[Ord. 2001-12 § 1, 2001]
BOROUGH
The Borough of Ship Bottom, county of Ocean, state of New Jersey, the governing body of which is the Borough council.
DRIVER
Any person who drives or operates a taxi which originates fare-generating services within the Borough.
LIMOUSINE
As defined in P.L. 356, approved January 14, 2000, but such may be subject to the mercantile rules and ordinances of the Borough. A limousine may not advertise, solicit, or otherwise seek to obtain business and fare-paying customers in the manner of a taxi, and to the extent that a limousine may do so in a manner not fitting the definition and meaning of P.L. 1999, Chapter 356, referenced above, it shall be considered a taxi subject to the regulation of this chapter. Limousines are intended to be charter-type or contract-type service as defined and within the meaning of P.L. 1999, Chapter 356, referenced above. Therefore, whenever a limousine owner or operator operates in a manner of a taxi within the Borough of Ship Bottom, that owner or operator must comply with the terms and conditions of this chapter.
OPERATION OF TAXI
Transporting in such taxi one or more persons for hire along any of the streets in the Borough, accepting a passenger to be transported for hire from a point of departure within the Borough to a destination within or outside the Borough shall be considered operation of a taxicab within the Borough. The driving or operation of a taxicab as above described by one other than the owner shall be operation by the owner thereof, as well as by the person actually driving the taxi. The transportation of any person other than the owner or driver in any motor vehicle bearing the sign therein or thereon using the words "taxi," "taxicab," or "cab," shall be prima fascia evidence of operation of a taxi.
OWNER
Any person in whose name title to any taxi is registered within the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles or who appears in the division's records to be a conditional vendee or licensee or lessee or has any other proprietary interest thereof.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, limited partnership, association, corporation or joint stock company, their lessees, trustees, or receivers.
STREET
Includes any street, avenue, park, parkway, highway, or other public place, whether or not the same is improved.
TAXI
Any autocab, automobile, motor car or motor vehicle commonly called taxi, duly licensed by the Borough of Ship Bottom engaged 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 within the Borough of Ship Bottom and which accepts passengers for transportation from undesignated points or places within or without the Borough; provided, however, that herein contained shall include or make this chapter applicable to limousines so long as they are operated within the Borough exclusively as limousines (within the definition and meaning of P.L. 1999, Chapter 356, approved January 14, 2000), or other public conveyances including autobuses, buses, public liveries, or jitneys, which are public conveyances that are operated on designated routes and are by law exclusively subject to state and/or federal regulation.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 2, 2001]
A. 
Authority. The authority to license and regulate taxicabs as set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:52-1 and N.J.S.A. 48:16-1 through N.J.S.A. 48:16-12, both inclusive, as amended and supplemented, shall be complied within the licensing and regulating of taxis in this article.
B. 
Scope. This section shall apply to all businesses commonly known as taxis which are located in the Borough of Ship Bottom.
[Ord. 2001-12 §§ 3, 4, 2001]
A. 
Taxi Owner's License. The Borough council is hereby authorized to issue licenses to owners of autocabs who are of good moral character and who otherwise qualify according to the provisions of this article. A taxi owner's license shall entitle the individual licensed motor vehicle as a taxi to pick up passengers within the Borough and to otherwise be lawfully operated anywhere within the Borough by a driver duly licensed hereunder and by the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles, until either of the licenses expire or is surrendered, suspended or revoked. The taxi owner's license may not be transferred to a successor owner, without the consent and approval of the Borough council upon the application of the proposed new owner of a complete application, together with full compliance with the provisions of this section and favorable action by the Borough council at a regularly scheduled meeting at the discretion of the Borough council. A separate owner's license is required for each vehicle. Only the actual owner of the vehicle which is to be used as a taxi within the Borough may be holder of the taxi owner's license regarding the taxi. The Borough council may limit the total number of taxi owner's licenses, as set forth in this section.
1. 
All applications for taxi owner's license or renewal thereof shall be filed with the Borough clerk, who shall submit the said applications when deemed by him/her to be complete, and until the completion of the investigation as required by this section to the Borough council at the next regularly scheduled meeting for action.
2. 
