[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Riverside 9-19-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-07. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following words and terms shall have the meanings given herein.
CRUISING
The driving of an empty taxicab to and fro along a public street at a slow rate of speed for the obvious purpose of soliciting passengers.
PERSON
Includes an individual, copartnership, association, corporation or joint-stock company, their lessees, trustees or receivers.
PUBLIC TAXICAB STAND
A section of a public street or public place set apart for the exclusive use of a limited number of taxicabs when the section is distinctly marked as a taxicab stand by a metal sign attached to a stanchion on the curb or other conspicuous place, or by clearly visible marks upon the surface of the street or public place.
STREET
Includes any street, road, avenue, park, parkway, highway or other public place.
TAXICAB
Includes any automobile or motorcar commonly called "taxi," "auto cab," "omnibus," or by whatever name or designation it may now or hereafter be known or designated, engaging in the business of carrying passengers for hire, which is held out, announced or advertised to operate or run or which is operated to run over any of the streets or highways of the Township, and particularly accepts and discharges any person for transportation from points or places within the Township; or which is hired by charter or for a particular contract or by the day or hour or other fixed period or to transport passengers to a specified place or places; or which charges a fare or price agreed upon in advance between the operator and the passenger. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to include any motor vehicle by whatever name or designation used and employed solely in transporting schoolchildren or teachers, or autobuses which are subject to the jurisdiction of the board of public utility commissioners.
No taxicab business shall operate upon, over or along the streets or other highways of the Township of Riverside, nor shall any taxicab stand upon any public street or other public place or on private premises with the limits of the Township of Riverside waiting for employment without first conforming to all the provisions hereof and complying with the laws of the State of New Jersey relating to taxicabs. Said license shall be issued from the Office of the Township Clerk, which shall be issued to expire December 31 next succeeding the date of issuance unless sooner suspended or revoked.
A. 
Every application for a taxicab business license shall be made in writing to the Township Committee and shall set forth the following.
(1) 
The full name and social security number of the applicant; whether or not he or she is a citizen of the United States, the street and post office address of the applicant's residence, the date and place of the applicant's birth; the places of the applicant's previous employment; whether the applicant has ever been charged with, arrested or convicted of a crime or other violation of law and, if so, what crime or offense; whether the applicant has been previously licensed to operate a taxicab and, if so, where; whether that license or any taxicab driver's license or motor vehicle operator's license issued to the applicant has ever been revoked and, if so, for what cause.
(2) 
If a copartnership, the firm name, main office, branch offices, names, social security numbers and street and post office addresses of partners; the date and place of birth of each partner; place of previous employment of each partner; whether the partner has ever been charged with, arrested or convicted of a crime or other violation of law and, if so, what crime or offense; whether the partner has been previously licensed to operate a taxicab and, if so, where; whether that license or any taxicab driver's license or motor vehicle operator's license issued to the applicant has ever been revoked and, if so, for what cause.
(3) 
If a corporation, the name of the corporation, main office, branch office; in what state incorporated, names, social security numbers and street and post office addresses of officers and directors of the corporation; the date and place of birth of each officer and director; place of previous employment of each; whether any officer or director has ever been charged with, arrested or convicted of a crime or other violation of law and, if so, what crime or offense; whether previously licensed to operate a taxicab and, if so, where; whether that license or any taxicab driver's license or motor vehicle operator's license issued to the applicant has ever been revoked and, if so, for what cause.
B. 
In addition to the foregoing, every application shall contain a statement as to whether the applicant is the owner, lessee or bailee of the taxicab sought to be licensed; the state license number of the vehicle; the year, make, model and manufacturer's identification number of the vehicle; the type of vehicle for which the license is desired; and the number of persons the vehicle is capable of carrying.
C. 
All applications shall be duly verified by the affidavit of the individual, a partner of the copartnership, or an officer seeking the license and shall be accompanied by affidavits of the good moral character of the applicant if an individual, and of each partner if a copartnership, and of each officer and director of a corporation, from two reputable citizens of the County of Burlington who have known the applicant or applicants personally for at least one year preceding the date of application.
D. 
