[Ord. No. 99-29 § 2]
There is hereby established in the Township of Lakewood rules
and regulations regarding taxicabs.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 3; Ord. No. 2012-24 § 1]
As used in this chapter:
AUTOCAB
Shall mean and include any automobile or motor car, commonly
called taxi, engaged in the business of carrying passengers for hire
which is held out, announced or advertised to operate or run or which
is operated or run over any of the streets or public highways of this
State, and particularly accepts and discharges such persons as may
offer themselves for transportation from points or places to points
or places within or without the State.
PERSON
Shall mean and include any individual, copartnership, association,
corporation or joint stock company, their lessees, trustees, or receivers
appointed by any court whatsoever.
STREET
Shall mean and include any street, avenue, park, parkway,
highway or other public place.
TAXICABS
Shall mean any vehicle propelled by mechanical motor power,
engaged in the business of transportation of passengers for hire or
pay within the Township, either operated from stands in the public
street or public place, or on telephone calls to a central office
or in any manner. Specifically excluded from this definition are vehicles
bearing livery plates which are transporting, pursuant to a pre-arranged
written contractual agreement, persons to points within the Township
for weddings, funerals and other similar occasions. In order to qualify
as a taxicab a vehicle must have a minimum wheel base of 104 inches.
Said agreements shall be registered with the Township Clerk prior
to each such occasion and shall indicate the parties thereto.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 4]
The licensing of taxicabs shall be by the Township and such
licenses (hereinafter "taxicab medallions" or "medallions") when granted
by the Township Committee, shall be countersigned by the Township
Clerk. All fees shall be paid to the Township Clerk. The regulating
and inspection of taxicabs, the application for a medallion to own
and operate taxicabs, the licensing of drivers as provided for in
this chapter and the enforcing of the provisions of this chapter shall
be under the control of the Township Committee. The Township Committee
is authorized and empowered to establish reasonable rules and regulations
for the inspection of taxicabs and requirements of construction and
condition of fitness for the safe and adequate transportation of passengers
and the general cleanliness of such taxicabs.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 5]
No person shall hire out, keep or use for hire or pay, or cause
to be kept or used for hire or pay, any taxicab within the Township
without first having obtained a medallion for that purpose.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6A; Ord. No. 2012-24 § 2]
a. No medallion shall be issued for any vehicle herein required to be
licensed until the owner thereof shall have filed an application for
same, addressed to the Township Clerk, setting forth the character
of the vehicle proposed to be licensed, the correct name of the owner
thereof, the residence or address of the principal office of such
owner, and such other facts as the Township may require; until the
vehicle proposed to be licensed shall have been inspected and approved,
in writing, by the Chief of Police of the Township of Lakewood; until
there shall have been paid to the Township Clerk the license fee hereinafter
provided; and until there shall have been submitted to the Township
Attorney and approved by him as to both form and sufficiency, and
filed with the Township Clerk, a policy of insurance, with the premium
prepaid thereon, an insurance policy which shall be issued by an admitted
insurance company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance
laws of the State of New Jersey or a company registered to do business
in the State, the policy providing for not less than $100,000 of motor
vehicle liability insurance coverage to satisfy all claims for damages,
by reason of bodily injury to, or the death of, any person or persons,
resulting from, or on account of, an accident, by reason of the ownership,
operation, maintenance, or use of such autocab upon any public street;
and not less than $50,000 to satisfy any claim for damages to property
of any person or persons, resulting from, or on account of, an accident,
by reason of the ownership, operation, maintenance, or use of such
autocab upon any public street.
b. Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the owner of an autocab from
obtaining any additional amount of motor vehicle liability insurance
coverage from a company licensed outside the State of New Jersey.
c. A license issued under this chapter shall be effective and operation
thereunder shall be permitted only so long as the insurance policy
shall remain in force to the full and collectible amounts as aforesaid.
d. The insurance policy shall provide for the payment of any final judgment
recovered by any person on account of the ownership, maintenance,
or use of the autocab or any fault in respect thereto, and shall be
for the benefit of every person suffering loss, damage or injury as
aforesaid.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6B; Ord. No. 2001-73 § 1; Ord. No. 2010-82; Ord.