All applications for taxi owner's licenses and renewals thereof shall be in writing, on the form established by, and as may be amended from time to time by the Borough clerk, and shall contain at least the full name and address, the date of birth, social security number of the owner; the serial number, type, color, year and make of the taxi, the state vehicle registration number of doors on the vehicle, and number of persons the vehicle can carry as passengers. The application shall be accompanied by a photostatic copy of the driver's license of the applicant, proof of the existence of an insurance policy which shall provide liability insurance in the amount of not less than $1,500,000 against loss by reason of liability for damages on account of bodily injury or death suffered by any person as the result of an accident occurring by reason of the ownership, maintenance or use of the taxicab upon any public street.
3. 
An application for renewal of such license shall require the same information and documents as an application for an initial license, which information and documents shall be current for the application licensing. All applications shall be filed with the Borough clerk who shall, prior to submitting the application to the Borough council for approval, receive proof that the applicant is at least 18 years of age and a citizen of the United States.
4. 
If the applicant is a corporation, such corporation must be organized and exist under the laws of the state of New Jersey and must present proof thereon, or if organized and existing under the laws of another state must be officially authorized to do business in the state of New Jersey, and the applicant must supply the name and address of the New Jersey registered agent for the corporation.
5. 
All applications submitted to the clerk shall be referred by the clerk to the Ship Bottom police department who shall conduct an investigation of the applicant and ascertain that the applicant has never been convicted of any crime or disorderly persons offense involving moral turpitude, including but not limited to conviction for possession and/or distribution of pornography, conviction for possession and/or distribution of controlled dangerous substances or conviction of a New Jersey statute prohibiting prostitution, sexual offenses, physical violence against persons or property, within the next 10 years preceding the date of the application. If the applicant is a partnership or a corporation then no partner or holder of 10% or more of the stock in the corporation shall have any such conviction records. In addition, it may be grounds for denial of a license should the applicant or partner or stockholder owning more than 10% of the stock in the applicant corporation have previously had a license to operate a taxicab or taxicab business revoked in any jurisdiction.
B. 
Operators' Licenses. The Borough council is hereby authorized to issue licenses to operate taxis to persons who are capable and of good moral character and who otherwise qualify according to the provisions of this section. Such license shall hereinafter be referred to as an "operator's license." No person shall drive a taxi for the purpose of accepting therein or discharging therefrom any person without having first obtained a license to do so and the following:
1. 
Each application for a taxi driver's license or renewal thereof shall be on the form provided by the Borough clerk as referenced above and the applicant shall provide thereon at least that same information required of the owner applicants as may be applicable to individuals. An application for renewal of such license shall require all of the same information and documents as an application for an initial license, which information and documents shall be current for the applicant's licensing period.
2. 
The applicant shall establish that he/she is at least 18 years of age and a citizen of the United States or lawfully a resident of the United States.
3. 
Each applicant for a taxi driver's license shall also submit a certificate from a licensed physician of the state of New Jersey, at the applicant's expense, certifying that the applicant has been examined within the preceding 30 days and that the applicant has no infirmity of body or mind, or visual impairment or deficiency, which could render the applicant unfit for the safe driving or operation of a taxi; such physician's certificate shall be presented at the time of the initial application and at the time of applications for renewal thereafter.
4. 
Each applicant for a taxi driver's license shall also submit his/her certification of any traffic violations over the preceding five years and the applicant shall also certify that he/she has sufficient knowledge of the Borough and state traffic regulations.
5. 
No applicant for a taxi owner's license or a taxi driver's license or renewal thereof shall submit any documentation on or with the application which is fraudulent, misleading or untrue nor shall any such applicant complete the application in a manner which is fraudulent, misleading or untrue.
6. 
All applicants shall have a valid New Jersey license with no suspensions or revocations of license in any jurisdiction for the preceding two years.
7. 
All applicants shall state the name of the licensee of the taxicab by whom or which he/she will be employed.
8. 
At the time of the making of the initial application, all applicants shall have their fingerprints taken and filed with the Ship Bottom police department.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 5, 2001]
A. 
Neither an owner's nor an operator's license shall be granted to any person unless the application for such license has been submitted to the Borough council. An applicant for an owner's license shall be investigated by the chief of police and shall be fingerprinted and photographed. An applicant for an operator's license shall be investigated by the chief of police to determine that he or she meets the requirements here before established in Section 5.56.030(A) and shall be fingerprinted and photographed. A complete report of the investigation shall be submitted to the Borough council for its action thereon.
1. 
If, as a result of such investigation by the chief of police, the applicant is found to be unsatisfactory, the chief of police shall endorse on such application his or her disapproval and reasons therefor.
