll am the lumbers OS him iemily, upon maah- rlll, dbatS.nati~, al go to vork in QM of hgtheir sugar beet fields in bald the lobalit and, for thb purpoaoa of thla oplnio~, tbbp vl not rb- turn thb State of Tbxar. For ubh truuporta- tlon the Qqahut~lopnt~~pr)r the owmr or thb rehiole #lO.OO for 8eh m8bbr 0r bib Suoilr over tha -0 ol 14 -8 th8t na tmna- ported in bald vohlolo,--which bald amaunt is olaimbd to bb for thb bxpbnu o? thb trip. IR eaoh lnatanoe enlf 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- after, thb p l r b fr b o to go vhb r b th y i fk b.
“First “QbghPrt Llbev &blWJ, tradb PUI, tie fOP fra this Bop- &me Qbph*rt, hating 80 authorit liralen OS aiqkind, 70'0~ M mq\watbd to give ua pouropinianaato Oarrirafon vhethororaottbi8 aan atop him olthbr by iajunotion or 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 him, deba this Comlaalon hate thb jurir 3F atian 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 transport paa- aengbra for l&b, deem this QamlaaiQn h4ro jurla- dlotlon to 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 is th6 urinu- tDre of the above qudoaa in 0 lalnt to aa a re thbn please 8-t tire, abarging maid raon vith a v ol8- or indiotamnt tlon of Artlalb glla, Vwnon &UIOtatbd P B;vll
Statutoa, rNoh raid inbiotmnt w oanplrlnt vould tithatand a lb& teat betor in pow oplaha, thb oourta of this state.
"In tidltion the abtirltiba or thb Qbphart aploment hgonop, alao locukhd at San thore lr htopio, Texas, l b bw wzwp wnbd a aU 6pbrated by Y. P. A6oata end opratrd under t& tra& name Phi8 partioolul wnop of A6oata I Agenep. la bngagod in th6 bulbearn o? olloiting Ukbvlae and proour* lmmlgraat labarera, moatlp WrxUaa, t&J sugar fibldn th6 peoioualy located mbntltmbtl atrtea.
“Thb plan of opocatUn of the Ameta L&w Agbnop la rombvhat dM?erbat fru that of the QQ~- hart maplopmbnt &baoy. A~enep haa mama 300 agbnta “The Aaoata Ubw
eaplopd ia dl??erent oountlea witbin the Mate o? Texas who a?e eqpged In t&e bualaea~a of l olh%t- bag aml p r o owing imaigraat labwwa fw thb su gar bbbt oupaniea &mated ia above nud at&tom.
Phase agents do not reoelvb l posiiied balmy far their aerrloea but are pcld on the bada of the and deliver, -- numbw of laborers vhioh the7 OOwb pw head, @.oO the per oapita rate b6lag #LO r pw head, or $2.50 pbrhead, dqbndlxq on thb dla- tame ?rcm the point of poarpbmnt to 8az3 Antonio.
lJnuc6 th6 Qephart mploynnt A$enoj, the p~obure- abnt agbatr fw Aeoata, at the reveral poiata of proaurwbnt, lnfw81 pbrmau oowbd by t&m at just di C thbfr dbatlnatlon points of proowbment la to be: and tbao 3abwera knov vhbre they are timp ever leave hbm6. going bbfwb Qhbn a partioular *bat ooatrota and roowea in uar onb loo8 s tp, he a given number 0r 18borbra vi11 tranbpoa-t uld l8bcwbPa in hla avn 6ar to 8bn Antonio, Texaaj and, tar ubh 8elrvlloo8, hb till re- oelvb $1.00, &?.OO, oc &Ze.50, dbpbading upan the dta- t-00 botubll~ travrrbd to MA Antonio; bad he vlll Rake only one trip.