No. 2011-22 § 1]
The purchase price for a Township taxi medallion shall be $1,000.
The annual medallion renewal fee for each taxicab shall be $200 which
shall be payable on or before October 1. The licensing period shall
extend from October 1 until the following September 30. The fee imposed
herein shall be to defray the cost of administering, regulating and
enforcing this section and to defray the cost of the inspections required
pursuant to the terms of this section.
An annual medallion fee that remains unpaid after December 1
of the licensing year shall revert back to the Township upon notice
to the medallion holder and the opportunity for a hearing.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6C]
Upon approval and granting of a medallion for the operation
of a taxicab within the Township by the Township Committee, the Township
Clerk shall provide the medallion holder with a card containing the
name of the applicant, the Township number in one and one-half (1 1/2)
inch letters, the number of persons the vehicle is authorized to transport
and notice that in case of any complaint, complaint forms are available
at the Lakewood Police Department. Only after the vehicle has been
inspected, will a decal be issued. This decal shall be placed in the
lower left hand corner of the rear window of the vehicle.
Medallion is subject to forfeiture by the medallion holder back
to the Township, upon notice with an opportunity to be heard at a
hearing before the Lakewood Township Committee, if the medallion is
not utilized for nine consecutive months.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6D]
The information referred to in this section shall be displayed pursuant to subsection
9-5.3.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6E; Ord. No. 2013-32]
a. Not more than 40 taxi medallions shall be issued and outstanding
at any time.
b. No owner of a vehicle shall be issued a taxicab medallion until that
vehicle has been thoroughly and carefully inspected, especially with
regard to the brakes and front end, and examined by a person designated
by the Township Committee and found to be in a thoroughly safe condition
for the transportation of passengers. Side curtains, shades and/or
dark, smoke glass shall not be permitted on any such vehicles.
c. No vehicle known as a two-door body or two-door hatchback shall be
issued a taxicab medallion.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6F]
a. It shall be unlawful for any owner of a licensed taxicab to sell,
lease, rent, assign, transfer or in any other manner dispose of a
taxicab medallion without the permission of the Township Committee,
nor shall any owner of a taxicab hire out or rent a taxicab to a taxicab
driver or any other person for use within the Township for a stipulated
sum over a definite period of time.
b. No taxicab medallion shall be transferred except to another vehicle
owned, registered and insured in the name of the person desiring to
transfer the medallion without the approval of the Township Committee.
Any medallion may be transferred with the payment of a transfer fee
of $300 upon obtaining the approval of the Township Committee.
c. In the event the holder of a taxicab medallion desires to transfer
such medallion to another vehicle owned, registered and insured in
his/her name, the insurance card, containing the year and model of
the vehicle, shall be presented to the Township Clerk forthwith. A
copy of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Transfer Certificate
shall be submitted to the Township Clerk, upon receipt of same from
the Motor Vehicle Commission.
[Ord. No. 2012-24 § 3]
Prior subsection
9-5.7, Insurance, was deleted by Ordinance No. 2012-24. See subsection
9-5.1 for insurance requirements.
a. Each operator or driver of an autocab for which the owner thereof
is seeking the consent to operate in the Township of Lakewood shall
submit to the performance of a criminal history record background
check. The cost for the criminal history record background check,
including all costs of administering and processing the check, shall
be borne by the operator or driver of the autocab.
b. A person shall be disqualified from operating or driving an autocab
if a criminal history record background check required pursuant to
this section reveals a record of conviction of any of the following
crimes:
1. In New Jersey or elsewhere any crime as follows: aggravated assault,
arson, burglary, escape, extortion, homicide, kidnapping, robbery,
aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault or endangering the welfare
of a child pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4, whether or not armed with
or having in his possession any weapon enumerated in subsection r
of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1, a crime pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A.
2C:39-3, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4, or N.J.S.A. 2C:39-9, or other than a disorderly
persons or petty disorderly persons offense for the unlawful use,
possession or sale of a controlled dangerous substance as defined
in N.J.S.A. 2C:35-2.
