No person shall drive any vehicle requiring
a license pursuant to this chapter upon the streets of the City nor
shall the holder of any license granted pursuant to this chapter permit
any such vehicle to be so driven unless such driver shall possess
a valid hackney license issued pursuant to this chapter. The driver
and/or owner of any vehicle operated without such a hackney license
or otherwise in violation of this chapter or any rule or regulation
issued pursuant to this chapter may be fined up to $300 per violation.
Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
The Superintendent shall have the authority
to issue hackney licenses pursuant to this chapter and upon such terms
and conditions as the Superintendent may deem reasonably appropriate.
Such hackney licenses shall be valid for a term of one year from the
date of issuance and shall be renewed annually.
Upon the issuance or renewal of any hackney license required by this chapter, said driver shall pay, to the City of Lowell, a fee as shall be determined by the Superintendent and as provided for by rules and regulations adopted pursuant to §
254-3.
The Superintendent may issue hackney licenses
only to applicants who shall:
A. Be 18 years of age or older.
B. Possess a valid driver's license.
C. Be of good physical and mental health. The applicant,
at the discretion of the Lowell Police Department, may be required
to submit to a physical examination, including examination of the
applicant's eyesight and/or hearing.
D. Be able to read and speak the English language.
E. Have taken and successfully completed a written examination,
prepared and administered by the Lowell Police Department, which examination
shall test the applicant's knowledge of this chapter and the geography,
street system and landmarks of the City.
F. Have such person's fingerprints taken by the Police
Department.
G. Have taken and successfully completed a road test
administered by the Police Department if such test shall be deemed
necessary by the Police Department.
H. Consent and submit to a full criminal background investigation,
including but not limited to a CORI check and any other such further
investigation as may be deemed necessary by the Police Department.
I. Be a person of good moral character. The applicant
shall not have a criminal record including, within the past seven
years, any of the following:
(2) Violations of parole or probation.
(3) Conviction of illegal gambling and/or lottery.
(4) Conviction of sex offense.
(5) Conviction of assault and battery on or disobeying
the directives of a police officer.
(6) Conviction of narcotics- and/or alcohol-related offenses.
(7) Conviction of illegal possession of firearms.
(8) Conviction of four or more violations of motor vehicle
laws.
The holder of a hackney license issued pursuant to this chapter shall provide to the Superintendent written notice of any change in the information required by §
254-21. Such notice shall be either mailed, via first-class mail, within 24 hours of such change or shall be delivered in hand within 48 hours of such change.
A hackney license issued pursuant to this chapter
shall terminate automatically and simultaneously with the suspension
or revocation of said driver's license to operator a motor vehicle.
Said driver shall thereupon immediately surrender his/her hackney
license to the Police Department.