milraaU Ctwiraioa of Tw, pbgb 5 “After thb laborore rbaeh 8an Aatonio the
ar6 ola a al?ibU a aU l xamlnbU W&d M b rubuquent I p transp o rted to 80~ poina In oae of the bovb aamd in the folloving maaner: Staten 'The ALcoda Ubm &eno;r will takb the Vbhi-
cle owned by oae mubbr of tha goup to be traaa- Of Whbh VbhlOlb uld m pWtQd,--rod i0 thba ti th6r8 th. to 8ald lb@ bMbP,-- md rill By laboror owning uid vehiolo #lo.00 for each mbmbw o?thb?amllpo?rhi6hhblathehudm6viag6n
aald vohlolb, whieh 8aid amouat ir doalgnatod u tr8vel 6xpua808. I? in 8dUitlan the 86mbbra of the drlver’r ?a&, thwo are othw laboera th6 808b vohiolo, tbp mave frbe. mavlng
Qn Od0r that 00~ tatbmat ma b8 pbrrootly o&w to you, vo give you th6 foil OYI ng bxuplQ, “Ia the *rant l labww la thb ovaw
of a vehlole mad ir a aevba, the A6orta Ubw Agbaep till ovaw and labwer #&A0 u spoaas or tranaporta- t1onj and at the URb tab, l.? thQr6 are few au-
dit1onal iabwbr8 to Mv6 ln th6 um6 vehi&Q, no $IAAI will be mode 8816 Sow a&Utienal
. 9a ooanbotlaa tith fiha fwogoiag, in soy hIataa6Qr th6 Oat rha 08M.fO8 tb IrbWWO, ?W *mall to 8aa Ae&nls x lnBtaa60, ?roR via 60 on through to the partioular ?lelUa in thb fwdga stat0 and vi11 rbaain there 88 a vwkw. In othbr inrt~erhexi~gobrokto1~u31v;Lthhll~ but he does not nke mother tsip lnbhto~ ?ror Pearatil to San Antonio vith aaothe pb~p. & laataaooa whbra hb gbbr b86k to m*oUUte?hv-
b tb,oa bwlea Itiuel? eangregat- ; ovlang a OU* Xn thla l4tter kQtd of oue ku requima that. furilp go to th6 ;z fr$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 amkeel ?ollowLng qruatlona on the latter faota:
Qoba this Oomlaalon~r, the jurladlotlan to pmobed agabt A8oata Agonop lthor W I&w erirbl proooedlngr or by injunetire poaoedinglt
'8QOOBU %ma this Corrirrlen have the jueldlotloa to proabbd a&ast th. b t 8olyrr mmpaaier SW V~O~Q beabflt th u e l otlv tlba WQ ourled On, 01 'fh their ~$4, by wlmlaal ~udlagm w agaia@t
by iajoxmtln preoebdlngat
‘Third “Dabr thla Gamiaatsn haw the jwtsdi~tlcm, ithw 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 boreurdf(b19- "Thla C~alonia~~ttpowurl~~e8aed
with this matter both by those vho dlaim wo have *7 gtailroaU Cotmlaalon of Texas. page and those vho cllr we bme ao jwla- jurladlotlon and you are urgent17 requbated to give IM
dlotion; m opinion am urgently a.a pf3aalble.*
We oonatrue pour queatlom to reUte, of oourme, only pour authority in the premises qmler Artiole glla, Vernon@8 motor bun JAY of Texas. ¬ated Civil Statutes, you havb The folloving In eaoh altuation f’aota exist dwwlbbdr (1) EIoh motor vbhlole makes but one tram- portatlcm trip;
(2) The motor vehicle la pPivatel7 owned by baah kuatanae~ the driver
(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 duly authorised pusen- ger carrier. i? theme operaticma aonatltute motor bum
Ye must deolde aoapanp operations within the purview of aubaeotlon (a) of l b o- tion 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 truRtee8, WOeiV- leaaeea, era, or truatees appointed by any court vhotao- ever, owning, oontrolllng, operating or -2ng
RalbMd Coaniaron of ‘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 oo?axmna&tion or hire over w public hi&way In thlk Stats exoept in Booord- anoe vlth the of thl8 Aot, . . .* rovlrions (RmphAsir Our4 P
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 our4 1 . . .* (E4kpha414
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 *9 R&ih'O&d 00~4l44iOn of Texan, -4 of a l i43le truuportatlon
Ah. Upon the wention or paaaengera, tha OOI+ said:
"Thin l4v in not violated bj an agent of suoh oomp4ny, vho hires a l ervloe car 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 operated outside Thin in vhat appears frcm the t;zmt the stats br 4ai.d %%% to have beeadona b~appellant.
seems to be all that he is laovn br ooi to have done. Unless under the faota the ve ole in quea- E
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 vhere cne Morrl8on van drfring au autcmobllo, belong- situation 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, upra, with approval, saying: 'norrison van elmply engaged in tha tuk o? to be there de-
d,rivlng a pa444ng4r oar to Dallu livered to appellwt, under 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 l 4hedulea should aot remove an operator from the rotor bw 0~ dorm- tion, and 4xplaim of the vord “regular l lmLl- t&e eljnilnatlon vlth the addition of the vorcla 'fix4d l ohedulea.m taaeowly
The ?allur4 of the 414t laglalature ln 1229 to amend eotlon 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 BOBLCI or oontlnulty in tha oarrylag regularity of passengers for hire.
It in 4law, moreover, that the l.8nguu$o 'eng8ged In bu8lne88 of," oontaimd in the present lrotor bu8 oomprry deflaitlon, d4notea 4o414thlng in addition to oaa isolated aad In Webster's Il4v Intarnatioaal Dlotlon- lnoldental tranaaotion. ary tha vord *bu8lneaa" is deilmd an follov8:
'That vhlch bunion or engag8s tine, attention or labor, an prlnoiple aeciou8 oonaern OF intrr48t. a. consteat employmnt; ragulaz oo-
S~OlflO411~l oupatioa~ voik. . . b. 4rq pmtlouler oaouprtion or smple~ent habitually engaged in, e4peoLall~.jl ?or lirls.hood or gain. . . .n
It 14 ummoeaaarg 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 lnoideatal and isolated tmmmtlon vhora p4r44n4 4m 4ingle trre;orted
an under each of the aitu4tlona deaorlbed in JOur . that the ddltioM1 le-
It vould 44ei4, furthermoPe, or hire " 14 not present under the deaorlb- mnt of kmpenaation ed faota. the ia acoorcllngly Raeh of your questions 4nawor4d
nngative.