All applicants shall also furnish satisfactory evidence that he or she has received a driver's license from the Division of Motor Vehicle of the State of New Jersey. Each applicant shall file with his or her application three photographs, approximately 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches, clearly depicting the facial features of the applicant, each of which photographs shall thereupon become property of the Township and be retained with the application form unless the application shall be granted and the license issued, in which event, one of such photographs shall be permanently affixed to the license card issued to said taxicab driver, one shall be retained by the Township Clerk and one shall be delivered to the Police Department. Each of said photographs shall be signed on the back thereof by the applicant and shall bear the date upon which they were taken which shall not be more than 30 days prior to the date of application.
A. 
No license shall be granted to operate a taxicab to any person or to any partnership or corporation who is not, or the members or officers of which are not, persons of good moral character or who has or if any of the members of the partnership or officers of such corporation have been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude or who has been convicted of driving while under the influence of alcoholic beverages or a controlled dangerous substance within 10 years next preceding the date of the application for the license or who has a motor vehicle driving record which the Director of Public Safety or the Chief of Police determines to be unsafe, unless the Director of Public Safety or the Chief of Police, for good cause shown and established at a hearing held for that purpose, shall waive the disqualifications.
B. 
The Township Clerk shall have the power to issue or refuse to issue a license, in pursuance to the terms of this section. Any license heretofore or hereafter issued may be transferred from one vehicle to another upon the payment of a transfer fee as provided in Chapter 202, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Riverside and approval of the Township Committee.
A. 
No taxicab shall be licensed until it has been thoroughly and carefully inspected and examined by the Director of Public Safety or the Director of Public Safety's designee and found to be in thoroughly safe condition for the transportation of passengers. Any fees or costs incurred for said inspections are to be paid by the applicant or licensee. The licensed taxicabs shall be clean, fit, and of good appearance. No impediment to the clear visibility into the interior of the vehicle shall be permitted on any licensed vehicle. The Township Clerk shall refuse a license to any applicant or, if already issued, revoke or suspend the license of any vehicle found to be unsafe for the transportation of passengers. The Director of Public Safety is hereby authorized to empower to establish such additional rules and regulations for the inspection of taxicabs and their appurtenances and condition of fitness for the safe and adequate transportation of passengers as the Director of Public Safety, shall be filed with the Township Clerk and shall become part of the application filed for licensing.
B. 
No taxicab license shall be issued until the applicant therefor shall have filed with the Township Clerk an insurance policy of a company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of the state. Minimum insurance limits shall be in accordance with the requirements of § 407-5 of Chapter 407, Towing, of the Code of the Township of Riverside.
C. 
The issuance of any license for the operation of any taxicab upon, over or along the streets or other highways of and in the Township of Riverside shall be expressly conditioned upon the applicant's agreement and representation to make the services available within the Township of Riverside on each and every day of the week, including Sunday, and to at all times stand ready to serve the public in accordance with this and every other provision of this section. The representation and agreement shall be set forth in a signed statement as part of each license application form.
D. 
The provisions of Subsection B of this section shall be a condition of the issuance of any and all licenses for the operation of any taxicab of taxicab services within the Township of Riverside.
If, upon inspection, a taxicab is found to be in a safe condition for the transportation of passengers and in accordance with the provisions of this section and the rules and regulations established hereunder and upon payment of the license fees set forth in Chapter 202, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Riverside, the taxicab may be licensed by delivering to the applicant a card of such size and form as may be prescribed by the Township Clerk. The card, which shall be prominently displayed in a manner so that it is clearly visible to all passengers, shall contain the name of the applicant; the official license number of the taxicab, the name of the owner, the state license number thereof; the year, make, model, and manufacturer's identification number of the taxicab; together with the date of the inspection of the taxicab, and notice that, in case of any complaint, the Director of Public Safety shall be notified, the license number if the taxicab being given. The card shall have attached thereto the signature of the Director of Public Safety and shall contain blank spaces upon which an entry shall be made of the date of every inspection of the vehicle by the person making the inspection.