2. In any other state, territory, commonwealth, or other jurisdiction
of the United States, or any country in the world, as a result of
a conviction in a court of competent jurisdiction, a crime which in
that other jurisdiction or country is comparable to one of the crimes
enumerated in paragraph b1 above.
c. If a person who has been convicted of one of the crimes enumerated
in b1 and/or 2 above can produce a certificate of rehabilitation issued
pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:168A-8 or, if the criminal offense occurred
outside New Jersey, an equivalent certificate from the jurisdiction
where the criminal offense occurred, the criminal offense shall not
disqualify the applicant from operating or driving an autocab.
d. The provisions of this subsection
9-5.7 shall not apply to an operator or driver of an autocab who has received the consent to operate in the Township of Lakewood prior to November 29, 2011.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6H]
a. The Township Clerk shall keep a register of the name of each person
owning or operating a vehicle or vehicles licensed under this chapter,
together with the medallion number and the make and description of
such vehicle with the date and complete record of inspection of it.
b. The Township Police Department and Taxicab Compliance Officer(s)
shall maintain constant vigilance over all taxicabs to see that they
are kept clean and in a condition of safety for the transportation
of passengers and to this end, shall have the right at any and all
time to inspect any and all medallioned vehicles and shall maintain
a record of all inspections. A copy of the inspection records shall
be kept in the Township Clerk's office in compliance with paragraph
a above. The records shall also include all violations of this chapter
and all violations of the motor vehicle laws by the medallion holder.
c. Every taxicab owner shall cause to have his or her taxicab or taxicabs
inspected twice a year at a designated and authorized reinspection
center located in the Township of Lakewood. The reinspections shall
be paid for by the Township from the taxicab medallion fee referenced
above. In the event that any taxicab fails inspection, the subsequent
inspection of the vehicle is to be fully paid for by the licensee.
d. The owner or owners of any taxicab shall inspect or cause to be inspected
each taxicab at least once a day, but prior to each and every shift,
for any visible defects, cleanliness and to see that all required
information is posted in each taxicab. The inspection form will be
filed with the taxicab owner for a period of one year, the inspection
form to be used shall be designed by the Traffic and Safety Division
of the Lakewood Police Department.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 6I]
a. Owner's Duty to Maintain a Safe Vehicle. The owner of a taxicab
medallion shall be responsible for maintaining all licensed vehicles
in a clean and safe condition for the transportation of passengers
for hire.
b. Suspension of Taxicab Medallion. The owner of any licensed taxicab found to be unsafe for the transportation of passengers after inspection in accordance with subsection
9-5.8 shall be notified that the taxicab medallion is suspended until the vehicle is made safe for operation. A copy of the inspection report listing the unsafe items shall be given to the operator with the notice that the taxicab medallion is suspended until the vehicle is made safe which notice and report shall be signed by the inspecting officer. An additional copy of the notice and report shall be mailed to the owner's last known address.
c. Summons and Complaint. Any owner or operator who knowingly allows
his vehicle to transport passengers for hire after the medallion has
been suspended shall receive a complaint and summons returnable in
the Township of Lakewood Municipal Court served upon the owner by
mailing a copy to his last known address or by serving a copy upon
the operator of the vehicle.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 7A]
Each applicant for a taxicab operator's permit under the
terms of this chapter shall conform to the following regulations:
a. Possess a valid State of New Jersey Driver's License and be
a bona fide resident of the State of New Jersey for at least one year.
b. Present the certificate of a reputable physician showing that he
has been examined within the past 60 days and that he is of sound
physique with good eyesight and not subject to epilepsy, vertigo,
heart trouble or some infirmity of body or mind which might render
him unfit for the safe operation of a taxicab.
c. Be a citizen or a resident legal alien of the United States.
d. Has not been convicted of a crime, other than misdemeanor traffic
violations, and has not violated any provision of this chapter.
e. Not be addicted to the use of narcotics or alcoholic beverages. To
that end, the Township Committee reserves the right to impose a mandatory
drug and/or alcohol screening test pursuant to Federal and State laws
prior to the issuance or renewal of a taxicab operator's permit.
f. Produce affidavits of his good character from at least (2) reputable
citizens who have known him personally for at least two years and
a further affidavit from his last employer unless in the estimation
of the Township Committee, sufficient reason is given for its omission.
