[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Edgewater Park as Title 5, Ch. 5.08, of the 1998 Township Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
No autobuses, commonly called "jitneys," shall be operated in the public streets or places of the Township unless the provisions of this chapter are complied with.
No autobus or autobuses, commonly called "jitneys," shall be operated in any of the public streets or places of the Township unless the owner or its lessee (who shall, for the purpose of this chapter, be construed "the owner") operating such jitneys shall have procured a license in the manner herein provided, and shall have paid the fee therefor.
[Amended 2-7-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-1]
Any person, firm or corporation desiring to operate a jitney in, over and through the public streets or places of the Township shall make an application, in writing, to the Township Committee of the Township, which application shall state the name of the owner, or person, firm or corporation intending to operate such jitney; the residence and business address of such applicant; the number of jitneys which said applicant intends to operate within the Township; and the seating capacity of each jitney; the streets, avenues and public places upon which said jitney will be operated; and an agreement to comply with the requirements contained in this chapter, or any supplement or amendment thereof. Said application shall be accompanied by a license fee, which fee shall be as follows: There shall be a jitney fee as established in Chapter 240, Fees, per year.
The Township Committee of the Township shall at a subsequent meeting after the presentation of such application and if, in its judgment, it is proper for the good government, order and protection of persons and property, and for the preservation of the public health and safety of the Township and its inhabitants, may refuse such application or may grant the same with or without modifications as to the number of jitneys to be operated within the Township, and the route or the routes to be traveled. Upon granting the said application, either with or without modifications as aforesaid, a license shall be issued to such applicant, signed by the Township Clerk, which license shall set forth the date of application therefor, and the date of the granting of such license by the Township Committee of the Township, and the seating capacity of the jitney. Each license granted shall expire on December 31 of the year in which it is issued. Such license may be renewed to the same licensee, without further application, upon the payment of the license fee herein provided. Each applicant shall furnish a recent two-inch by two-inch photograph and a set of fingerprints with the application. Any license granted as herein provided may be revoked after a hearing upon notice for a violation of any of the laws of the state, or any of the terms or provisions of this chapter or any ordinances amendatory thereof or supplemental hereto.
No license hereunder shall become effective or remain in force, and no operation of any jitney under such license shall be permitted until the owner of such jitney shall have filed with the Township Clerk an insurance policy written by a company duly authorized and licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of the state of New Jersey, in a sum of not less than $100,000 insuring the owner against loss from liability imposed by law upon the jitney owner for damages on account of bodily injury or death or property damages suffered by any person or in the amount of $300,000 for more than one person as a result of the ownership or operation or use of such jitney; and providing for the payment of any final judgment to be recovered by any person, firm or corporation against the owner or operator of any such jitney growing out of ownership, operation or use of such jitney; and further providing that such insurance and the conditions such policy shall be for the benefit of every person, firm or corporation suffering loss, damage, or injury as aforesaid.
Every person, firm or corporation operating any jitney or jitneys within the Township shall operate the same over a route or routes set forth in their application, and no other route or routes, except pursuant to permission of the Township Committee of the Township; provided, however, in case any portion of any such route shall be temporarily obstructed or closed to traffic, then in such case such jitney or jitneys may be operated upon such other street or streets or public places as directed by the Chief of Police as to make a detour to the nearest open portion of such route.
Every person, firm or corporation operating a jitney or jitneys within the Township shall, with the application herein provided for, file with the Township Clerk a schedule showing the regular stopping places for taking on or letting off passengers within the Township; a schedule showing the time when such jitney or jitneys will arrive at such stopping points; a statement of the entire route, both within and out of the Township, to be travelled by such jitney or jitneys; and a schedule showing the time when such jitney or jitneys will leave their respective terminals of each route. The aforesaid schedule will be subject to change due to unforeseen causes and reasonable delays, but in no case shall any jitney leave any fixed stopping place before the time shown by such schedule. A copy of the time schedule shall be posted in a conspicuous place on each jitney. The time schedule may be changed upon 10 days' notice, in writing, which notice shall be filed with the Township Clerk at least 10 days before such proposed change will take effect, and shall also, within the same time, be published in a newspaper circulating in the Township.
There shall also be filed with the application a schedule of the various points upon the routes of such bus lines on which routes fares shall not be increased so long as said permits shall be in force, without the consent of the Township Committee of the Township by the passage of a resolution to that effect. There shall be posted, in a conspicuous place in each jitney, a statement of the rates of fare between the various points upon the routes of each jitney.
A. 
Every jitney operated within the Township shall be equipped with pneumatic tires, and shall have one or more lights on the inside of such jitney, which shall be kept lighted at all times from one hour after sunset until daylight. Every such jitney shall have a door at the rear thereof, so that the same can be opened from the inside in case of emergency.
B. 
Every jitney operated within the Township shall carry on the inside thereof, in a rack or other place where it can be readily procured by the passengers, an axe, for use in case of emergency.
No driver of a jitney shall talk to or carry on a conversation with the passengers or any other person, except to answer necessary questions.
Every jitney shall be operated carefully and within the speed limits provided for by law, and shall be equipped with chains, or other devices approved by the Chief of Police, to prevent skidding, when necessary because of ice, snow or slippery conditions of the street.
No jitney shall be operated within the Township which carries more passengers than the number stated in the application for the license for such jitney, nor shall any passenger be permitted to stand on the steps of any such jitney when the same is in motion.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III)]
Any person, firm or corporation operating a jitney in the Township without a license granted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, or having a license, shall fail to operate such jitney in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, or shall fail to equip, maintain and operate any jitney in violation of any provision hereof, may, on conviction, forfeit any and all licenses issued hereunder, and, in addition thereto, shall be subject to the penalty in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty, of the Code of the Township of Edgewater Park.