(a) License Required. No person shall operate a taxicab or automobile for hire as a taxicab driver within the City without first procuring or renewing and maintaining in full force and effect a taxicab driver's license.
(b) Application. Application shall be made to the Chief of Police of the City, for a taxicab driver's license by any person desiring to drive a taxicab, either as an employee for a taxicab operator or individually as an operator. Such applicant shall possess the following qualifications:
He shall be an American citizen able to speak and read the English language, eighteen or more years of age, who is of good eyesight and hearing and sound physique, has a working knowledge of the traffic laws and rules of the State and the City, is competent to drive a motor vehicle upon the streets of the City and of good moral character. The qualifications of eyesight, hearing and physique shall be supported by a certificate of a reputable physician resident in the City; the qualification of moral character shall be supported by affidavits of two reputable citizens of the City. No applicant shall be issued a license who within four years last passed has been duly convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving theft, personal violence or moral turpitude. Such applicant shall present himself to the Chief of Police for examination as to his qualifications and shall well and truly answer all questions and submit to all tests required of him, tending to disclose whether he possesses such qualifications. If after such examination the Chief of Police is satisfied that such applicant possesses all such qualifications, he shall issue an order in writing, certifying to the applicant's qualifications, to the Mayor, recommending the Mayor to issue a taxicab driver's license to such applicant upon the payment of the license fee and the filing of a picture of such applicant as provided in the following subsection.
(c) Annual License Fee. Each taxicab driver shall pay an annual license fee to the Mayor of one dollar ($1.00) and such license shall be for a period ending on December 31 of each year. A picture of the applicant at least 2 x 3 inches square and made during the calendar year in which his application is made, shall be filed by the applicant with the Mayor and a duplicate copy of such picture shall be constantly posted in a conspicuous place in his taxicab while he is driving. His license shall also contain his picture.
(d) License Issuance. Upon the filing with the Mayor of the certificate of the Chief of Police, the procuring of the duplicate pictures of the applicant and the filing of one of them with the Mayor as required by the preceding section and the payment of the license fee, the Mayor shall issue to such applicant a taxicab driver's license. Such taxicab driver's license shall be renewed annually upon the same terms and conditions and under the same regulations.
(e) Twenty-four Hour Service Required. The issuance of a taxicab operator's license by the Mayor shall be predicated upon the condition that such owner or operator shall maintain taxicab service within the corporate limits of the City on a twenty-four hour basis. Failure to do so shall be an additional cause for the revocation of the operator's license by the Mayor.
(Ord. 1202. Passed 3-19-47.)