[HISTORY: Adopted 2-27-2014 by Ord. No. O02-2014. Amendments noted where applicable. Prior ordinance history: Ordinances 3-7-46, 7-1995, 18-1982, O34-2009.]
As used in this Ordinance:
TAXI
Means any motor vehicle in the business of the transporting passengers for payment within the City of Gloucester City.
A. 
It shall be unlawful to engage in the business of owning or operating a taxi within the City of Gloucester City without first having secured a license therefor two classes of license for each vehicle and an operator's license for each vehicle and an operator's license for each driver.
B. 
Each application for an owner requires a fee of $50 for each vehicle to be operated. Each application of an operator's license requires a fee of $25. These fees are to be paid annually. All licenses are annual and expire on December 31 of each and every year.
C. 
All licenses are subject to revocation by resolution of Common Council for a violation of any law, ordinance or regulation following notice and hearing.
D. 
No license shall be issued to any applicant whose license had previously been revoked without a resolution of Common Council.
E. 
All licenses must be displayed in a public and accessible location within the licensed vehicle.
F. 
Every application for a license shall be verified by the Oath of Affirmation of the applicant.
A. 
Application shall be made to the City Clerk on a form provided by said clerk which shall contain the following:
(1) 
The full name and address of each person or entity which has an ownership interest in the vehicle to be operated. For vehicles owned by a business entity the name and address of all persons who have an ownership interest in such entity shall be provided.
(2) 
The year, make, model, identification number and registration number of each vehicle.
(3) 
The place of business and the location where the vehicles are stored, repaired and/or maintained.
(4) 
The place and location where the applicant will maintain an office at which service of process may be made and where customers may call and correspond.
(5) 
The name of the insurance company, its address, the policy number and the declaration page.
(6) 
A list of other municipalities in which the applicant operates.
(7) 
A statement as to any criminal convictions on the part of the applicant, whether the applicant has ever had a license to operate a taxi revoked, and if so the details of said revocation.
B. 
Operators license. The application for an operator's license shall be made to the City Clerk on a form provided by said Clerk. Any applicant for an operator's license shall undergo a criminal background check and a fingerprint check to be conducted under the direction of the Gloucester City Police Department at the applicant's expense.
An operator's license shall be issued to applicants who satisfy the Clerk that they hold a properly issued drivers license from the State of New Jersey and they have not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude.
No license shall be issued hereunder to:
A. 
An individual not a citizen or legal resident of the United States or who has been convicted of a crime of the first, second or third degree, or its equivalent, within 10 years of making application.
B. 
A partnership or limited liability company unless all of its members are citizens or legal residents of the United States, and none of whom has been convicted of a crime of the first, second or third degree or its equivalent within 10 years of making application.
C. 
A corporation unless each of its officers, directors and stockholders are citizens or legal of the United States and none of whom has been convicted of a crime of the first, second or third degree or its equivalent within 10 years of making application.
[Added 6-18-2015 by Ord. No. O15-2015]
The maximum number of taxi licenses to be issued in any year shall be 10.
No license shall be issued hereunder until the application has filed with the City Clerk proof of motor vehicle insurance issued by New Jersey licensed insurance company with the minimum limits of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident on account of bodily injury and a minimum limit of at least $25,000 for property damage. Such insurance coverage must be maintained as a condition of any license hereunder.
No license hereunder shall be transferred or assigned.
Every vehicle licensed hereunder shall have displayed on both sides of the vehicle the word "taxi" or "cab" in letters at least three inches high.
The Common Council, after notice and hearing, may revoke or suspend any license issued hereunder if the licensee has been convicted of a crime or unindictable offense involving violence or dishonesty or a violation of N.J.S.A. 39 et seq. or has violated this ordinance, or who has any unsatisfied judgment against the license arising out of a motor vehicle accident, or which has provided false information in the application or renewal, or who has failed to provide reasonably prompt, safe, proper and adequate taxi service.
In the event that any applicant has been issued a license from another municipality with similar requirements of the ordinance and the City Clerk is satisfied that the conditions of this ordinance have been properly addressed by the applicant's licensing in another municipality then the City Clerk may issue a license to that applicant.
A conviction for violation of the ordinance shall be punishable by a jail term to be determined by the Court or by a fine not exceeding $500, or both.