The increased cost has nothing to do with increased safety or quality of drivers. Just ask the Jacksonville Police Department. Due to the fact that the Jacksonville drivers go on Camp Lejeune, they have always had to be fingerprinted and the prints run through the nationwide FBI database, in addition to obtaining a criminal court record. Around ten years ago, they also began requiring a drug test to the tune of $40. This drug test is a joke. Since your permits expire on your birthday, you know exactly when to cease and desist so you can get a clean test. I took a couple of these tests. They contract with the local urgent care type clinic to do them. While I am not a drug user anyway, I was surprised that they simply asked me to remove my jacket and turned off the water valve under the sink and then left me alone to take the test. I could have had a clean sample concealed on me or simply turned the water back on, for whatever reason. When I worked previously for a manufacturing plant and you were injured on the job, they always did a drug test and stood there and watched you. Knowing a lot of the drivers as I do, it has done nothing to cut down on the drug use/dealing going on. Jacksonville also holds two taxi inspections a year that they charge a fee for. These are not safety checks, and they are unnecessary because they are performed at the same time you get your state inspection. They will however, fail your cab if the color of the floor mats don't match the carpeting in the car. All it amounts to is another way to tax the taxi drivers and generate income for the city.