[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the Borough
of Fair Lawn 7-27-1982 as Sec. 4-9 of the 1981 Revised Ordinances;
amended 8-28-1984 by Ord. No. 1310-84. Subsequent amendments noted
where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any automobile or motor car, engaged in the business of carrying
passengers for hire, that accepts and discharges such persons as may
offer themselves for transportation from place to place within the
borough.
No person shall operate a taxicab without first
having obtained the consent of the Borough Council for each taxicab
so to be operated in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 48:16-1
to 48:16-12, which shall be complied with as a condition for the granting
of municipal consent.
[Amended 5-23-1995 by Ord. No. 1599-95; 10-17-2017 by Ord.
No. 2443-2017]
Each taxicab for which municipal consent is
given shall obtain from the Borough Manager or such person as he/she
may designate, a license to operate within the Borough of Fair Lawn,
upon the payment of an annual license fee,[1] as set from time to time by resolution of the Borough
Council, for the company and as set from time to time by resolution
of the Borough Council for each vehicle to be used pursuant to said
license, which shall not be prorated. Taxicab licenses shall be obtained
on or before April 1 annually.
The driver of any taxicab operating under municipal
license shall obtain a taxicab driver's permit from the Borough Manager
or such person as he/she may designate, upon filing an application
therefor, giving his/her name address, age, motor vehicle driver's
license number, and being fingerprinted by the Police Department.
The taxicab driver's permit shall be issued for the annual fee, as
set from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council,[1] on or before November 1 annually, and the permit card
shall be carried at all times by the driver operating the taxicab.
Any person convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude shall be
refused a driver's permit.
All taxicabs so licensed shall install glove
box type taxicab meters, which shall mechanically register the fare.
The Police Department shall have the right to inspect and test all
meters, and if any meter is found registering in excess of the rates
established, the taxicab shall be withdrawn from service until a correct
meter is installed therein and shall subject the owner of the taxicab
to the penalties provided for in this chapter.
A.
No taxicab shall carry passengers in excess of the
seating capacity of the cab and in any event not over six passengers.
The Council shall by resolution determine and declare the rates to
be charged for regular and special trips and shall publish in a local
newspaper the rate schedules once at least 10 days before they become
effective. The rates shall be printed on a card and publicly displayed
in each cab.
B.
The rates so fixed shall be deemed to be a part of
this chapter, and an overcharge shall subject the taxicab owner to
the penalties of this chapter.
A.
No taxicab shall stand at any place other than at
a designated taxi stand.
B.
No taxicab shall utilize any designated taxi stand
unless authorized so to do by the Chief of Police.
C.
The municipal parking lot located at the Erie Railroad
Parking Lot on Pollitt Drive and on the east side of Plaza Road between
Fair Lawn Avenue and Warren Road are hereby designated as areas to
be utilized as taxi stands.
D.
Any company or individual wishing to utilize the designated
taxi stand area shall make application in writing to the Chief of
Police stating the name and address of the company or individual,
the number and identification of vehicles that propose to use the
taxi stand, the location proposed for call boxes to be installed by
the applicant at the applicant's expense and the proposed hours of
use. The Chief of Police will cause an inspection of the designated
taxi stand to be made, locate appropriate areas for taxicabs and call
boxes, ensuring that the locations will not interfere with the flow
of other traffic legally on the municipal lot, both vehicular and
pedestrian, and shall mark the taxi stand with appropriate signs,
issuing a permit for such use, provided that the applicant complies
with all other provisions of this chapter. The applicant shall pay
therefor a fee, as set from time to time by resolution of the Borough
Council,[1] per annum, for each vehicle to be used pursuant to said
license.
E.
In the event that it is necessary for the applicant
to construct curb cuts, driveway aprons or install paving or other
improvements to utilize the proposed site, plans therefor shall be
submitted to the Building Department for such work and that Department
shall issue a permit, provided that the plans conform to applicable
building and zoning regulations and the applicant posts a performance
bond satisfactory in form and amount guaranteeing the performance
of the work.
F.
When the Mayor and Council designate such taxi stands, the applicant shall proceed as provided for in Subsection D above.
G.
All users of taxi stands, whenever such stands are
located on public sites shall submit proof of liability insurance
insuring the site for any and all liability incident to its use as
a taxi stand, in amount of no less than $25,000, the insurance to
name the Borough of Fair Lawn as a co-insured.
The provisions of any ordinance inconsistent
with the provisions hereof are hereby expressly repealed, except that
the provisions of any zoning ordinance and building ordinance are
deemed paramount to the provisions of this chapter, and where inconsistencies
appear, the provisions of those ordinances shall govern.