2. 
If, as a result of such investigation, the applicant is found to be satisfactory, the chief of police shall endorse his or her approval.
3. 
The investigation may take up to six weeks to complete.
B. 
In the event of denial, the Borough council shall instruct the Borough clerk to notify the applicant, by certified mail, setting forth the reasons for denial. Within the five days, the applicant may file with the Borough council, a written request for a hearing on the application, together with written exceptions to the findings of fact upon which the chief of police based his or her disapproval. Upon the filing of such a request, the Borough council shall fix the time and place for a hearing and shall notify the applicant thereof, which hearing shall be held within 10 days after the request is filed. Within 10 days after the conclusion of the hearing, the Borough council shall make its final decision whether to issue the license or sustain the denial of the application. The decision shall be written and shall set forth the reasons for affirming or reversing its prior action.
C. 
Inspection of the vehicle. A vehicle must be inspected at a state-approved inspection station only.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 6, 2001]
A. 
Owners' and operators' licenses shall be numbered consecutively in their respective classifications and shall expire on December 31st of each year of issue. Licenses not suspended or revoked may be renewed annually, subject to all of the same conditions, provisions and charges as required by the original license. Each license shall contain the following:
1. 
The purpose of the license.
2. 
The number of the license.
3. 
The name and address of the licensee.
B. 
Each owner's license shall identify the vehicle for which it is issued, giving the make, model, year and serial number thereof. If more than one vehicle is licensed pursuant to a single license, each vehicle subject to that license approval shall be so described. The license for each vehicle shall be assigned by the Borough clerk and shall be conspicuously displayed in the vehicle at all times.
C. 
The Borough clerk shall keep a register of all licenses granted, which register shall contain the details required by this section.
D. 
Renewal of the owner's and operator's licenses. Taxicab owners' licenses may be renewed annually by the Borough council after vehicle inspection by a state-approved inspection station. Operator's licenses may be renewed annually by the Borough council.
1. 
An application for renewal for an owner's or operator's license shall be made as provided in Section 5.56.030(A).
2. 
Time for Filing. The renewal application for owners or operators shall be filed on or before December 15th of the calendar year preceding the requested renewal, which requirement may be waived or the period extended by the Borough clerk for good cause shown.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 7, 2001]
A. 
License Fee. The annual fee for a taxicab business license shall be $150. In addition thereto, a license fee of $50 per owner application filed. In addition, thereto, each owner must pay the annual cost for N.J.S.B.I., check made payable to the New Jersey State Police and paid to the Ship Bottom police department, with fees paid to the clerk upon submission of the respective application.
B. 
Operator's License. For each operator's license application or for each renewal thereof, the fee shall be $30, plus the annual cost for N.J.S.B.I. The check for the N.J.S.B.I. shall be made payable to the New Jersey State Police and submitted with fees paid to the clerk at the time of the application or renewal.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 8, 2001]
A. 
Each application for a taxi owner's license or the renewal thereof shall provide proof of insurance as provided for in Section 5.56.030 proof of insurance shall name the Borough of Ship Bottom as an "additional insured" with the provision that notice is to be given imr the Borough in the event of cancellation of the policy for any reason. Cancellation of the policy shall cause immediate forfeiture and of the license as provided in Subsection (B) below.
B. 
The policy of insurance shall provide coverage for every driver of each vehicle listed in the policy. A taxi owner's license shall be deemed to have been suspended on receipt of a notice of cancellation of the insurance policy, and shall be deemed forfeited and surrendered if sufficient proof is not supplied to the Borough clerk that the cancellation notice is rescinded and/or that the policy is renewed or replaced within 30 days after the cancellation notice date.
C. 
The issuance of the taxi owner's license by the Borough shall be deemed to constitute an agreement by and between the applicant and the Borough that the applicant agrees to indemnify and hold the Borough harmless from any and all claims from damages arising out of personal injury and/or property damage made by third parties as a result of or incidental to the issuance of the license and driving or operation of a taxi.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 9, 2001]
No taxi owner's or driver's license shall be issued until the applicant therefore shall have executed and delivered a signed and dated agreement which holds the Borough harmless, and by which the applicant agreed to completely indemnify the Borough for all costs and expenses incurred for any claims arising out of the applicant's ownership or operation of a taxi in the Borough.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 10, 2001]
A. 
