4 

845 

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 
Honorablw Jaama E. X11&y, Pqo 8 

18d vehicle for the purpose 0r tmin8p0rtathm 

or 08rria.p of pmpwrt fbr compenrratlon or 

hire QP(YF 8Uy pub110 d ghw8y ln the Btate exoemz in aooordauos with the prorlelanw of tblw 

. . l n 

Bectloma 3, S end 6 of the Aot require such 

'"motor oarriw2n" tc~ 8ecurw oertlfioates oi pub110 oonvaniMC0 and MCO88it~ Or &+43l'Idt8 hplpthw R8ilCBad &UUEd~- 

81Ofl Ol TUNE. 

sweti0i.A 1 (8) or thw above hot thrine5 8 %ot.or 

oarrlwr" in the following language: 

w(g) The tcrrm *motor t3arrier* mwm8 any 

pormn, tlzxar oozpQrat~on, oomply, oo-partLlWmhi~, SUOO&lltiOU Or jOtIlt 6tOok a8aOOiation,ena thcllrlwe8aeu, reewlvern or trueteu app0lntet-l by any court r;ht&sc~sr, owning, aentmlli~, mwu3gln~., opematlng or 

oaualngto beoperated anymtorpropslled 

vohlole umd intransportir@ propwrtyior 

oomgmnmtlon or hire omr any pub110 Ngholodo and tN8 Aat shall not apply to motor 

mh.68 opwratwd l xalaalvelly wlthin the incorp0ratsQ limft8 or oltlws or towneJ.- 

Thw proper detwnaiaation of your q~estlone depond8 

upon the sdmnlng of tbw term *motor warrier" as de?lned in 

Bbuae Blll3Io. 335, and, more apewltiafilly, thw Wxmtion 

Or the I&J,i8;L&llV in insOrtiI&f th0 d18UtW, "WhWn, in the 

aourseof 8a& tmmsportatloaa hlghwag&tmmt~or~~ 

faoorporatad oftles, towns, or Vil3.l%&5WS 18 trsvar8wd." 

The priu18ry purpo8s in conetrtzfng 8rstatute 1s 

to asawrtah the intent&xx of the Le&lat~w+ Otiitiw 

rords in 00mton u8w contalnsd In a etatuts will be glVe2l 

thsiraaturalsnQ popularnteanlrrg: tmleu,aoontrarplntwntion I.8 0163arly apparent from the eontext or tml.mw there 

is worm rmoeaalty in a partloulsr cuarw for 8doptfIlg a &itr0rcmt tm8tr00 tion. The laqtirg $8 not to it8 ClbstZaUt 

memlng, but aa to the sense in vihioh It in naed~ hence, 

in evwzy waae thw gartloular m depmde apo& and 

mast be awtemlned by, the aonterf and subJwct matter, and 
&oooreble J-8 r,. xlldey, Paage 3 

the evident lntentlon 0r tha Lwglelatur*r. The history Or 

legislet5.on generally, pertaini~ to the aubjwot mattwr, 

may be ooneldered and resort muy be hrd to lagislatlv? 

founxals au% rsoords to aaaW$Tlnxth;~8tury OS the bet 

a8 M aid to oon8txnotion. 

105; p. 193, seotioxl 104; p. 231, dwt3tizi P' 23; p. 230, 

197, 3eot1on 

Se&ion 122, and w88w8 thwrwln altwd. 

Aota OS 1929, Forty-first Le&slatun,, Regular 

session, page 698, Rouse Bill Xo. g!M Cbaptwr 514, derinfd the term %otor 08rrlei aw dow8t 

Yieotlon 1. (a) The twna *motor oartier' 

when Wed in thi8 Aat dMOte# 8Sly pWl'8OU 

rlxm, oorpoz-ation, oo-gertaerehlg, aclsooiation, joint stock aeeooiatlon, reoeiver, truetow, or lwssww who opwrstwa or oausea to be 

opwrntwd any motor propelled rwblale (not u8ually op8ratwd on or ovwr ralle) over or along 

the highreys or strwefo of this stete for tS 

parpoee or oarrylng or frenwportlng propsrtf 

Sor compensation or hire bwtwwen tvro OT mure 

lnoorporated oltlea, tarns or rillag~e.* 

soon after the passagw of the 192Q -Aat tN.8 department rend~erwd an o~ioion in reaponaw to a quwmtion propounded by the R8llroad co9paLs8lon OT Tame tConforeuoe 

