Notwithstanding any of the provisions of § 46.2-2078, the Department may grant common carrier certificates to applicants to serve irregular routes on an irregular schedule within a specified geographic area. The Department shall issue no more certificates than the public convenience and necessity require, and shall place such restrictions upon such certificates as may be reasonably necessary to protect any existing regular or irregular route common carrier certificate holders operating within the proposed service area, but shall not deny a certificate solely on the ground that the applicant will operate in the same service area that an existing regular or irregular route common carrier certificate holder is operating. Certificates issued hereunder shall be restricted to operation of vehicles with a passenger-carrying capacity not to exceed 15 persons, including the driver. Certificates hereunder shall also be restricted to prohibit pickup or delivery of passengers at their personal residence in the City of Norfolk, except that this restriction shall not apply to specially equipped vehicles for the transportation of disabled persons. A motor carrier receiving a notice of intent to award a contract under the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.) for irregular route common carrier service to or from a public-use airport located in the City of Norfolk or the County of Henrico is entitled to a conclusive presumption of a need for such service.