The Borough clerk, upon approval of a license by the Borough council, shall issue a certificate, in duplicate, showing that the owner of the taxi has complied with the terms and provisions of this article.
B. 
This certificate shall recite the name and the insurance company, the number and date of expiration of the policy or bond, a description of the taxi insured thereunder and the registration number of the same.
C. 
The duplicate certificate shall be filed with the department of motor vehicles before any such car is licensed as a taxi.
D. 
The original certificate shall be posted in a conspicuous place within the taxi.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 11, 2001]
A. 
All licensees held hereunder shall abide by the following regulations applicable to the license or licenses held:
1. 
Posting of License Identification. When filing an application and renewal applications, each applicant must furnish three recent passport type photographs of the applicant being not less than 1 1/4 inches in height by one inch in length. Two photographs are to be filed with each operator's license application; and one is to be posted in a conspicuous place on the inside of each taxicab, together with the name and address of the owner and the name and address of the driver, together with the license number of the vehicle and number of the operator's license. The Borough clerk shall issue the identification card.
2. 
Change of Address — Loss of Records. Any change of address of any person licensed by this article must be reported, in writing, to the Borough clerk's office within 72 hours of such change. The loss of the license badge or any other document required to be kept by a licensed owner or operator must be reported to the Borough clerk's office, in writing, within 72 hours of such loss.
3. 
Identification of Taxicab. Each taxicab shall have the trade name of the taxicab lettered on its exterior. Each taxicab shall also conspicuously display on the right and left side of the exterior of the taxicab the owner's number assigned by the Borough clerk's office, in letters which are not less than four inches, nor more than eight inches in height.
4. 
Accidents — Reporting and Repair. Every owner of a licensed taxicab which is involved in an automobile accident shall provide the Ship Bottom police department with a copy of the accident report, within five working days after the accident, regardless of where the accident occurred. A taxicab which has sustained damage to the vehicle, such as dents or are in need of painting shall be repaired within eight weeks after the date of the accident. The police department shall inform the taxicab owner of any and all repairs which are necessary. Any owner who failed to comply with this subsection shall be in violation of this section and subject to suspension of the owner's license.
5. 
Receipts. The operator of any taxicab or autocab shall, upon demand by a passenger, render such passenger a receipt for the amount charged, on which shall contain the name of the owner of the taxicab, the trade name if different, the name of the vehicle operator, the date and the time of the transaction and the amount of the fare.
6. 
Safety Equipment. Vehicles for hire shall have at least one child restraint seat available at all times.
B. 
A badge shall be issued with each operator's license pursuant to this section and shall bear the license number of the driver and the word "operator" thereon. The badge must be conspicuously displayed on the left breast of the driver's outer garment when he or she is engaged in his or her employment. If any badge becomes lost or destroyed, a new badge shall be furnished by the Borough clerk upon payment of the sum of $25.
C. 
Sale or Loan of Badge Prohibited. No person shall sell, loan or otherwise dispose of any license issued under the provisions of this section or of any badge delivered by the Borough clerk with any license.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 12, 2001]
No owner or operator of any autocab, while waiting for employment at any place other than the garage or residence of the owner thereof, shall refuse conveyance to any person, without just cause.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 13, 2001]
No operator shall permit any person or persons, other than the person or persons first employing the autocab to occupy or ride in the autocab unless the person or persons first employing the autocab shall consent to the acceptance of such additional passenger or passengers.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 14, 2001]
Each passenger shall be entitled to have carried and conveyed upon any licensed autocab, without charge, his or her ordinary traveling baggage.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 15, 2001]
Every owner's or operator's license granted hereunder may be suspended or revoked by the Borough council, after notice and hearing, for the violation of any provision of this section or the statutory provisions incorporated in Section 5.56.020 hereof or for other good and sufficient cause. During said suspension, and after revocation, the license shall be surrendered to the Borough forthwith, along with the badge supplied by the Borough pursuant to Section 5.56.100.
[Ord. 2001-12 § 16, 2001]
A. 
Any person violating or failing to comply with any other provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by fine of not more than $1,000, by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days, or by community service of not more than 90 days, or any combination of fines, imprisonment and community service as determined by the municipal court judge. The continuation of such violations for each successive day shall constitute a separate offense, and the person or persons allowing or permitting the continuation of the violation may be punished as provided above for each separate offense.
B. 
The violation of any provision of this article shall be subject to abatement summarily by a restraining order or injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.