As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
OPERATION OF TAXICAB
Consists of transporting in a taxicab one or more persons
for hire. Accepting a passenger to be transported for hire from a
point of departure within the township to a destination within or
without the township shall be considered "operation of a taxicab"
within the township. The operation of a taxicab by one other than
the owner shall be deemed operation by the owner as well as by the
person actually driving the taxi. The transportation of any person
other than the owner or driver in any motor vehicle bearing a sign
using the words "taxi," "taxicab," "cab" or "hack" shall be prima
facie evidence of operation.
OWNER
Any person in whose name title to any taxicab is registered
with the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles or who appears in the
Division's records to be a conditional vendee or lessee or has any
other proprietary interest in a taxicab.
TAXICAB or TAXI
A motor vehicle used to transport passengers for hire which
does not operate over a fixed route and is not hired by the day or
hour.
No person shall operate a taxicab as owner or
operator from a point within the township without first obtaining
a license.
Every person or corporation licensed under this
chapter shall cause such license to be conspicuously displayed on
the inside of each licensed vehicle. The license shall state the name
of the person or corporation licensed, the names of the drivers authorized
to operate the licensed vehicle, the number of the license and a schedule
of the rates of fare.
The license required by this chapter shall be
issued to and in the name of the owner of the taxicab and shall be
issued for one year from the first day of January of the year of such
issuance.
[Amended 12-5-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-17]
Applicable fees are detailed in the universal fee chart located in §
18-2, reference number 43, of the Code of the Township of Lumberton.
No taxicab license shall be issued until the
owner of the vehicle shall have filed with the Township Clerk/Administrator
a public liability and property damage insurance policy in standard
form which shall comply with the following requirements:
A. An insurance policy issued by an accredited insurance
company authorized to transact the business of casualty insurance
in the state and acceptable to the town, covering each vehicle, shall
be required, which policy shall cover the period included in the license
to be issued by the township. Each such policy shall run concurrently
with the fiscal year for which a license has been issued.
B. Such insurance policy shall insure the owner and driver
of such vehicle with a minimum limit for each accident for bodily
injury of $100,000 to any one individual or total of $300,000 for
all persons injured with a property damage loss in the minimum amount
of $50,000. If said policy is a single-limit policy, this single limit
shall not be less than $300,000.
C. Each such insurance policy shall contain a provision
to the effect that the same cannot be canceled, except on at least
30 days' notice, in writing, by the insurance company to the Township
Clerk/Administrator of the intention of such insurance company to
cancel the same.
D. No insurance policy shall be acceptable if the insurance
coverage is for private livery only, unless such policy expressly
contains a waiver by the insurance company that if the vehicle insured
is operated in violation of the coverage intended, the company will
not claim such violation to avoid liability thereunder.
E. In the event that any insurance policy covering any
such vehicle used for the transportation of passengers for hire shall
lapse or shall be canceled by the issuing company, then the taxicab
license issued by the town shall thereupon become void, and the owner
of such vehicle shall be required to immediately turn such license
in to the Township Clerk/Administrator.
The Township Committee may, upon notice and
hearing, revoke the license of any licensee issued under the provisions
of this chapter if he shall fail or neglect to operate a taxicab for
a period of 30 days and may revoke any such license for cause after
notice and hearing.
Every licensed taxicab driver shall obey the
following rules and regulations:
A. When engaged by passengers in the operation of the
taxicab, all taxicab drivers shall be neat in appearance and clean
of body and shall refrain from smoking and using profane, abusive
or insulting language.
B. A driver shall not consume any intoxicating liquor
or any controlled dangerous substance while operating the vehicle,
and a driver shall not operate a vehicle while under the influence
of a controlled dangerous substance or intoxicating liquor to any
degree.
C. No driver shall convey more passengers at any one
time than the seating capacity of the taxicab.
D. A driver shall not solicit patronage or passengers
at any locations except those provided for in this chapter.
E. A driver shall thoroughly search the interior of the
vehicle immediately after the termination of each trip and note if
the passenger has left any article therein. Any property so found
shall be taken to police headquarters and turned into the officer
in charge within 24 hours.
F. A driver shall not refuse service to any person unless
he has previously been engaged or unless the person seeking service
is disorderly or under the influence of intoxicating drugs or liquors.
When serving more than one passenger, the driver must serve the passenger
requesting service first, unless mutually agreed with the first passenger
to do otherwise.
G. If the driver carries an AM or FM radio or tape player
in the cab, as permanent equipment or otherwise, it shall not be played
while conveying passengers unless the passenger requests that it be
played.
No license issued under the provisions of this
chapter may be transferred.
No one may operate a taxicab from a Residence
A Zone.
[Amended 12-5-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-19]
Any person, firm, corporation, association or legal party whatsoever who shall violate, or authorize or procure a violation, or cause to be violated, any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable as provided under §
1-11 governing general penalty provisions. If the state requires, limits or expands potential minimum or maximum penalties in contradiction to this chapter, state law shall apply.