[HISTORY: Derived from Ch. 24, of the 1971 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
TAXICAB
Includes any motor vehicle commonly called taxi, engaged in the business of carrying passengers for hire, which is held out, announced or operated to run over any streets within the Township, or which accepts or discharges paying passengers within the Township.
Every applicant for a taxicab owner's license shall, together with his application, submit an insurance policy of a company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of this State conditioned for the payment of a sum of not less than $100,000 to satisfy all claims for damages by reason of bodily injury to, or the death of, any one person, resulting from an accident, and a sum of not less than $300,000 to satisfy all claims for damages by reason of the bodily injury to, or the death of, all persons, on account of any such accident by reason of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of such autocab upon any public street; and conditioned for the payment of a sum not less than $50,000 to satisfy any claim for damages to property of any one person resulting from an accident, and a sum not less than $50,000 to satisfy all claims for damages to property of all persons on account of any such accident by reason of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of such autocab upon any public street, and such insurance as may otherwise be required by N.J.S.A. 48:16-1 to 48:16-22, as now or hereafter amended or supplemented.
No taxicab shall be operated in this Township unless there is prominently displayed in the interior thereof within the full view and access of any passengers therein a complete list of fares, charges or tariff rates charged for transportation of passengers, which fares, charges or tariffs so displayed, and no other, shall be those to be charged any passengers so transported.
Every taxicab licensed under this chapter shall have painted on both sides thereof the words "taxi" or "cab" in letters at least six inches high or the name of the operating owner containing the words "taxi." "cab" or "taxicab" or an electric sign affixed to the top of the motor vehicle in clear view from all sides bearing the words "taxi." "cab" or "taxicab."
The owner of each taxicab licensed under this chapter shall keep or cause to be kept a written daily record of each trip made by the taxicab, showing the date, time and place the cab was engaged, the place and time of discharge of the passenger, the number of passengers carried, the fare received, distance carried, a statement of receipts and expenditures and the taxicab driver's license number of the person driving the cab on the trip. Such records shall be subject to inspection by the Police Department of the Township or the Township Council at their discretion. There shall also be reported to the Township Clerk the happening of an accident involving such taxicab or the loss of property left in the taxicab by a passenger within 24 hours after such event.
The owner and operator of each taxicab operating in the Township shall keep his taxicab in good running order so that it makes a presentable appearance and affords comfortable, safe rides to passengers, free from mechanical defects, loose fenders, dents, loose doors, broken or soiled upholstery and broken or cracked glass. The owner and operator of each taxicab operating in the Township shall present his taxicab to the Chief of Police or other designated officer prior to the issuance of renewal of his license, and thereafter upon request of the Chief of Police or other designated officer, so that it may be inspected to determine whether it complies with the provisions of this chapter.
The operator of each taxicab shall at all times have available a suitable cash receipt book to write out, sign and give to any passenger requesting the same, a written receipt in the amount of the fare paid.
The Township Council shall have the right to adopt resolutions establishing zones or districts within the Township as it may from time to time deem desirable or necessary, for the purpose of prescribing or fixing maximum or minimum charges which may be made within the area or within said districts for such taxicab service.
The Township Council may, by resolution, make such general rules and regulations and such special findings and rulings as may be necessary for the proper regulation and control of the operation of taxicabs in the Township and enforcement of this chapter. In addition thereto, and not inconsistent therewith, may alter, amend, repeal and publish the same from time to time.
No person shall operate any taxicab within the Township unless both the taxicab and the driver thereof are licensed pursuant to this chapter and conform to all the provisions of this chapter; provided, that such taxicab licenses as are now issued and outstanding shall remain effective until their respective expiration dates and the taxicabs thereby licensed shall be deemed to be licensed pursuant to the terms of this chapter until such licenses are surrendered, suspended or revoked, or have expired; provided, that in all other particulars the taxicabs and their owners shall be subject to all the provisions of this chapter; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to a taxicab duly licensed by another municipality and, is operated in this Township solely in response to pick up a passenger in the Township and to transport such passenger to a destination outside the Township, or is operated in this Township solely for the purpose of delivering to a destination within the Township a passenger picked up by the taxicab at a point or points outside of the Township.
There are hereby established two classes of taxicab licenses to be known as taxicab driver's license and taxicab owner's license, respectively.
A taxicab driver's license shall entitle the person named therein to operate within this Township any taxicab duly licensed under this chapter until the license either expires or is surrendered, suspended or revoked, and shall not be transferable.