Opinion 720. 2776, Book $3, &qe 160, 6ete6 June 26 1929, 

Repzt and OplnPons of t&w Attorney General, 1928-iQ3C, 

pagw 2181, in xvhlah it ~88 ruledr 

*Beotdon 1. (a) of the Act de&ties a 

98otor oarrler’ a8 bein@ 8 motor pmpell8d 

rehlwls operatwd along the Nghmye or 

etreets Tar thw purp;roee of oarryW@ or transporting property Sor aoapamatlon or hire 

*between two or more incorporated cities 

tome, or vlllagao t. Ke believe that thb 

Act 18 olwar In r~equlrlag that before a motor 

rehlale oonstitutas a motor oarrier, the operation must be b&wWn t= or msrw oltlea, 

.tmvn8, or tlllaagee I whloh am inaorptxnta6, 

and that the opwratlon bet- tam po%nts, 

only one 0r wbioh iar laaorporatwd, dose nab 

QOD~(~ wIthin thw flaPi of thw kat 80 WI t0 l-0- 

qulrw sugwrrislon and rlagulation by lths RalXFoad ~OkWitt8hIh 
Honorable Jamew E. Kllday, Page 4 

harry or transport property for tiire or oompwnswtlon, end (2) must opentw betwewr! two 

imnfclpal aorporatlone; othexwl6*, it la not 

8 motor aarrlwr unbr tN8 hot if It 16ak8 

either of these two aheraatwrlstlae.W 

It will thu8 bw sewn that when t$e pr68ent etatuts was enacted w 8n amendment to the 1929 AOt, thb tew 

*motor oarrier* herd a restrioted meaning and applied o;ily 

to operations bwtwwen tvro pointa, both of whlah werw aunlalpal clor.mmtfons. 

This law apparently prored lteelr to ba deieotlve 

in many rays (Seatlou 2Zb, Bouwe Bill No. 333, Aofe Hal), 

Mb 8 aomprwhwnalve a8Nndmeat Wao 3a8Wd in 1QSlmaldng 

~~rngee, one of which wae the deflnitlon of a fmoter 

. Howe Bill Ho. 335, Aata of 1831, Forty4wo0aU 

fn~8b&tUlW. 

As favorably rapart& vvith aawndmmta by the 

I~OUSW Co!%&tew 0i El~$~uay8 and k&Or Traffic Halah 17, 

1931, Eousw Bill No. ?M aontaiawd thw follodng deflnitiOl3 Of 8 *DOtOr 08ti%~t 

*Seotlon 1. Cft) Thw tam3 'motor aarrlrr’ 

means any par8on, rill;, ~oorporatlon, oompany, 

oo-partnwrwhlp, ae8oolatlon or joint stwk am 

saalation and their leawees, reoeiosre'or 

trwteee 8ppolntwd by any tourt ubetsowver, 

awning, aantralllng, manesie, opmitlng or 

OttUeiry! to bw ope2vlted 84 motor propelled Tohicle uawd in tranaportlng propert for compensation or hire ovwr any pub110 E i&mar in 

this state; provided that the tern *motor osrrldr’ as uswd In tAl8 Aat ahall not include 

end this Aot ahall not ap ly to notOr vahialee 

ope,ratwd 6xolWlrwlp with % tha lnoorporated 

1lmlte of oltlw8 or toruns." 

Tbla defltitlon was very aonprebOnaiv% WI raprwwwntwd a distinat 4wpflrturw rr00t thw imnmr Wt8tUth It 

lno1udc6 within thw owratlon ol' the Aot all tmn8portatiw 

of graperty far hlrw by sotor rehloalwa ovwr all gublla highwaya in this Stats, outelde the aorporatw limits of oltlwa 

or toarta without refwrwnaw to dlstanae or points or origin 

and destfnstlon. 

v%Tlou8 CiURWdMnt,S WiBrC Ofi&TWa in t&W fi~Um ard 

Senda, thw airwot OS whiwh a3tild b~Ye bwen tb Sx4#i@t ae~= 
Fionorable Samee L. Kllday, Page b 

taln aommoditios snd traneaat~006 r0or Yen maxlm~ dietancee, but rallee or acloptlon. The r&orenur t0 

