To Regulate Rates of Public Utilities.
Houston City Charter, art. II, § 6
in effectSec. 6. - To Regulate Rates of Public Utilities.
The City Council shall have the power by ordinance to fix and regulate the price of water, gas and electric lights, and to regulate and fix the fares, tolls and charges of local telephones and exchanges; of public carriers and hacks, whether transporting passengers, freight or baggage, and generally to fix and regulate the rates tolls or charges of all public utilities of every kind.
To fix and regulate the fares and charges of electric or street railway companies, and shall require by ordinance, under proper penalties, that any street railroad using any of the streets of the City shall for one fare give a transfer from any of its lines to any other line in the City, whether such other line be owned by it or any other company, and in addition to the penalties to be prescribed by ordinance for the failure to give transfers, shall have the right by mandamus or other proper remedy in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any ordinance requiring the giving of transfers by any street railroad company; and in addition thereto, the City of Houston may recover of the street railway company the sum of twenty five dollars as penalty and liquidated damages for each and every failure to give a transfer.
It shall be unlawful to continue, amend or extend any street railroad franchise, without binding any such railroad to give universal transfers, under provisions to be fixed by general ordinance. (Act of 1905)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH_ARTIICOGEPO_S6TORERAPUUTFetched: 10/26/2026