Borough of Westville, NJ Article VI Rates and Fares

§ 354-21 Schedule of rates and fares.

A. The schedule of rates and fares which may be charged for the transportation of passengers in taxicabs or limousines licensed for operation within the Borough of Westville, in the County of Gloucester, shall be filed in the Borough Clerk's office annually by January 31 of each year.

B. A copy of the foregoing schedule of rates and fares as filed with the Borough Clerk shall be furnished by the Clerk of said Borough to each licensee of a taxicab or limousine for each taxicab or limousine and shall be at all times posted in a conspicuous place in the inside of each licensed taxicab or limousine. The face of each said schedule of rates shall also contain the name of the licensee of the vehicle and shall bear the words "Pay only according to schedule." The licensee of each taxicab or limousine shall provide each said vehicle with a printed receipt pad, to be approved by the Committeeman of said Borough Council directing the Police Department of said Borough, and each licensee of a taxicab or limousine shall keep available a supply thereof, and each driver shall, whenever requested, give a passenger a receipt upon such official form for the fare paid. Upon complaint of a passenger and the delivery of such a receipt, it shall be the duty of the police officer in charge of the police headquarters of said Borough to investigate the circumstances of such a complaint and make such adjustment thereof as right and justice shall require. It shall be the duty of the driver or owner of any taxicab or limousine to refund to a passenger any excess charge exacted of such passenger when directed to do so by said police officer.

C. No person shall charge or attempt to charge any passenger any greater rate of fare than that to which any person is entitled for the use of any taxicab or limousine under the provisions of this chapter.

D. All disputes in respect to fares shall be determined by the police officer in charge of the police headquarters of said Borough. Failure to comply with such determination shall constitute a violation of the provisions of this chapter.

§ 354-22 Taximeters.

The Committeeman of the Borough Council of said Borough directing the Police Department of said Borough may, if and when he shall deem it necessary and proper, require a taximeter to be attached to each taxicab or limousine operated within said Borough. When said Committeeman shall have required a taximeter to be so attached:

A. Each taxicab or limousine shall have affixed thereto a taximeter of a size and design approved by said Committeeman. Each said taximeter shall be so placed that the dial thereof shall at all times be within the plain view of all passengers in said vehicle.

B. No license for a taxicab or limousine shall be issued until the taximeter attached thereto shall have been inspected and found to be accurate.

C. No person shall use or permit to be used upon any taxicab or limousine a taximeter which shall be in such a condition as to be incorrect more than 5% to the prejudice of any passenger.

D. No taximeter affixed to any taxicab or limousine propelled by motive power shall be operated from any wheel to which said power shall be applied.

E. The face or dial of every taximeter shall be illuminated by a suitable light which shall be so arranged as to throw a continuous steady light thereon from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise.

F. No driver of any taxicab or limousine equipped with a taximeter shall, while carrying any passenger or under employment, display the signal affixed to such taximeter in such a position as to indicate that he is then employed at a rate of fare different from that to which he is entitled under the provisions of this chapter.

G. No person shall drive or permit to be driven any taxicab or limousine to which is attached a taximeter which shall not have been duly inspected and approved.

H. It shall be the duty of the Committeeman of said Borough Council directing the Police Department of said Borough to cause all taximeters used in said Borough to be examined and inspected at least once in every period of four months; provided, however, that in the event any complaint that any taximeter registers improperly or inaccurately shall be made to said Committeeman, it shall be the duty of said Committeeman to cause the taximeter complained of to be immediately inspected and examined, and if said taximeter shall be found to be in such condition that it does not properly and accurately register, indicate or display the time consumed by the taxicab or limousine while in waiting, the distance traveled and the amount of the fare to be determined and charged therefor, then it shall be unlawful for said taxicab or limousine to be used for the transportation of any passenger for hire until said taxicab or limousine shall be equipped with a taximeter approved by said Committeeman.

I. Every taximeter shall be tested by running the taxicab or limousine to which it is attached over a course of a standard mile in length or by a mechanical test to prove the accuracy of the register thereof. Both of the foregoing tests may be made in the discretion of said Committeeman. In order to determine whether any such taximeter correctly registers waiting time, said taximeter shall be tested by comparing the time recorded as shown by the fare computed upon the dial thereof with the standard time.

J. It shall be the duty of any person, firm or corporation owning, controlling or operating any taxicab or limousine to deliver either the taxicab or limousine with the taximeter or the taximeter detached therefrom to any inspector designated by said Committeeman for the purpose of the making of any of the aforesaid tests upon demand.