The Township Clerk shall keep a register of the name of each person owning or operating a vehicle or vehicles licensed under this section, together with the license number and the description, year, make, model and dimensions of each vehicle with the date and complete records of inspection. All applications for licenses shall be filed by the Township Clerk and carefully preserved for reference. All licenses issued shall be recorded in books provided for that purpose, which shall be open to the inspection of the pubic at all reasonable times and shall be deemed the official records of the Township of Riverside.
The Director of Public Safety, or his or her designee, shall maintain a regular inspection program over all taxicabs to see that they are kept in a condition of safety for the transportation of passengers, and to this end shall have the right at any and all times to inspect any and all licensed vehicles and shall maintain a record, in writing, of the report of all inspections.
In order to ensure the safety of the public, it shall be unlawful for the owner, lessee or bailee of any taxicab to operate or cause or permit the taxicab to be operated, nor shall any licensee be issued hereunder until and unless the applicant shall have complied with all laws relating to the filing of an insurance policy covering the owner or operator of the vehicle for damages to persons for which the owner or operator may become liable by reason of the ownership, maintenance or use of the vehicles. All insurance policies shall be issued to expire December 31 next succeeding the date of issuance.
Licenses granted under this section may be revoked or suspended at any time after notices and hearing by the Township Administrator if the vehicle shall not be maintained in a safe condition for the transportation of passengers or not kept in conformity with the terms of this section or if used or its use is permitted for any improper, immoral or illegal business or purpose or for the violation of any statute or law of the State of New Jersey or of the United States or for the violation of any ordinance of the Township of Riverside or any of the rules and regulations made by the Director of Public Safety. The Director of Public Safety may temporarily suspend a business license for violation of this section for a period of not more than 15 days, pending the hearing before the Township Administrator.
No person shall drive a taxicab until that person shall have made application upon a form provided by the Township Clerk for a taxicab driver's license and shall have procured a license from the Township Clerk. Every person applying for a license to drive a taxicab must furnish satisfactory evidence that such person has received a driver's license issued by the State of New Jersey and is required to have a police record search at his/her expense.
A. 
Each applicant for a taxicab driver's license, under the terms of this section, must conform to the following regulations:
(1) 
Have had a valid driver's license for at least the previous 18 months, during which time the applicant has not had any moving violations; have a currently valid New Jersey driver's license, and shall not have been convicted of any crime within 10 years next preceding the date of the application for the license, and shall not have a motor vehicle driving record which the Director of Public Safety, or his or her designee, determines to be unsafe, unless the Director of Public Safety, or his or her designee, for good reason shown or established at a hearing held for that purpose, shall waive the disqualification.
(2) 
Present the certificate of a reputable physician showing that the applicant has been examined within 60 days and that the applicant is of sound physique, with good eyesight, and not subject to any infirmity of the body or mind which might render the applicant unfit for the safe operation of a taxicab. The Township Clerk may, at any time after a taxicab license has been issued, require the holder of the license to submit to a physical examination in the manner herein set forth and to present a certificate of a physician showing the nonexistence of the conditions above mentioned. No renewal of a license shall be issued where the physical and eye examination certificate is more that four years old.
(3) 
Be able to read and write the English language.
(4) 
Be clean in dress and person, and not under the influence of narcotics or intoxicated.
(5) 
State the name of the licensed owner by whom the applicant will be employed.
(6) 
Produce on forms provided by the Township Clerk the names and residence addresses of at least two reputable citizens of the County of Burlington who have personally known the applicant for at least one year preceding the date of application.
(7) 
Fill out, in the applicant's own handwriting, upon a form to be provided by the Township Clerk, a statement giving the applicant's full name, residence, places of residence for the proceeding five years; all identifying information required in order to obtain a police record search; date and place birth, places of previous employment; whether the applicant has ever been charged with or arrested or convicted of a crime or other violation of law or of a violation of this section and, if so, what; whether previously licensed as a driver or chauffeur and, if so, whether the license has ever been revoked and for what cause, which statement shall be signed and sworn to by the applicant and filed with the application as a permanent record.
B. 
