A.
Each applicant for a driver's license must comply
with the following to the satisfaction of the Chief of Police. The
applicant shall:
(1)
Be the holder of a duly valid New York State driver's
license of Class 1, 2, 3 or 4.
(2)
Be able to read and write the English language.
(3)
Be clean in dress and person and not addicted to the
use of either intoxicating liquor or drugs.
(4)
Meet the standards as embodied in Article 23-A of
the Correction Law of the State of New York.
(5)
Produce, on forms to be provided by the Chief of Police,
affidavits of good character from two reputable citizens who have
known him/her personally and have observed his/her conduct for at
least one year next preceding the date of his/her application; and
a further testimonial on a form provided for that purpose, from his/her
employer; unless, in the opinion of the Chief of Police sufficient
reason is given for its omission.
(6)
Fill out, upon a blank form to be provided by the
Chief of Police, a statement giving his/her full name, alias, if any,
social security number, telephone number of home and business, residence,
places of residences for five years previous to moving to his/her
present address, age, height, color of eyes and hair, place of birth,
length of time he/she has resided in the City, whether a citizen of
the United States, places of previous employment, whether he/she has
ever been arrested or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, whether
he/she has been previously licensed as a driver or chauffeur and,
if so, whether his/her license has ever been revoked, and for what
cause, and the number of the chauffeur's license issued by the state.
B.
The application shall be signed and sworn to by the
applicant and filed with the Chief of Police as a permanent record.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized and empowered to require
such additional information as he/she may deem necessary.
Each applicant for a driver's license under this chapter must file with his/her application three unmounted, unaltered photographs of himself/herself in such position as the Chief of Police may direct, taken within 30 days preceding the filing of his/her application. The photographs shall be of a size which may be easily attached to his/her license, one of which shall be attached to the license when issued, one shall be filed with his/her application and the other attached to a conspicuous place in the taxicab, as specified in § 258-25 of this chapter. If the application for the license is denied, two copies of the photograph shall be returned to the applicant by the Chief of Police.
Such application shall contain impressions of
the fingers of the right and left hand of the applicant for the purpose
of obtaining criminal history records from the New York State Division
of Criminal Justice Services, the impressions to be taken under the
supervision of the Chief of Police or his designee. Each applicant
shall pay the fee required by the New York State Division of Criminal
Justice Services, in the form prescribed by the New York State Division
of Criminal Justice Services, and an additional administrative fee
of $10, payable to the City of Cohoes. Fingerprints and all appropriate
processing fees shall be sent directly to the New York State Division
of Criminal Justice Services by the Chief of Police.
The photographs and fingerprints provided for
in this section are taken for the purpose of this chapter only and
shall not be filed in the files relating to criminal identification.
A.
Applications for a license required by this article,
with photographs and fingerprint impressions attached, shall forthwith
be sent to the Chief of Police by his designee if not already in his
possession. Only the Chief of Police or his designee may review the
criminal history of the applicant. No license shall be issued to a
person who has been convicted of a felony within a period of five
years prior to an application for such license. The Chief of Police
may deny the issuance of a license if the results of his/her investigation
reveal a criminal history which, in his/her opinion, demonstrates
a likelihood that the applicant may victimize taxicab patrons or others
if such license is issued. The provisions of Articles 23 and 23-A
of the New York State Correction Law shall be considered by the Chief
during his review of the applicant's history.
B.
Upon satisfactory fulfillment of the requirements
of this article, there shall be issued to the applicant a license
which shall be in such form as to contain a photograph and signature
of the licensee. Each license shall be stamped with the seal of the
City upon at least a portion of the photograph.
C.
All licenses issued under this article shall be numbered
in the order in which they are issued and shall contain the name and
employer of the licensee and the dates of issuance and expiration
of the license.
Driver's licenses may be issued on any day of the year and shall expire in accordance with § 258-7.1, unless previously suspended or revoked.
The Chief of Police may accept in his discretion
another municipality's license as evidence of satisfactory completion
of fingerprinting and a criminal history check by said municipality.
Said municipality's fingerprinting procedure must have been approved
by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Any licensee under this division who defaces,
removes or obliterates any official entry made upon his/her license
shall be punished by the revocation of his/her license.
There shall be delivered to each licensed driver
under this chapter, an ID, of such form and style as the Chief of
Police may prescribe, with his/her license number thereon, which must,
under penalty of revocation of the license, be constantly and conspicuously
displayed on the outside of the driver's outer garment when she/she
is engaged in his/her employment.
The Chief of Police may renew a driver's license
issued pursuant to this Article from year to year by appropriate endorsement
thereon. A driver, in applying for a renewal of his/her license shall
make such application within 30 days preceding its expiration upon
a form to be furnished by the Chief of Police entitled "Application
for Renewal of License," which shall be filled out with the full name
and address of the applicant together with a statement of the date
upon which its original license was granted and the number thereof,
and such other information as the licensing official may deem necessary.
Upon receipt of an application for renewal of a license, the Chief
of Police shall each year check the records of the New York State
Department of Motor Vehicles to determine if the renewal applicant
has been guilty of a traffic infraction that would make him/her ineligible
for a renewal of a tax driver's license and, in the discretion of
the Chief of Police, shall require the renewal applicant to file with
the application a fingerprint identification imprint. The Chief of
Police may then cause a check to be made of the records of the New
York State Division of Criminal Justice to determine if the renewal
applicant has been convicted of an offense that would disqualify him/her
for a renewal of a taxi driver's license.
Upon the filing of a completed application and
payment of all fees required hereunder, the Chief of Police or his/her
designee may, in his/her discretion, issue a temporary license to
be valid for a period not exceeding 90 days or until such time as
a final decision on the pending application is made, whichever is
earlier.
There shall be kept in the Office of the Chief
of Police a complete record of each license or permit issued under
this article to a driver, and of all renewals, suspensions or revocations
thereof, which record shall be kept on file with the original application
of the driver for a license.
A license or permit issued hereunder shall not
be assignable or transferable to any other person. Any licensee who
permits his/her license or permit to be used by any other person shall
be punished by the revocation of his/her license.