g. Fill out, upon a form provided by the Township Clerk, his full name, residence, places of residence for the preceding five years, place of birth, previous employment, whether he has ever been convicted of a crime, including misdemeanor traffic violations, or a violation of this chapter and whether his driver's license has ever been revoked and for what cause, which statement shall be signed and sworn to by the applicant and filed with the Township Clerk as a permanent record. He shall also furnish four copies of passport size photographs front view. The driver shall not be required to display his residence or other personal information to the public other than that information required by subsection
9-5.3, entitled Issuance of Medallion.
h. The applicant shall also indicate in the application form any conviction
for violations of any of the provisions of the motor vehicle laws
of the State of New Jersey, as well as any convictions for motor vehicle
violations from any State or territory of the United States of America,
for a period of five years antedating the date of the application.
If the answer is in the affirmative, he shall furnish a certified
copy of his Driver's Abstract from the New Jersey Division of
Motor Vehicles and provide details with respect to such conviction
in writing.
i. The applicant shall be fingerprinted and cleared, at his own expense
and the print shall be placed on file with the Lakewood Police Department.
j. The applicant shall indicate on the application form any criminal
conviction.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 7B]
The taxicab operator's permit fee for each driver of a
taxicab shall be $50 per year. The licensing period shall extend from
October 1 to September 30 of the following year. The fee imposed herein
shall be to defray the cost of administering, regulating and enforcing
this section and to defray the cost of the inspections required pursuant
to the terms of this section.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 7C]
a. Issuance of Taxicab Operator's Permit. Upon satisfactory fulfillment
of the foregoing requirements, the Township Clerk, after the approval
of the Township Committee, shall issue to the applicant a taxicab
operator's permit which shall contain the photograph and permit
number of the operator.
b. Issuance of Temporary Taxicab Operator's Permit. Upon satisfactory
fulfillment of the foregoing requirements, except final police clearance,
the Township Clerk, after the approval of the Township Committee,
may issue the applicant a temporary taxicab operator's permit
which shall contain the photograph and permit number of the operator
and the decal. The temporary taxicab operator's permit shall
be issued after a preliminary approval has been completed by the Township
of Lakewood Police Department but prior to final clearance from all
necessary local, State and Federal police agencies. The temporary
taxicab operator's permit shall be effective until all final
police clearances are received but in no event shall such permit remain
in effect longer than 90 days. The temporary permit shall be automatically
revoked if any of the departmental clearances indicate the applicant
has been convicted of a crime that was not disclosed by the applicant
in his application.
c. Display of Taxicab Operator's Permit. The information referred to in subsection
9-6.3a and
b herein shall be mounted in a protective holder or bracket sufficient to prevent the permit from being defaced, and shall be clearly visible on the dashboard so as to have the information thereon visible to any passenger(s) in the rear seat.
d. Substance Abuse Screening. An applicant must not use narcotics or
alcoholic beverages. The Township Committee or Lakewood Transportation
Board reserve the right to impose substance abuse screening pursuant
to the appropriate Federal or State laws prior to the issuance or
renewal of a permit or whenever legally permissible.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 7D]
If at any time within the licensed year a taxicab driver has
been convicted of a crime or traffic violation, he shall immediately
notify the Township Clerk of the conviction, the jurisdiction of the
conviction, the offense for which he was convicted, and the circumstances
thereof. It shall be in the discretion of the Township Committee to
revoke his taxicab medallion and/or taxicab operator's permit.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 7E; Ord. No. 2015-14]
a. Violations. The operator who is found guilty after a hearing in Lakewood
Municipal Court of a violation of any of the following shall be subject
to the following fines:
1. Operation of a taxicab without a valid taxicab medallion and/or taxicab
operator's permit, shall result in a one hundred ($100.00) dollar
fine.
2. Charge passenger excessive fare, not less than $100 nor more than
$200.
3. Failure to display taxicab operator's permit in vehicle pursuant to subsection
9-5.3 and subsection
9-6.3c, not less than $100 nor more than $200.
