(a)
On and after the effective date of this article, there is imposed upon every household goods carriers, and every person or corporation, owning or operating motor vehicles in the transportation of property for hire upon the public highways, under the jurisdiction of the commission, a license fee equal to one-tenth of 1 percent of gross operating revenue, which shall be payable to the commission in the manner and at the times provided for the payment of the fee provided in Section 5003.1. For purposes of this section, “gross operating revenue” shall be the gross operating revenue defined in Section 5002.
(b)
The license fee imposed by this section is in lieu of all city or city and county excise or license taxes of any kind, character, or description whatever, upon the intercity transportation business of any household goods carrier, and every person or corporation owning or operating motor vehicles in the transportation of property for hire upon the public highways, under the jurisdiction of the commission.
(c)
This section does not prohibit the imposition by any city, or city and county, of any excise or license tax authorized under Division 2 (commencing with Section 6001) of the Revenue and Taxation Code.