Each applicant for a taxicab driver's license must file with the application three unmounted, unretouched photographs of the applicant showing a full facial view, taken within the 30 days preceding the filing of the application. Photographs are to be of a size of no less than 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches, one of which shall be attached to the license when issued, and another shall be filed with the application. The photograph shall be attached to the license so that it cannot be removed and another photograph substituted without detection. Each licensed driver shall, upon demand, exhibit such driver's license and photograph for inspection. Each applicant shall also furnish a complete set of fingerprints which shall be attached to the application, the fingerprints to be taken by such persons as the Director of Public Safety may direct.
Upon satisfactory fulfillment of the foregoing requirements, there shall be issued to the applicant a license to drive for the licensed owner named in the application. No licensed driver shall operate a taxicab owned by a person other than the person named in the application and license unless the driver shall have first obtained a transfer of the license from the Township Clerk. The fee for any transfer of the license shall be as provided in Chapter 202, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Riverside, and no individual shall receive more than three transfers in any single calendar year. The license shall contain the photograph and signature of the licensee. Any person who defaces, removes or obliterates any official entry made upon a license shall be subject to the penalty set forth in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty, of the Code of the Township of Riverside, together with the revocation of such license. Driver's licenses shall be issued as of January 1 in each and every year and shall be valid to and including December 31 next succeeding, unless previously revoked.
There shall be delivered annually to each licensed driver an identification badge, in such form and style as the Township Clerk may prescribe, with the license number and the word "operator" clearly appearing thereon, which must be constantly and conspicuously displayed on the right breast of the driver's outer garment when the driver is working. No vehicle shall be operated except by duly licensed person wearing the identification badge conspicuously displayed. A fee as provided in Chapter 202, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Riverside shall be paid by every licensed driver to the Township for the identification badge.
Taxicab driver's licenses may be renewed from year to year by the Township Clerk. A driver, in applying for a renewal of the license, shall make application upon a form to be furnished by the Township Clerk, which shall be filled out with the full name and address of the applicant, together with a statement of the date upon which the original license was granted and the number thereof. Applications shall be filed not less than 30 days next preceding the expiration date of the existing license, which requirement can be waived or the period extended, for good cause, by the Township.
The license fee for the taxicab driver's license, or for each renewal thereof, shall be as provided in Chapter 202, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Riverside. The fee hereby affixed is imposed for regulation.
The Township Clerk is hereby authorized to issue temporary permits for the operators of taxicabs. Temporary permits, when issued, shall be upon such terms and conditions as the Township Clerk shall provide, but temporary permits shall, in no event, be granted for a longer period than 30 days and may be renewable for one additional period of 30 days. The fees for the issuance of annual licenses shall be applicable to temporary permits, without adjustment.
Any change of address of any owner or driver licensed under the provisions of this section must be reported, in writing, to the Township Clerk's Office within 72 hours of the change. The loss of the license, badge or any other book or document required to be kept by any licensed owner or driver must be reported to the Township Clerk's Office, in writing, within 72 hours of the loss. In the event any licensed driver terminating employment as a taxicab driver, the license, badge or any or any other paper or documents furnished by the Township shall be returned to the Township Clerk's Office within 72 hours of the termination. A lost license may be replaced by the Township Clerk upon the filing of a sworn statement setting forth the manner in which the license has been lost and the payment of a fee as provided in Chapter 202, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Riverside.
A. 
The Township Administrator, after notice and hearing, may suspend or revoke the license of any taxicab driver who shall violate any state or federal statute or any ordinance of the Township of Riverside or any of the rules and regulations made by the Director of Public Safety or whenever the Township Administrator shall determine that the promotion of the public life, health, morals or safety will be advanced by the suspension or revocation. Any suspension shall be noted on the license application record, together with a statement of the reason therefor. The Township Clerk shall notify the Director of Public Safety whenever a license is suspended or revoked.
B. 
Nothing herein contained shall limit the power of the Director of Public Safety or any officer authorized by the Director, in writing, to immediately suspend a license for probable cause for a period not to exceed five days, pending the giving of a notice and holding a hearing, whenever, in the opinion and discretion of the Director of Public Safety or the authorized officer, the action is in the public interest; provided, however, that in the event of a temporary suspension, where the notice and hearing of alleged violations or charges are not given and held prior to the expiration of the five-day period, the proposed charges and violations shall be deemed dismissed.
C. 