4. Filing false information on taxicab operator's permit application required by this section, not less than $500 nor more than $1,000. In addition to any fine imposed, the Court shall have the discretion to suspend the offender's taxicab operator's permit for up to one year in addition to the penalty prescribed in subsection
9-6.3b.
5. Violation of subsection
9-8.2, not less than $100 nor more than $200.
6. Failure to display rates, not less than $100 nor more than $200.
7. Violation of any other section of this chapter for which no specific
penalty is listed, not less than $100 nor more than $200.
8. Anyone found guilty of breaking, violating, tampering, or attempting
to break, violate or tamper with any taxi meter shall be subject to
a fine of:
(a)
$500 and 15 days incarceration if convicted of a first offense;
(b)
$1,000 and 30 days incarceration if convicted of a second offense;
(c)
Surrender of medallions for all cabs under that license and
90 days incarceration if convicted of a third offense.
Taxicab medallion owners who are found guilty after a hearing
in Lakewood Township Municipal Court of a violation of any of the
above shall be subject to minimum and maximum fines equal to twice
the above amounts listed for operators.
Taxicab medallion owners and taxicab operator's permit
holders who are convicted of any of the above offenses for a third
time, shall be subject to a maximum fine equal to three times the
above maximum penalties.
b. Summons and Complaint. A summons and complaint citing a violation
of this chapter returnable in Lakewood Township Municipal Court shall
be served personally or by mail to the last known address of the person
charged with a violation of this chapter.
c. Waiver of Municipal Court Hearing. Any person or corporation charged with a violation of any section of this chapter may waive the Court hearing hereon by pleading guilty to the violation and making payment to the Court Clerk of the maximum fine for the violation; provided however that a Court appearance shall be required for any person or corporation charged with a violation of Section
9-4.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 8A]
The Township Committee may designate certain taxicab stands
as provided by law and the number of taxicabs permitted therein. The
taxicabs shall operate on a first-in, first-out basis at such taxicab
stands. No taxicab shall remain in a taxi stand for more than 30 consecutive
minutes.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 8B]
The Township Committee may establish other stands by resolution
when in their judgment that course shall be necessary. The continuance
of such stand shall thereupon be subject to the approval or disapproval
of the Township Committee, by resolution.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 8C]
Any owner of a taxicab medallion who shall change his place
of business after February 25, 1960 shall provide off-street parking
for all of his taxicabs.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 9A; Ord. No. 2017-2]
Every medallioned taxicab conducting business in the Township
of Lakewood, shall have an odometer installed within the taxicab.
The odometer shall be of a make, model equal or superior to the Pulsar
Technology Systems, Inc. Pulsar Mileage Odometer Model 100. The cost
of the odometer shall be borne by the taxicab owner. The odometer
shall be placed in full view of the rear passenger(s).
a. No passenger shall be carried in any taxicab unless the taximeter
shall be in operation. This provision shall apply regardless of whether
a taxicab is engaged for a trip entirely within the boundaries of
Lakewood Township or partially outside thereof, and the taximeter
shall be kept operating continuously during the entire time that it
is engaged in the transportation of passengers, regarding the point
of destination.
b. Within one month prior to submitting an application for issuance
or renewal of Taxicab Medallion, the taximeter of such taxicab must
be tested and sealed by the appropriate regulatory authority.
c. A taximeter shall be placed in each taxicab so that the reading dial
showing the amount to be charged will be well lighted and readily
discernible to a passenger riding in the taxicab.
d. Every taximeter used in the operation of taxicabs shall be subject
to inspection at any time by a duly authorized representative of Lakewood
Township, or by other appropriate authority. Upon the discovery of
any material inaccuracy of a taximeter or inconsistent with approved
rates, the operator thereof shall remove, or cause to be removed,
from service, the vehicle equipped with the inaccurate or inconsistent
taximeter until such taximeter shall have been replaced or repaired,
and tested and resealed.
e. Flag Drop Charges. The driver of any taxicab, while carrying passengers,
must immediately activate the meter once the vehicle is in motion
and is actively transporting passengers, and must be deactivated by
the driver once the passengers have reached the desired destination,
or the passenger verbally communicates the cancellation of the service,
and/or at the termination of the service.
