906                              Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 613

(c)  The term "street railways'⁹ means any street car, bus, or
other similar vehicle propelled or drawn by electrical or mechanical
power on rails and used for transportation of passengers.

(d)  The term "taxicab" means any motor vehicle for hire (other
than a vehicle operated, with the approval of the Commission, between
fixed termini on regular schedules) designed to carry eight persons
or less, not including the driver, used for the purpose of accepting
or soliciting passengers for hire in transportation subject to this sub-
title, along the public streets and highways, as the passengers may
direct.

(e)   The term "person" means any individual, firm, copartnership,
corporation, company, association or joint stock association; and in-
includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, or personal representative
thereof.

General Duties of Carriers

286.  It shall be the duty of every carrier to furnish transportation
subject to this sub-title as authorized by its certificate and to establish
reasonable through routes with other carriers; to provide safe and
adequate service, equipment, and facilities in connection with such
transportation; to establish, observe, and enforce just and reasonable
individual and joint fares, and just and reasonable regulations and
practices relating thereto; and, in case of joint fares, to establish
just, reasonable, and equitable divisions thereof as between the
carriers participating therein which shall not unduly prefer or
prejudice any of such carriers.

Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity;
Routes and Services.

287.   (a) No person shall engage in transportation subject to this
sub-title unless there is in force a certificate of public convenience
and necessity issued by the Commission authorizing such person to
engage in such transportation; provided, however, that if any person
was bona fide engaged in transportation subject to this sub-title on
the effective date of this sub-title, the Commission shall issue such
certificate without requiring further proof that public convenience
and necessity will be served by such operation, and without further
proceedings, if application for such certificate is made to the Com-
mission within 90 days after the effective date of this sub-title. Pend-
ing the determination of any such application, the continuance of
such operation shall be lawful.

(b) When an application is made under this section for a certificate,
except with respect to a service being rendered upon the effective
date of this sub-title, the Commission shall issue a certificate to any
qualified applicant therefor, authorizing the whole or any part of
the transportation covered by the application, if it finds, after hear-
ing held upon reasonable notice, that the applicant is fit, willing and
able to perform such transportation properly, and to conform to the
provisions of this sub-title and the rules, regulations, and require-
ments of the Commission thereunder, and that such transportation
is or will be required by the public convenience and necessity; other-
wise such application shall be denied. The Commission shall act
upon applications under this sub-section as speedily as possible. The
Commission shall have the power to attach to the issuance of a