Act One

Travis Bickle visits a taxi workshop in New York where he applies for a cab driver occupation through the personnel officer. Travis states that he is an ethically cleared Maritime officer, but it is later discovered that he is a Vietnam Old-timer. Travis finally gets the job and is set to operate during the night due to his long-lasting sleeplessness after making an impression with one of the administrators at the depot.  In the course of his taxicab duties, Travis investigates and becomes obsessed with a lady called Betsy, a volunteer for the campaigns of Charles Palatine, the city senator who is a presidential nomination aspirant and is promising to implement vivid social changes. Travis and Betsy begin to get along and he takes her out on a date to watch a movie. Unfortunately, the pornographic film offends Betsy and the attempts of reconciliation by Travis do not succeed.