These suspension and revocation provisions are in addition to any other penalties for violation of this section.
The Township Administrator is hereby authorized to designate places, if any, within the Township of Riverside as public taxicab stands.
The Township Administrator shall make the rules and regulations, not inconsistent with any other provisions of this Chapter, prescribing the manner is which taxicabs shall stand at designated public stands as he or she shall determine are necessary and proper.
Any individual, copartnership or corporation duly licensed under this section to operate one or more taxicabs in the Township of Riverside shall use taxicab meters as a basis for the maximum charge of carrying passengers from one point to another within the Township of Riverside. The rate schedule shall be set annually by resolution.
A. 
A copy of the foregoing maximum rates of fare shall be furnished by the Township Clerk to each taxicab and shall at all times be posted in a conspicuous place inside the taxicab. The owner shall provide each taxicab with a printed receipt pad to be approved by the Township Clerk. Each driver shall keep on hand a supply thereof and shall, when requested, give a passenger a receipt on the official form for the fare period.
B. 
There shall also be posted in a conspicuous place on the inside of the taxicab the name and address of the owner and the name and address and photograph of the driver, together with the license number of the taxicab and the number of the taxicab driver's license, the same to be provided by the owner in a manner to be approved by the Township Clerk.
No person shall charge or attempt to charge any passenger a greater rate of fare than that to which the operator is entitled under the provisions of this section.
All disputes as to the local rate of fare shall, upon receipt of the driver or passenger, be determined by the senior Police Officer on duty. Failure to comply with his or her determination shall subject the offender to a charge of disorderly conduct.
A. 
No driver of a taxicab shall induce any person to employ the driver by knowingly misinforming or misleading the person either as to the time or place of the arrival or departure of any bus, airplane, train or boat or as to the location of any place within the Township or as to the distance between any two points, nor shall any driver deceive any person or make any false representation or convey any passenger to any other place or any other route than that to which the passenger may have instructed the driver to go. Unless otherwise ordered, passengers shall be conveyed only over the most practical direct route to their destination.
B. 
No taxicab, while waiting for employment by passengers, shall stand on any public street, nor shall any driver of a taxicab seek employment by repeatedly and persistently driving the taxicab to and from in a short space before, or by otherwise interfering with, the proper and orderly access to or egress from any place of public gathering, and no driver shall solicit passengers for a taxicab except when sitting upon the driver's seat thereof, nor shall any driver of a taxicab solicit employment in the transportation of passengers by driving in or through any public street or public place at a slow rate of speed, commonly designated as "cruising."
C. 
Every driver of a taxicab, immediately after the termination of any hiring or employment, must carefully search the taxicab for any property lost or left therein, and any property, unless sooner claimed or delivered to the owner, must be reported, in writing, by the driver or owner of the taxicab to the senior Police Officer on duty, with a brief particulars and a description of the property, within 24 hours after finding thereof.
Each and every licensed owner shall record in a book kept solely for that purpose the time of departure from the garage or stand of every licensed vehicle giving the name, address and license number of the driver, the license number of the vehicle and the time of the return to the garage or stand of the vehicle, which book and every other record of the acceptance and discharge of passengers maintained by any licensed owner or driver shall be kept open for inspection at all times to a duly authorized representative of the Director of Public Safety.
No vehicle covered by the terms of this section shall imitate any color scheme, name monogram or insignia used by any other person, firm or corporation operating a taxicab or taxicabs in a manner as to be misleading or to tend to deceive or defraud the public, and provided, further, that if after a scheme, name, monogram or insignia thereof is changed so as to be in conflict with or which, in the opinion of the Director of Public Safety, imitates any other color scheme, name, monogram or insignia used by any other person, firm or corporation operating a taxicab or taxicabs in a manner as to be misleading or tending to deceive or defraud the public, the license of the taxicab or taxicabs shall be suspended or revoked.
Any honorably discharged United States service member may make application, in writing and with the furnishing of satisfactory proof of said service and discharge, to the Township Committee of the Township of Riverside to receive a taxicab driver's license without the payment of any fee.
Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this Chapter shall be subject to the penalty as outlined in Chapter 1, Article III, of the Code of the Township of Riverside.