§ 32-35. Application.

Any individual proposing to drive a taxicab shall apply, before driving or accepting employment to drive a taxicab, for a taxicab driver's license to the city manager, in writing on forms provided by the city manager. The taxicab driver's license shall be issued to all drivers fulfilling the requirements of this article. Each applicant shall first pay thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for the cost of the applicant's picture and other services necessary to procure the license. Every applicant shall furnish under oath the following information:

(a)

Name and age.

(b)

Local address inside the city and telephone number where the applicant can be contacted.

(c)

Name and business address of the taxicab annual permit holder to whom the applicant for registration intends to apply for employment as a taxicab driver.

(d)

Number of years and months the applicant has actually resided in the city preceding the date of application and the number of years and months the applicant has resided in the state.

(e)

An affidavit, on forms to be provided by the city manager, that he or she is a citizen of the United States of America, by birth or naturalization; or, if an alien, evidence that he or she is legally residing in the United States of America and that he or she has the legal right to engage in such employment.

(f)

Must be eighteen (18) years of age or older and possesses a valid Texas driver's license.

(g)

Experience the applicant has had in driving a taxicab or other public transportation of passengers or property.

(h)

Whether the applicant has ever been charged or convicted of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude with full information concerning the charge or conviction and whether the applicant has ever been charged or convicted of a misdemeanor regarding the operation of motor vehicles, had any driver's license suspended or revoked, with full information concerning the convictions, violations, suspensions or revocation. Any applicant who is charged or has a conviction within five (5) years before applying for a license shall not be eligible to receive a taxicab license.

(i)

Whether the applicant has ever been charged or convicted of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude with full information concerning the conviction and whether the applicant, regarding the operation of motor vehicles, has ever been placed on pretrial diversion, given unadjudicated probation, adjudicated probation, or charged or convicted of a class B misdemeanor or higher misdemeanor, driving while intoxicated or any felony by a court of competent jurisdiction had any driver's license suspended or revoked, with full information concerning the convictions, violations, suspension or revocation. Any applicant who is charged or has been convicted within three (3) years before applying for a permit shall not be eligible to receive a taxicab permit [license].

(j)

Reserved.

(k)

Whether or not the applicant has any defects of mind or body known to the applicant to be a handicap in driving a motor vehicle. Provide a certificate, executed by a licensed and practicing physician in the city, showing that the applicant is not afflicted with any disease or disability which would impair his or her ability to drive and to operate a taxicab in a safe manner and such certificate shall state specifically the condition of the applicant's hearing and eyesight including, without limitation, color perception. Any false information submitted shall be the basis for denial or revocation of a license.

(l)

A form entitled "Request for Information for Texas Driver's Licensing Records," and as part of the application, shall pay the required fee and submit such application to the Texas Department of Public Safety with a notation that the information is to be mailed to the city manager's authorized representative. A taxicab driver's license application shall be subject to rejection if the information received from the Texas Department of Public Safety discloses that the applicant's record should disqualify him or her from receiving a taxicab driver's license.

(m)

A certificate, executed by a licensed and practicing physician in the city, showing that the applicant is not afflicted with any disease or disability which would impair his or her ability to drive and to operate a taxicab in a safe manner and such certificate shall state specifically the condition of the applicant's hearing and eyesight, including, without limitation, color perception. Any false information submitted shall be the basis for denial or revocation of license.

(n)

A fee of ten dollars ($10.00) will be charged for any lost, misplaced or stolen taxicab license.

(o)

Documentary evidence of payment of any outstanding traffic or parking fines with the City of Laredo and Webb County, or a sworn statement that the applicant has no outstanding traffic or parking tickets with the City of Laredo and Webb County.

(Ord. No. 84-114, § 2(32.20), 7-17-84; Ord. No. 98-282, § 1, 11-2-98; Ord. No. 2004-O-245, § 1, 10-11-04; Ord. No. 2005-O-343, § 2, 12-19-05; Ord. No. 2006-O-037, § 1, 2-21-06; Ord. No. 2007-O-021, § 1, 2-20-07; Ord. No. 2008-O-066, § 1, 4-7-08; Ord. No. 2009-O-075, § 1, 5-4-09; Ord. No. 2012-O-141, § 1, 9-17-12)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2006-O-037, § 1, adopted Feb. 21, 2006, added subsection (m) to § 32-35. Inasmuch as subsection (m) already existed, said provisions have been redesignated as (n) at the editor's discretion.

In addition, Ord. No. 2008-O-066, § 1, adopted April 7, 2008, added subsection (n) to § 32-35. Inasmuch as said subsection already existed, the new provisions have been redesignated as (o) at the editor's discretion.