V.raverse* IS rouna in an amendment orrerea In the E?ous* 

and later la the senate, bnt r6116d Or edoption, wbloh 

woul8 have Inserted In SeotIon 1 (f) ju6t before the pro- 

~180 th6 r0ii0tiq langtmger 

q%ers in the oour6e of suoh twn6portatlon a highway is traoeroed betw6en two or SW6 

lncorporatsd town6 or dtfo6.' 

hmendxents were made In tho Senate to other 6600 

t.iOM Qr t&S Aot, th0 nOU6e r6fU6& t0 OOWIJr, and a tSV@O 

ooaierenoe eomittee war appOinted. A6 t6pOrfsd flW% the 

rroe oonferewe oaxmlttee and 86 rinfay ensoted th64Laatteer 

Were In the oour6e or suoh tr6n.6 rtatlon a hI@ua 

tw660 two or xu3re lnoorgorated olt r 06, townci, or *I1 

i6 trarerseb," we26 Inal0u68 in 3eatlon 1 (4~) aerinitig a 6t0- 

tor oarrler. 

X6 think It Is Masonabk! to a66uae that th6 free 

aonfereaoe ocamlttee tborongbly dIscruseed the maanIng.ald 

erreat of ohanges !aa&e in the a0t durl 

2 

their dollheratlon6 am3 -t&et the stmbera 0r aaoh oh13 ttae were f6mIlIar 

?I. the pur 

Tho bi f 

06)~~ tmderlpllG; the am6n6~8nts madd in 0Qmmit1 naa reported fzvm the ooxaittes with a6 

ree&UatIon that It oa6s as mtitton, but 6 Qinorltf 

&6tmo&i py86 ril6d by &iBbeXYJ &Ok 6Od hp4!, SXld ~titO& 

Thi6 6tetogQnt read in pati a6 rOilOW6: 

*Vie, the andersigned numbers of Fiou6e Free 

Cantorewe CormIttee, appointed to consider 

Bows Bill6 lia. 336 and BTo. 366, have fai&d to 

Sign th0 Mjbrity rop0rt On ?hUSe ml1 30. ?I= 

for ths r0liowing r6a60n6: . . . 

*AEJ re,portsd en8 ro~o~~~en~Ietl by the astjorItg at this aonferenoe oomsittoe Rou6e Bill 

Ipo. 333 pr0vldo6 (motion 5) that wery 00zam0n 

6arri6r shall obtain Flora ths Bailroad aolasriasion a oertlflaate or ?ubllo Com~:oismaa aa6 

aeqmeltp and a pemkit (section 6) ii t2xe 6pplloant desire6 to operate a6 a oantraot oarrler. Nalthnr o6rtl~Lonte or permalt, h0wwer. 
Boaorable Yama E. Kil.t?ay, Fwe 6 

in the linlts 0r lworpoXatod oltleo an4 tcnm6.w 

House Journal, Bbrtp666ond I&nlature, pm EO5!5. 

The general purpose 0r the ohaago ~4660 in soctlm 

1 (g) ma6 olearly to r66trlot the d&inltlon In its 600 

The langnag la qwr6tfontight beooiutnmde6 d66orI 

of the hi&ways *hers regulation would be ofSmd.lve, 

the jostedlctlon of the Coxdedon would extend to the*?& 

uhtlon 0r hauling ror hixe only oa or upon puhlfo hlebrrrpr, 

altuatod or looatsd betw66n lnaorgerated town6 aud to *b-aTemo" 6uah a d66arib6d hIghway, u6an%ng to jouraey along 

or upon it for any dlstanoe %dmcoow6r. On th6 other. hand, 

the lenguags my be cocatrued a6 d66orIptlvo 0r the rmioe, 

l.e., the regulation or that ssniae owr any hl&~, whloh 

6exvI0e extends b&moon or through tw0 or more it630rp0m0a 

towna without rererence to the origin or altiarte dostllutiOn Ot'th6 tl%lM&Wt6tiO~. 

Eridsntly at lea& tso rparbars of the Szse oonfer6aoe~ttee thou&t thelatterm6anSngrrrr iafend6d66 

IndIoat6d by the %i.Wrlty 6t6t6fumt QWml abw6. 