A taxicab owner's license shall entitle the taxicab therein described to be operated in this Township by a driver duly licensed under this chapter until the license either expires or is surrendered, suspended or revoked, and shall not be transferable.
A. 
All applications for the issuance or renewal of any license of either class shall be made to the Township Council in duplicate on forms adopted by the Council and obtained from the Township Clerk and designed to elicit information respecting the identification, responsibility and law-abiding habits of the applicant.
B. 
Each applicant for a license of either class shall supply the information requested on the application in full and verify the correctness thereof by his oath or affirmation and thereafter file the completed applications with the Township Clerk together with the full amount of the proper fee hereafter fixed therefor; the Township Clerk shall thereupon notify each Councilman, in writing, of the name and address of the applicant and the type of license sought and shall post notice after such application in at least one public place in the Township.
Any license issued pursuant to the terms of this chapter shall expire at 12:00 Midnight of December 31 of the year in which it was issued unless sooner surrendered, suspended or revoked.
The number of any licenses of either class at any one time issued and outstanding shall not exceed such number as the Township Council shall, in its discretion from time to time, deem sufficient adequately to serve public necessity and convenience.
Each applicant for a taxicab driver's license shall file with his application two photographs each 3 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches in size, clearly depicting the facial features of the applicant, both of which photographs shall thereupon become the property of the Township and be retained with the application form unless the application shall be issued, in which event one of such photographs shall be permanently affixed to the license card in a space provided thereon.
Every applicant for a taxicab driver's license shall, at the time of filing his application, be fingerprinted by the Township Police Department; an impression of such fingerprints shall be thereupon forwarded forthwith by the Police Department to the Bureau of Identification of the State Police for a report of applicant's criminal record, which report when received shall be permanently affixed to the application before consideration thereof by the Township Council.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
A. 
The license fees for the taxicab driver's license and the taxicabs owner's license are contained in Chapter 156, Fees.
B. 
Such fees shall not be prorated nor any part thereof refunded for any reason; except, that upon the denial of an application for issuance or renewal of a license by the Township Council, 90% of the fee deposited shall be returned to the applicant, and 10% shall be retained by the Township as compensation for investigation of the application.
C. 
The aforesaid fees for a driver's license or an owner's license shall be waived upon presentation of proof that the applicant is a veteran of service with any branch of the United States armed forces and has so served during a time of national conflict.
The Township Council may, in its discretion, refuse to issue or renew or may, after notice and hearing, revoke or suspend:
A. 
Any license of either class if the applicant for the license has been once convicted of a crime in this or any other jurisdiction, or convicted of being a disorderly person or of a violation of Title 39 "Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation" of the New Jersey Statutes or who violates any provision of this chapter or has any judgment unsatisfied of record against him arising out of an automobile accident, or who has made false answers in his application for such license, or any renewal thereof, or who has failed or fails to render reasonably prompt, safe and adequate taxicab service or who has not complied fully with all requirements of this chapter for such class of license.
B. 
Any taxicab driver's license if the licensee or applicant has in any degree contributed to any injury to person or damage to property arising out of negligent operation of a motor vehicle; or has any communicable or contagious disease.
C. 
Any taxicab owner's license if the motor vehicle licensed or to be licensed, by reason of unsafe or unsanitary condition is dangerous to the safety or health of the occupants or others, or if the policy of insurance required herein has once lapsed, or such coverage not maintained at all times.
D. 
The violation by the taxicab owner or the taxicab driver of any rules, regulations, special findings and rulings which are hereafter promulgated by the Township Council and included within a resolution or adopted by the Council, shall be sufficient cause for revocation of any license granted to such taxicab owner or taxicab driver pursuant to this chapter, and shall be sufficient cause for the refusal by the Township Council to renew such license in addition to any and all other grounds heretofore specifically mentioned in this chapter.
Each applicant granted a taxicab driver's license shall be issued a license card in evidence thereof in a form approved by Township Council and signed by the Township Clerk in its behalf. Such license card shall at all times be prominently displayed and adequately protected in the interior of any taxicab operated by the licensee so that the face thereof shall be at all times in the full view of and plainly legible to any passenger seated in the rear seat of such taxicab. The license card shall at all times be and remain the property of the Township and at the directions of the Township Council, shall at any time be surrendered to the Township Clerk.