f. Charge to Be Registered. All charges for taxicab service shall be
calculated and indicated by taximeter, and at all times while the
taxicab is engaged, the taximeter shall be activated to register the
charges. No taximeter shall be so operated as to cause any charge
to be registered thereon except during the time when the taxicab is
engaged by a passenger or passengers.
g. Receipt for Charges. No driver of any taxicab, upon receiving full
payment for a fare as indicated by the taximeter, shall refuse to
give a receipt when requested. The receipt shall show the name of
the taxicab company, name of the driver, date of service and taxicab
number, total amount of fare, origin of fare and destination.
h. Charges Must Be Indicated. Charges for transportation of passengers
in a taxicab operated in Lakewood Township shall not exceed the amount
shown on the taximeter installed in the taxicab and which is verified
by the Ocean County Weights and Measures. It is unlawful for any owner
or driver of any taxicab to charge any passenger or passengers any
sum in excess of the sum indicated on the taximeter.
i. Fasten Seatbelt Sign. In every taxicab, there shall be a sign no
smaller than five inches by seven (5 x 7) inches, stating that all
occupants in the taxicab, including the driver, must wear his or her
seatbelt at all times while the vehicle is in motion.
j. Vehicle Inspection and Certification by Licensed Mechanic. The owner
of taxicab shall have each taxicab vehicle inspected by a licensed
mechanic within 60 days prior to applying for a Lakewood Township
Taxicab Medallion, Taxicab Medallion renewal or replacement of these
permits. No taxicab permit shall be granted unless the applicant presents
a signed and dated statement from a licensed mechanic who inspected
the vehicle certifying that the vehicle is in safe operating condition.
The statement from the licensed mechanic must include the date of
the inspection, the name of the business and name of the mechanic:
the vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate number to
the taxicab vehicle. The business license shall not be renewed until
the above requirements have been satisfied, and the dated statement
submitted to the Lakewood Township Clerk.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 9B; Ord. No. 2012-24 § 4]
a. The rates must be posted in accordance with Section
9-11a of the within chapter.
b. The following rates will be in effect as of February 1, 2012:
Fee
|
Day
6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
Night
10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
|
---|
Per Mile
|
$1.50
|
$3.00
|
Animal Fee
|
$1.00
|
$1.00
|
Drop Fee
|
$5.00
|
$6.00
|
Drop Fee-Senior
|
$4.00
|
$5.00
|
c. The rates set forth above shall be for single passengers and there
shall be a charge of $0.50 for each additional passenger regardless
of age.
d. The following rates may also be charged:
1. Groceries. No charge for the first two bags and $0.25) for every
two bags, or part thereof, afterwards.
2. Laundry-luggage; foot lockers: $3.
3. Additional items. Taxicab owners have the right to make reasonable
charges for items not covered by this chapter.
4. Waiting time. Waiting time shall be charged at $.50 cents per minute.
5. Extra stops. The charge will be $1 dollar for each stop plus waiting
time.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 9C]
Taxicab medallion holders may request rate changes by submitting
proposed new rates in writing to the Township Clerk prior to August
1 of each year.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 10A]
The position of Taxicab Compliance Officer is hereby established
as a part-time position within the Township of Lakewood.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 10B]
No person shall be appointed to the position of Taxicab Compliance
Officer unless he or she:
a. Is a resident of the Township of Lakewood;
b. Is able to read, write, and speak the English language well and intelligently
and has a high school diploma or its equivalent;
c. Is of good moral character;
d. Has not been convicted of any offense involving dishonesty or which
would make him or her unfit to perform the duties of this position.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 10C]
The Taxicab Compliance Officer is charged with enforcing the
provisions of this chapter; in so doing, the Taxicab Compliance Officer
shall work in cooperation with the Lakewood Township Police Department
and Township Clerk.