'$8 6hsu. nOw @nE tha A6t a6 a Wh0l.o (Lo UI dd 

In 6etoxmIaIng whether *txa~er60w wcu iateldod to man tmoli.!ig for any di6tOWO on a poblio ai&iu 6itU6t6d bdW#Wl 

tn, or more IxcorpozWod tomu, or trwe &I 

OT beyoad two or wnre ia66 

botwaa throu& 

My. It 06anot nmm txw0.l T ng r0r cay dlstanee ffa say h%ghl&ml foatl on say Quhlb hlghway else the lanp;usgs b66aa66 6i6atXiaglO66~ 

Seetlon 1 (h) derfnas 6 *anntmwt 6ati6r* a6 5 

Oth6Ethan 66 6 c-0 

6erve, rO6tW aad regtalat6 trazmgortatlon and to 

the exkrrtIx% and all ruture uadue buxdens on the hrghwarr; 

arlelng by reason o? the u66 Of th6 highram 

and 6ba11 e-0 "oonsidmtlsn to t&6 - 

tg gnyl6siormr6* oowrts or th6 6~6~61 counties and bo 

ommmndatloas oi the Looak gw&rnm6n t 0r MY norti~ipallty through or between which nmtsr OaTrlen Olg~tO*~ 
851 

Se&ion 5 re@res com~n oerrler *notor camlore* to 60- 

atire oertifioates or 2ublia oonvtilence and neoe66Ity to 

operate *over the oubllc hiprhwaysr of t5is State.* Rumer0116 other rules aad regulations a~6 oontained in the A~ot 

governin,: the aperations of rotor oarrlets whloh we do not 

oonoider neoeasarv to enumerate here. soctlon 22b. In deelarIq* the 1edeiLatlve poliay, made, In part, a6 iollmmr 

“The bUSInt6S Or Qp%7ktIIX& a6 6 Nor Oarrler 0r property for hire along the highwa~ 0r 

this State 16 declared to be a buelnsea arreoted 

with the ~ubllc lntereot. . .* 

Upon a oaretul cofisidcratlon or the Act ae a 

&ole w% hare cor.clud%C the). tb.e Legislature Inteaded to 

re&.ate motor ro!ifoles rendering a oetialn type serrl00 

dor:neC IA the Xct a6 nwtor oerrIer6*, the servloe referred to boln(l: that in nhfoh the earrler ln the oour6e of hi6 

tramportatlon travel6 rron.one Incorporated tom to.another over any publIe, higbwap in this State. The purpose -8 

not to remlet all motor vshlclea regardless oi the nature 

ot"thc 6exvIce, operating on certain highwayas Thus eon- 

&rued, the kot cams -into herIUOAy a6 8 Whole. 

Tke constn;ctIon we have given th% Act f6 amaxentlp in acoord 31th thu unllors, departmental conetnration 

0r practltje in the enrora~nt or the Lot rr0m 1931 until 

reoe!ztly, acoordiqj to our irimm%tIon. 

hs pointed ‘out above, prior to the 1931 amendment., the temlnl or the transportation w66 required to be 

munlai~al corsoratloue. h elgnlflaant ohange ~66 made la 

ags in E.ouae Bill X0. 333; howwer, It 16 only 

*in the course of such t.ranaportatfonn a 

hIghway be traversed betwee twc or iimre IWOxpO~ted 

tarns, thu6 sI@?lryI~ that lee6 than the lib314 route 

WJuld be 8UffIdeEt to brlw, the op%r%tor XithiA the term 

or the act. It .mxst be presumed that t&e Legielature had 

e.o.oA purporre in nlnc! In ohaa&ng the wording of the deflniTha ract th%t IA highway betwaen two Incorporated 

eftlfig Is traverse& in the oourse 0r a contIauou8 tramportation SGQ InaLuded In the route.Is the taatir whioh constitutes ths operator ror hire a %3tor oarder*. 

Ea6ed upoc the fore~olng aaalysls, It Ie our 

apinl9,n that: 

!fhe Xailroad comIsslon or T%zas has authority to isok a certiiioute of ;rublIc conwnienoe and Weee- 
852 

H0norabl.c 3a-,cs L. Itildey, Pape 8 

R The TIaIlroac! C0mn.taslon of Terns does tot 

have authogty to Isme a' ocrtlflaatc of publlo convenleme 

and necessity Txm rw inoo~orated tuwn to an un.hmorporat4a town n-htre thtra art no towns betmwz.7 the tra since no 

portion of ttc trans;?ortstion or mute is between or thmugh 

two or 9or4 inO:aqod4a cities. 

3. Thsr4 is 8 tlistlnatlon between the tuo opsratlona deeoribed in your letter of rspuent.