Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:52-1(b), the City of Hoboken is empowered
to license shuttle busses and shuttle bus drivers, for revenue. It
is in the City's best interest to know which shuttle busses and
shuttle bus drivers are operating within the City limits, and to regulate
said operations. It is in the best interest of the general welfare
for the City to assess the character of each shuttle bus applicant
and shuttle bus operator applicant as an added measure to minimize
unsafe and unhealthy transportation operations within the City. Shuttle
bus licensing and regulation shall be enforced by the Department of
Transportation and Parking through the Division of Taxi and Limousine
Licensing. The Division Head of the Division of Taxi and Limousine
Licensing shall be responsible for enforcement of this chapter.
As used in this chapter:
DIRECTOR
The Director of Transportation and Parking.
DIVISION
The Division of Taxi and Limousine Licensing.
DIVISION HEAD
The Division Head of the Division of Taxi and Limousine Licensing
who shall be designated by the Director of the Department of Transportation
and Parking to act as the authority for the Division of Taxi and Limousine
Licensing.
INSPECTOR
The person or persons empowered or designated by the Department
of Transportation and Parking to perform inspections pursuant to this
chapter.
SHUTTLE BUS
Any automobile, autobus, or motor bus, commonly called jitney
which carries passengers along a scheduled route within the City limits
of the City of Hoboken.
SHUTTLE BUS ACTIVITY FORM
A form designated by the Division which specifically demonstrates
the current shuttle bus route and approved stops for the licensed
shuttle bus, one of which shall be on file with the Division of Taxi
and Limousine Licensing for each licensed shuttle bus. It shall be
the responsibility of the license holder to provide the Division with
a new form within five business days of any change in route. It shall
be the responsibility of the license holder to provide a new form
each year prior to receiving license renewal.
SHUTTLE BUS LICENSE
An official document of the City of Hoboken which permits
the holder to operate a shuttle bus for hire on a regular route within
the City limits, subject to the restrictions found in the Division
of Taxi and Limousine's Rules and Regulations, the Hoboken City
Code, and state and federal laws.
SHUTTLE BUS OPERATOR LICENSE
The official document of the City of Hoboken which grants
the individual license holder nontransferable permission to drive
a shuttle bus upon the streets of the City of Hoboken. This term shall
not be construed to mean a driver's license issued by the State
of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. When used throughout this
chapter, the term "operator's license" shall mean the definition
as stated herein. The term "driver's license" shall mean a driver's
license issued by the State of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
TRIP RECORD
A daily record prepared by a shuttle bus driver of all trips
made by the driver, showing time and place of origin, destination,
number of passengers and the amount of fare of each trip. The trip
record or "sheet" shall also contain the driver's name, and the
time he or she reported on and off duty.
No shuttle bus with a carrying capacity of not more than 13
passengers, which must be licensed and operated under municipal consent
of the City of Hoboken, upon a route established wholly within the
limits of the City of Hoboken, or with a carrying capacity of not
more than 20 passengers operated, which must be licensed and operated
under municipal consent of the City of Hoboken, upon a route established
wholly within the limits of not more than four contiguous municipalities
which includes the City of Hoboken shall be operated wholly or partly
along any street in the City until the owner or owners thereof shall
obtain a license from the Division for the right to operate said shuttle
bus over any street or streets of the City limits.
The City will provide a shuttle bus license to any owner or
owners of shuttle buses operating within the City. There shall be
no limit on the number of shuttle bus licenses approved and provided
by the City.
Each holder of a shuttle bus license shall have the most current shuttle bus route and approved stops on file with the Division of Taxi and Limousine Licensing. It shall be the responsibility of the shuttle bus license holder to provide the most current shuttle bus route to the Division via the Shuttle Bus Activity Form, and to update the shuttle bus route via a Shuttle Bus Activity Form whenever there is a change to the route, whether temporary or permanent. Use of a shuttle bus along a route not on file with the Division of Taxi and Limousine Licensing shall be considered a violation of this section. Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of §
180-5 shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000 and/or 180 days imprisonment to be determined by the Municipal Court and notice of the offense shall be sent to the owner of the shuttle bus license for the first (1st) offense; and not less than $1,500 and/or 180 days imprisonment to be determined by the Municipal Court and notice of the offense shall be sent to the owner of the shuttle bus license for the second offense; and not more than $2,000 and/or one-year imprisonment to be determined by the Municipal Court and notice of the offense shall be sent to the owner of the shuttle bus license for the third or subsequent offense(s). The approved route and stops shall not compete with the City's community shuttle bus service.
No shuttle bus license application shall be considered and no
shuttle bus license shall be issued or renewed unless the applicant
or holder thereof has paid the annual fee of $750 for each vehicle
licensed by the City. The license fee shall be for the period of April
1 through March 31, of the succeeding year and be in addition to any
other license fee or charges established by proper authority and applicable
to the holder of the vehicle or vehicles under his operation and control.
No person shall operate a shuttle bus upon the streets of the
City of Hoboken without a shuttle bus operator's license. No
person who owns or controls a shuttle bus license from the City shall
permit a person without a shuttle bus operator's license to operate
under their shuttle bus license within the City. In the event an operator
misplaces his or her operator's license, he or she must:
A. Report it to the Hoboken Police Department;
B. Provide the Division of Taxi and Limousine Licensing with a copy
of the police report and two passport pictures; and,
C. Pay $25 to the City of Hoboken to reimburse the City for its administrative
cost to issue a replacement license.
A nonrefundable shuttle bus operator's license application
fee of $75 must be paid directly to the Division of Taxi and Limousine
Licensing before any application documents will be distributed or
considered by the Division of Taxi and Limousine Licensing.
Every shuttle bus driver licensed under this chapter shall post
his or her operator's license, the shuttle bus license and the
shuttle bus's current activity form in a glass or plastic enclosed
bracket within eye level of seated rear passengers and in a manner
as to be readily identifiable and legible. The Hoboken shuttle bus
license number shall also be displayed on a placard no less than eight
inches by 10 inches in size with lettering covering no less than 80%
of the placard so that the license number is clearly visible through
a window of the front or passenger side of the vehicle but does not
obstruct the view of the driver.
Every shuttle bus driver licensed and every shuttle bus license
holder under provisions of this chapter shall comply with all federal
and state laws and regulations and all City ordinances relating to
the use, operation and occupancy of motor vehicles and shuttle busses.
The failure to do so will be cause for suspension, revocation, or
other penalty as the Director determines.
Unless otherwise specified herein, any person violating any
provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof before the
Municipal Court, be subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment
for a period not exceeding one year, or both, the amount of such fine
and imprisonment subject to the above limitation, to be determined
by the sound discretion of the Municipal Judge. In addition to the
aforementioned penalties, and as provided for herein, violations of
this chapter may subject the license to suspension or revocation as
provided for herein.
Any ordinances adopted concerning shuttle busses and shuttle
bus drivers previously adopted by the City of Hoboken are hereby specifically
repealed.
Should any part of this chapter be declared invalid all other
parts shall remain in full force and effect.