(a) The Service-Safety Director shall investigate and may hold a hearing upon each application for an operator's license. If he finds from such investigation and hearing that the public convenience and necessity do not justify the operation of the vehicles for which the license is desired, he shall forthwith notify the applicant of his findings. If he finds from such investigation and hearing that the public convenience and necessity do justify the operation of the vehicles for which the license is desired, he shall require the following from the applicant:
(1) A full description of each vehicle for which the license is desired and the State license number of each such vehicle.
(2) An unexpired official certificate from an authorized motor vehicle inspection station of the City or the State that each such vehicle has been inspected and tested and found to meet the standards of safety fixed by statute and ordinance and that each such vehicle is roadworthy and safe for operation as a taxicab.
(3) The name, address, telephone number, fingerprints, driver's license number and photograph of each person who will drive the taxicab. The photograph shall be a close-up view, two inches by three inches, and taken within thirty days next preceding the date of application.
(4) A policy or policies of liability insurance issued for the life of the license applied for or longer, by a responsible insurance company, approved as to sufficiency by the Service-Safety Director and as to legality by the Solicitor, covering the cab and its owner and operator for liability for loss resulting from the operation of each such taxicab to the extent of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) on account of injury or death of one person in any one accident; three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) on account of injury or death of more than one person in any one accident; and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for property damage caused in any one accident.
(b) In lieu of the policies of insurance above described, the applicant may furnish a bond binding the principal and sureties to liability for damages to the extent of one hundred thousand dollars/three hundred thousand dollars/fifty thousand dollars ($100,000/300,000/50,000), respectively, as set forth herein, with at least two approved personal sureties or one approved corporate surety approved as to sufficiency by the Director and as to legality by the Solicitor.
(c) Thereupon, the Director shall examine such supporting information and documents, and being satisfied that the applicant is the owner of any such vehicle, that the same is a safe and fit conveyance, and that satisfactory liability insurance or bond has been issued a license to the applicant, to be signed by the Director.
(d) A certified copy of such license shall exhibited in a prominent place in such taxicab at all times.
(Ord. 3749. Passed 12-11-73; Ord. 75-84. Passed 12-30-75.)