[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Northvale 5-13-1987
as Ord. No. 572-87. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 186.
All taxis, cabs, omnibuses, limousines or livery service vehicles and
autocabs (as defined by N.J.S.A. 48:16-13) used for the transportation of
passengers for hire shall be licensed in accordance with the provisions of
this section if the owner has his principal place of business located in the
Borough of Northvale. No person shall operate or drive or cause to be operated
or driven any such taxi, cab, omnibus, automobile or other vehicle for such
purpose unless the same shall have been licensed in accordance with the provisions
of this section. The license required by this section shall be known as the "owner's
license."
A.
Information for application. No owner's license
shall be issued for any vehicle herein required to be licensed until the owner
thereof shall have filed an application, in writing, addressed to the Police
Committee of the Borough Council, setting forth the character of the vehicle
proposed to be licensed, the correct name of the owner thereof, the residence
or principal office of such owner and such other facts as the Police Committee
may require, and until the vehicle proposed to be licensed shall have been
inspected by the Police Committee or some other person designated by such
Committee and until there shall have been paid to the Borough Clerk the license
fee hereinafter provided. Such owner shall also file such evidence of financial
responsibility as the Police Committee of the Borough Council shall deem satisfactory.
B.
Power of attorney assigned to Clerk. Such owner shall
also file a power of attorney, duly executed and acknowledged, wherein and
whereby such owner shall nominate, constitute and appoint the Borough Clerk
as his true and lawful attorney for the purpose of receiving or acknowledging
service of any process out of any court of competent jurisdiction in an action
for damages against such owner resulting from any accident occurring by reason
of the ownership, maintenance or use of such licensed vehicle within the borough,
which power of attorney shall be irrevocable so long as such owner shall hold
an owner's license for such vehicle and for a period of three months
thereafter.
A.
The Borough Council shall have the power to approve or
disapprove the applications for licenses herein provided for and shall also
have the power and is hereby authorized to refuse to approve any application
for any such license if it shall appear to the best interests of the borough
that such license should not be granted.
B.
Notwithstanding the above subsection, no owner's
license will issue until the owner has filed with the Borough Clerk an insurance
policy of a company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance
laws of this state in the sum of $50,000 against loss by reason of liability
imposed by law upon such owner for damages on account of bodily injury or
death suffered by any person as the result of an accident occurring by reason
of the ownership, maintenance or use of the vehicle upon any public street.
The insurance policy shall provide for the payment of any final judgment recovered
by any person on account of the ownership, maintenance and use of such vehicle
or any fault in respect thereto and shall be for the benefit of every person
suffering loss, damage or injury as aforesaid.
C.
An owner is exempt from the requirements of the preceding
subsection if a written order of exemption from insurance is obtained and
in effect pursuant to N.J.S.A. 48:16-19.
The license herein provided for shall be signed by the Borough Clerk
and have the Borough Seal affixed thereto. The Borough Clerk shall not issue
any license until the application therefor has been approved by the Borough
Council and the conditions precedent shall have been complied with.
The fees to be paid for the owner's license shall be $50 for each
vehicle.
The owner's license herein provided for shall each bear a number,
shall state the name of the person licensed and shall briefly describe the
vehicle licensed and, if such vehicle has a license number issued by the Commissioner
of Motor Vehicles, such number shall also be stated in the license and such
license shall also state the manufacturer's number of such motor vehicle.
The Borough Clerk shall keep a register of all licenses granted under
the provisions of this section, which register shall show the character of
the license, its number and date of issue and the name of the person licensed,
and he shall also keep all applications. Upon those that may be granted, he
shall endorse the number of the license issued in pursuance thereof.
All licenses granted hereunder shall expire on December 31 of the year
in which issued.
No owner shall be entitled to license more than five vehicles in any
calendar year.
A.
No owner's license shall be granted for any vehicle
that is not strong, clean and in good repair, and it shall be the duty of
the Police Committee to cause an inspection of such licensed vehicle to be
made at least once in each calendar month, and in case any vehicle so licensed
becomes unfit or unsuited for the transportation of passengers, said Police
Committee shall cause such license to be revoked.
B.
No vehicle herein required to be licensed shall be used
or operated by the carrying of passengers, unless such vehicle is clean and
in good repair.
The governing body is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to make
and adopt regulations respecting the use of vehicles licensed hereunder; of
taxi stands; the number of licensed vehicles which may remain at any one stand
at the same time; as to the form and contents of applications for licenses;
for the inspection of vehicles licensed and to be licensed hereunder; for
the inspection of drivers licensed hereunder; and such other regulations as
may promote the public convenience.
The governing body is hereby authorized and empowered to revoke any
license issued hereunder for the violation of any law of the State of New
Jersey or the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or for the
violation of any of the rules and regulations made, adopted and promulgated
by the governing body in accordance with the provisions hereof. An owner's
license may be revoked for misconduct of the driver of such licensed vehicle
if it appears that the owner of such vehicle has knowledge of such misconduct.
No license shall be revoked until after the holder thereof shall be given
a hearing by the governing body, of which at least 24 hours' written
notice must be given to the holder of such license.
Any license granted hereunder may be renewed at its expiration upon
written request and the payment of a further annual fee but without the filing
of a new application. No license issued hereunder shall be transferable or
assignable, provided that a receiver appointed by any court and authorized
to continue the operation of any such licensee may continue the operation
thereof under the license granted hereunder, upon presenting the same for
endorsement to the Clerk.
