No person shall operate a licensed taxicab for hire upon the streets of the borough, and no person who owns or controls a licensed taxicab shall permit it to be so driven, and no taxicab licensed by the borough shall be so driven at any time for hire unless the driver of said taxicab shall have first obtained and shall have then in force a taxicab driver's permit duly issued by the Borough Clerk.
No taxicab driver's permit shall be granted unless the applicant therefor:
A.
Is at least 18 years of age.
B.
Submits with his or her application a certificate from a licensed physician, at the applicant's own cost, certifying that the applicant has been examined within the preceding 30 days and that he or she has no infirmity of body or mind which might render him or her unfit for the safe operation of a taxicab.
All applications for taxicab drivers' permits shall be made in writing under oath upon forms furnished by the Borough Clerk and approved by the Council and shall be filed with the Borough Clerk. The applicant shall set forth completely the information therein requested and shall have attached thereto the Borough Physician's certificate referred to in § 171-16.
Upon the filing of the application for a taxicab driver's permit, the Borough Clerk shall refer the same to the Chief of Police, who will conduct an investigation. The report and a copy of the traffic and police record of the applicant, if any, shall be attached to the application, together with recommendation of approval or disapproval, and shall be returned to the Borough Clerk.
A.
The Borough Clerk, after considering the application for a taxicab driver's permit and the police report and physician's certificate attached thereto, shall approve or reject the application.
B.
The Borough Clerk may refuse to approve the grant or renewal of a taxicab driver's permit to any applicant:
(1)
Convicted of a crime of moral turpitude.
(2)
Convicted of driving a motor vehicle resulting in death to any person under circumstances where this applicant is found to be at fault or of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a narcotic or habit-producing drug.
(3)
Convicted of violating any federal or state law relating to prostitution or to the use, possession or sale of narcotic drugs or intoxicating liquors.
(4)
Who is an habitual user of intoxicating liquors or narcotic drugs, which use affects the operation of a taxicab.
(5)
Whose automobile driver's license issued by the State of New Jersey or whose borough driver's permit to operate a taxicab is suspended or revoked.
(6)
Whose automobile driver's license issued by the State of New Jersey carries in excess of nine points in violations. This will be examined by the Chief of Police, and a determination of approval will be based upon individual driver history.
(7)
Whenever for just cause the Chief of Police and/or Borough Clerk finds the applicant unfit to drive a taxicab and that the issuance of a license would seriously jeopardize the health, safety and welfare of the public.
C.
If the application is rejected, the applicant, within 30 days, may request a personal appearance before the Mayor and Public Safety Committee to offer evidence as to why his or her application should be reconsidered.
A.
Upon approval by the Chief of Police of a taxicab driver's permit and upon payment of the permit fee prescribed in § 171-21, the Borough Clerk shall issue to the applicant the permit, upon which shall appear his or her name, address, age, signature and the number of the taxicab licensee employing him or her. Also, a photograph of the applicant shall be attached to such permit. The permit shall be displayed on the visor, passenger side, continuously visible to all passengers.
B.
There shall be issued to each licensed driver an identification card, which shall be constantly and conspicuously displayed on the outside of the driver's coat or shirt when he or she is on duty. No vehicle shall be operated except by a duly licensed person who is wearing such identification card conspicuously displayed.
A.
The Chief of Police and/or Borough Clerk shall have and is hereby given the authority to suspend or revoke any taxicab driver's permit issued under this article if the permittee has:
(1)
Violated any of the provisions of this chapter.
(2)
Violated any of the ordinances of the borough or the laws of the United States or of the State of New Jersey, the violation of which reflects unfavorably on the fitness of the permittee to drive a taxicab.
(3)
Performed any act which would be the basis for a denial of the application.
B.
A person whose permit is suspended or revoked may, within 30 days, request a personal appearance before the Public Safety Committee to offer evidence as to why the suspension or revocation should be reconsidered.
A.
No owner or operator of any taxicab shall induce any person to use said taxicab by knowingly misinforming or misleading any such person, either as to the time or place of the arrival or departure of any interstate vehicle or as to the location of any hotel, public place or over any other route than that to which said passenger instructed said driver to go.
B.
No taxicab owner or operator, or employee of either, shall divert or attempt to divert any passenger from patronizing any place of business of his or her choice to any place of business.
C.
No taxicab owner or operator, or employee of either, shall offer or give money or other thing of value to any employee of any place of business in consideration for the soliciting or obtaining of taxicab passengers for the aforesaid taxicab owner, operator or agent or employee of either without the approval of the Director.
D.
All taxicab drivers shall, at all times while operating their taxicabs, wear clothing that is clean and neat.
E.
The driver of any taxicab shall, upon demand by the passenger, render to such passenger a receipt for the amount charged, either by a mechanically printed receipt or by a specially prepared receipt, on which shall be the name of the owner, license number or motor number, amount of meter reading or charges and the date of the transaction.
F.
No alcoholic beverage shall be carried in the passenger's or driver's section of the taxicab except by the passenger. The passenger shall not carry an open or unsealed can or bottle containing an alcoholic beverage upon entry into the taxicab or while riding in the taxicab.
G.
Every operator of a taxicab, immediately after the discharge of a passenger, must search such the taxicab for any property lost or left therein, and any such property found, unless sooner claimed or delivered to the owner, must be reported, in writing, by the operator or owner of the taxicab to the Borough Clerk with the particulars and description of the property within the 12 hours after the finding thereof.
H.
A driver shall not indicate by word, motion or gesture that he or she is restricting his or her direction of travel or destination. The taxicab driver shall not ask a passenger for a destination until the passenger is seated.
I.
Official notice will be taken of any misconduct, deceit, fraud, subterfuge or actions of the driver which are against the best interest of the public, even though not specifically mentioned in the rules. Any violation of these rules may result in suspension or revocation of license.