District taxi authorities are allowing prospective cab drivers to apply for licenses for the first time in three years.
The D.C. Taxicab Commission began issuing applications for new licenses on Saturday. The city stopped issuing applications in 2005 after the answers to the licensing exam became public.
The line to apply was around the commission's headquarters and around the block on Saturday. Some people started lining up at 3 a.m.
"I say it's like a jackpot, you know," said Samuel Mehary.
Some people said the city wasn't prepared for the flood of applications once the new test was ready.
Officials will start offering the exam in January. Almost 2,000 people have taken the training course for the exam in the last few years.
But some current cab drivers are worried about the move. They say an influx of new drivers will make it difficult for them to make a living, given the faltering economy and this year's move to fare meters, which they say keep rates too low.