The Taxicab Compliance Officer's duties include, but are
not limited to the following: inspection of taxicabs, issuance of
summonses, maintenance of records, renewal and transfer of taxicab
medallions, handling resident complaints, inspection of maintenance
records, and tracking all taxicab medallions and taxicab operator's
permits. Additionally, the Taxicab Compliance Officer shall report
monthly to the Lakewood Transportation Board.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 10D]
The salary range for said part-time position shall be as set
forth in the salary range ordinance of the Township of Lakewood.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 11A]
No driver of any taxicab shall seek employment by repeatedly
and persistently driving his taxicab to and from in a short space
or otherwise interfering with the proper and orderly access to or
egress from any theater, hall, hotel, public resort, railway station
or other place of public gathering and no driver shall solicit passengers
for a taxicab.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 11B]
Every driver of a taxicab who discovers any property lost or
left in the taxicab must report in writing to the Police Department
with brief particulars and description of the property, within 24
hours after his finding thereof, unless sooner claimed or delivered
to the owner. Any unclaimed property in a taxicab must be turned over
to the Police Department within 24 hours of its discovery by the driver
or owner of the taxicab and held until claimed or released by the
Police Department in accordance with Police Department regulations
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 11C]
a. Every taxicab shall have a permanent illuminated taxi sign and be
plainly marked as a taxicab, and such illuminated taxi sign shall
be in operation when the taxicab is commercially employed. Additionally,
every taxi company shall have its own color which will be registered
with the Township Clerk. All taxis owned by a company shall be painted
accordingly.
b. Every taxicab owner shall operate each medallioned taxicab on a regular
basis for at least eight hours per day for a minimum of five days
weekly, and there shall be no inoperative medallions allowed. In the
event a taxicab medallion is not used for a period of nine consecutive
months, the medallion shall revert back to the Township of Lakewood,
after notice to the medallion holder, with an opportunity to be heard
before the Lakewood Township Committee.
c. Every taxicab owner shall operate his business from an established
place of business, located in a proper zone, and the established business
be advertised in the telephone book, listing the address and telephone
number of the business. Additionally, every taxicab owner shall have
obtained the proper business license from the Township Clerk's
office.
d. Every licensed taxicab operator while operating a medallioned vehicle
for the transportation of passengers for hire in the Township shall
be properly attired in a clean shirt, shall be clean shaven or possess
a neatly trimmed beard or moustache. It shall be unlawful for the
operator to wear an undershirt as an outer garment while so employed,
nor shall be attired in shorts.
e. Every taxicab owner shall repair all body damage to each vehicle
within 30 days from the date the damage is discovered.
f. The applicant for a taxicab operator's permit shall be examined
by a reputable doctor licensed to practice medicine in the State of
New Jersey and shall file with his application for the issuance or
renewal of an operator's permit a certificate from a doctor dated
within 30 days of the filing showing that the applicant is in good
general health.
g. Each taxicab operated within the Township of Lakewood shall have
a sign painted on each rear door. The sign shall contain the owner's
name and the words "Taxicab" or "Taxi" in letters which are not less
than four nor more than eight inches in height.
h. The owner of each taxicab medallion is to have insurance as required
herein which shall name the Township of Lakewood as a coinsured.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 12]
a. A Lakewood Taxi Rate Card listing the rates as contained in subsection
9-8.2 herein shall be displayed in a prominent fashion in the vehicle so as to be able to be read by any passenger therein.
b. There shall also be a notice prominently displayed in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle informing the passengers of their right
to occupy the taxicab alone at no additional charge. The notice shall
be no less than eight inches by ten inches (8" x 10") in area and
contain lettering no less than 1/2 inch in size. In addition, should
the Township issue a form of notice, the form shall be the only one
used in any taxicab.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 13]
In addition to a sign containing the name and telephone number
of the taxicab company, each vehicle shall be allowed to carry an
advertisement fastened to the rear of the vehicle which shall comply
with all relative motor vehicle regulations of the State of New Jersey
and it shall not be higher than the lowest part of the rear window
of the vehicle so as not to interfere with the rear view vision of
the driver.
[Ord. No. 99-29 § 14]
Owners and operators of taxicabs shall be separately charged
with allegations of violations of any portion of the within chapter.
No conviction of an operator of a taxicab shall result in an automatic
conviction of the owner of the taxicab for a violation of any portion
of this chapter. Similarly, no conviction of an owner of a taxicab
shall result in an automatic conviction of the operator of the taxicab
for a violation of any portion of this chapter.