[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Bordentown as Ch. 5.52 of the 2003 Municipal Code. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and terms
shall have the meanings hereinafter ascribed to them:
Driving about the streets of the Township in a taxicab so
as to solicit passengers or to bring the presence of the taxicab to
the attention of prospective passengers. A taxicab driving along the
streets of the Township for any purpose other than transporting a
passenger, going to a definite destination by the most direct route
in response to a call for a taxicab by a prospective passenger or
returning by the most direct route to the taxicab's home terminus
after discharging a passenger or going to or from the said terminus
to the driver's home by the most direct route shall prima facie be
engaged in cruising.
The transporting in such taxicab of one or more persons for
hire along any of the streets of the Township. Accepting a passenger
to be transported for hire within the Township or from a point within
the Township to a point outside the Township shall be deemed operation
of a taxicab within the meaning of this chapter. Discharging a passenger
transported for hire from a point outside the Township to a point
within the Township, or the operation of a taxicab on through service
without pickup or discharge of passengers within the Township, shall
not be deemed operation of a taxicab within the meaning of this chapter.
This operation of a taxicab by one other than the owner shall be deemed
operation by the owner thereof, as well as operation by the person
actually driving such taxicab. The transportation of any person other
than the owner or driver in any motor vehicle bearing a sign thereon
using the words "taxi," "taxicab" or "hack" shall be prima facie evidence
of operation.
Any street, avenue, park, parkway, highway or other public
place.
Includes any automobile or motor car, commonly called a taxi,
engaged in the business of carrying passengers for hire which is held
out, announced or advertised to operate or run or which is operated
or run on any of the public streets of the Township.
No person shall operate any taxicab within the Township unless both the taxicab and the driver thereof are licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and Chapter 214, Business Licenses, and conform to all the requirements thereof; provided, however, that no taxicab driver's license shall be issued to any applicant unless the applicant is of the age of 18 years and has a minimum of three years' experience as a licensed driver.
A taxicab driver's license shall entitle the person so licensed
to operate any taxicab duly licensed hereunder within the Township
during the period of validity of the license.
A taxicab owner's license shall entitle the taxicab so licensed
to be operated within the Township by a driver duly licensed hereunder
during the period of validity of the license.
A.
Every applicant for a taxicab driver's license under this chapter shall provide, in addition to the requirements of Chapter 214, Business Licenses, the following information:
(1)
A physical description of the applicant, including height, weight,
sex, race, color of eyes and color of hair;
(2)
A complete list of all places of residence and employment for
the five-year period preceding the date of filing of application for
license;
(3)
Birthplace;
(4)
Duration of residence in Burlington County;
(5)
Whether or not applicant is a citizen of the United States;
(6)
Marital status;
(7)
A complete statement showing every driver's, taxicab driver's
or chauffeur's license ever held and every revocation or suspension
of such licenses, if any, and reasons therefor.
B.
Every such application shall be accompanied by two full-face
photographs of the applicant, approximately 1 1/2 inches by two
inches in size, clearly depicting the facial features of the applicant,
both of which photographs shall become the property of the Township
and shall be retained with the application form unless a license shall
be issued, in which case, one of such photographs shall be permanently
affixed to the license issued.
C.
Every applicant for a taxicab driver's license hereunder shall,
at the time of the filing of the application, be fingerprinted at
such place and by such agency as the Chief of Police may direct. A
copy of such fingerprints shall forthwith be sent to the New Jersey
State Police for verification of the applicant's criminal record,
which report, when received, shall be permanently affixed to the application
prior to final approval thereof.
A.
Every applicant for a taxicab owner's license under this chapter shall provide, in addition to the requirements of Chapter 214, Business Licenses, the following information:
(1)
A complete list of all places of residence and employment for
the five-year period preceding the date of filing of application for
license;
(2)
Birthplace;
(3)
Duration of residence in Burlington County;
(4)
Whether or not applicant is a citizen of the United States;
(5)
Marital status;
(6)
A complete statement showing every driver's, taxicab owner's,
taxicab driver's or chauffeur's license ever held and every revocation
or suspension of such licenses, if any, and the reasons therefor.
C.
If the applicant is a corporation, the name of the corporation, state of incorporation, main office and all branch office addresses shall be supplied, and in addition, the information required in Subsection A of this subsection shall be supplied for each officer and director, in addition to the requirements of Chapter 214, Business Licenses.
D.
In addition to the foregoing, every application shall contain
a statement as to whether the applicant is the owner, lessee or bailee
of the taxicab sought to be licensed; the New Jersey state license
number of the same; the make, model and manufacturer's serial number;
the type of vehicle for which the license is desired; the length of
time the vehicle has been in use; the number of persons it is capable
of carrying; the horsepower thereof, and its present value.
E.
The number of taxicab licenses issued and outstanding at any
one time shall not exceed 12. No single person, whether such person's
interest in such license is held as an individual, a sole proprietorship,
a member of a partnership or as a stockholder in a corporation, shall
be permitted to own, have control or have a beneficial interest in
more than 50% of the total available taxicab licenses. However, in
the event that there have not been applicants for the total available
taxicab licenses and, in the event that the Township Committee reasonably
determined that there is an inadequate number of taxicabs in operation
in the Township to provide satisfactory service, the Township Committee
may authorize the Township Clerk to issue licenses in excess of the
aforesaid 50% to owners presently operating within the Township for
a period of up to one year. Renewal of licenses granted under this
exception shall be separately considered by the Township Committee
on a case-by-case basis, only if renewal of such licenses is deemed
necessary and desirable to provide satisfactory service, 30 days prior
to their expiration. In no event shall the total number of taxicab
licenses issued be greater than that specified in this subsection.
No taxicab owner's license shall be issued unless there is filed
with the administrator an insurance policy of a company duly licensed
to transact business under the insurance laws of the State of New
Jersey conditioned for the payment of a sum of not less than $100,000
to satisfy all claims for damages by reason of bodily injury or death
of any person resulting from an accident and the sum of not less than
$100,000 to satisfy all claims by reason of bodily injuries to, or
the death of, all persons on account of any such accident by reason
of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of such taxicab upon
the public streets, and conditioned for the payment of a sum of not
less than $100,000 to satisfy all claims for damages to the property
of all persons on account of any such accident by reason of the ownership,
operation, maintenance or use of such taxicab upon the public streets.
The insurance policy(ies) shall remain in full force and, in addition
to the aforesaid minimum policy limits, meet all other statutory requirements.
If the minimum statutory limits at any time exceed those mandated
herein, then the statutory limits shall control.
Fees for each taxicab driver's license, taxicab owner's license, and renewals thereof, shall be as set forth in Ch. 260, Fee Schedule.
A.
No taxicab shall cruise on the streets of the Township for the
purpose of soliciting passengers.
B.
Each applicant granted a taxicab owner's license may be issued
a license tag, which tag shall at all times be fixed to the licensed
cab in the manner prescribed by the Committee. Such license tag shall
remain the property of the Township and shall be surrendered on the
expiration or revocation of the taxicab owner's license.
C.
No taxicab shall hereafter be operated in the Township unless
and until there is prominently displayed in the interior thereof a
complete list of fares to be charged to passengers transported by
the licensed taxicab.
D.
No licensee shall negligently operate a taxicab or other motor
vehicle in such manner as to cause, contribute to or risk injury to
person or property.
E.
No licensee shall operate a taxicab while suffering from a communicable
disease.
