[Adopted as Ch. 9 of the 1982 Revised General Ordinances]
As used in this article, the following words
shall have the meanings indicated:
Transporting for hire one or more persons in a taxicab. Accepting
a passenger to be transported for hire from a point of departure within
the Borough to a destination within or without the Borough shall be
considered operation of a taxicab within the Borough. 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.
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 vendor or lessee or has
any other proprietary interest in a taxicab.
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 within the
Borough unless a license has been obtained from the Clerk.
A.
Application for a taxicab license shall be made to
the Clerk on forms provided by her or him. The forms and the information
required thereon shall be established by Borough Council by resolution.
All applicants for taxicab licenses must be at least 18 years of age.
B.
Applications shall be verified by oath or affirmation.
Applications by a partnership shall give the information required
for each partner, and shall be verified by all partners. Applications
by a corporation shall give the information required for and be verified
by all officers and directors and all persons holding more than 10%
of the corporation's common stock, as well as the corporation itself.
[Amended 5-4-2011 by Ord. No. 1376]
The Council shall, by resolution, grant or deny
the license. If the application is approved, the Clerk shall issue
the license upon forms established by the Council by resolution. Licenses
shall not be transferable.
[Amended 10-3-2006 by Ord. No. 1269]
A taxicab license shall be valid for the remainder
of the calendar year in which it is issued and shall expire on December
31. The license fee shall be as established from time to time by resolution
of the governing body of the Borough of Stone Harbor, payable upon
the filing of the application for the issuance or renewal of the license.
A taxicab license may be renewed by the Council
upon the licensee's filing with the Chief of Police a sworn statement
that there have been no changes in the information contained in the
initial application.
A.
Initial inspection. Before any vehicle is used as
a taxicab within the Borough, it shall be inspected by the Chief of
Police or a police officer designated by him to ascertain that it
is in a safe, clean and sanitary condition and contains all safety
devices required by law.
B.
Reinspections. All taxicabs shall be reinspected annually
or more often if the Council so requires by resolution. In addition,
any police officer may inspect any taxicab at any reasonable time
to determine if it is clean, sanitary and in a safe and proper operating
condition.
C.
Failure to pass inspection. Any taxicab which fails
to pass inspection shall be immediately taken out of service and shall
not be operated again within the Borough until the defects which led
to its rejection are corrected. In the case of minor defects which
do not constitute an immediate danger to the health or safety of the
public, the taxicab may continue to operate for a period of one week,
at the end of which time it shall be reinspected. If the defect has
not by then been corrected, the vehicle shall immediately be taken
out of service and shall remain out of service until the defect is
corrected.
The fare that may be charged by the driver or
owner of a taxicab for a trip wholly within the limits of the Borough
shall not exceed the rates approved by the Council by resolution.
A schedule of the approved rates shall be displayed in the taxicab
in a manner so as to be easily read by all passengers.
All applicants for licenses shall exhibit to
the Clerk all insurance policies covering each vehicle to be licensed.
The insurance shall be as required by the laws of the State of New
Jersey and the license shall not be granted by the Clerk until the
Clerk is satisfied that the policy or policies are in effect.
The Council may establish, by resolution, rules
and regulations relating to the operating of taxicabs and the conduct
of licenses. A copy of the rules and regulations shall be furnished
to each licensee.
