[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chatham 11-10-1952 (Ch. 131 of the 1975 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 139.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AUTO LIVERY
Any automobile or vehicle engaged in the business of carrying passengers for hire and operating from private property, either by the trip, hour or day or longer period of time, and which does not solicit passengers for hire upon the public streets of the Borough of Chatham.
DRIVER
The driver of either a taxicab or an auto livery.
TAXICAB
Any automobile or motor vehicle licensed to engage in the business of carrying passengers for hire and offered, announced or advertised to operate or run as a taxicab from any public taxi stand in the Borough of Chatham.
VEHICLE
Includes both a taxicab and an auto livery unless they are specifically mentioned by name.
A. 
Owners' licenses. No vehicle shall be operated upon the public streets of the Borough of Chatham unless the owner thereof shall first obtain a license for such purpose as provided herein. Such license shall show the following:
(1) 
Owner: name, place of business, name of company (if any), residence and signature.
(2) 
Vehicle: name of manufacturer, body type, year, serial number, engine number, color, bill-of-sale number and state registration number.
(3) 
Borough license number and date of issuance.
B. 
Drivers' licenses. No person shall drive a vehicle upon the public streets of this Borough unless he shall first obtain a license for such purpose as provided herein. Such license shall show the following:
(1) 
Name, residence, age, photograph and signature.
(2) 
Borough license number and date of issuance.
C. 
Granting of owners' and drivers' licenses. The Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chatham may grant to such and so many persons as it considers proper licenses to own and operate or to drive vehicles within the meaning of this chapter, in accordance with its provisions.
D. 
License period. Owners' and drivers' licenses shall be issued as of the calendar year and shall be effective for such period unless sooner suspended or revoked as provided herein.
E. 
License fees.
[Amended 5-12-1986 by Ord. No. 7-86]
(1) 
The license fees for taxicab and auto livery owners' and drivers' licenses shall be as follows:
(a) 
Owners' licenses.
[Amended 2-12-1996 by Ord. No. 1-96]
[1] 
Taxicabs. For each taxicab, $50 per year, payable upon making application for the license.
[2] 
Auto livery. For each such auto livery, $50 per year, payable upon making application for the license.
(b) 
Drivers' licenses. For each driver of a taxicab or auto livery, $10 per year.
(2) 
Licenses shall be issued and fees collected by the Borough Clerk upon application and approval by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chatham as provided by this chapter. The Borough Clerk shall keep a record of all such licenses granted. The provisions of this chapter are for proper regulation in the interests of public safety.
F. 
Revocation or suspension. Every license granted in pursuance of this chapter may be suspended or revoked by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chatham for the violation of any provision of this chapter. The Chief of Police, in the interest of public safety, may suspend any Borough driver's license pending action by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chatham. Such suspension must be promptly reported by the Chief of Police in writing to the Borough Council.
G. 
Qualifications for taxicab owners' and drivers' licenses.
(1) 
Owners' licenses. An applicant, to be approved for vehicle owner's license, must be a citizen of the United States, of good moral character, at least 21 years of age and able to read and write the English language.
(2) 
Drivers' licenses.
(a) 
An applicant, to be approved for a vehicle driver's license, must be a person of good moral character, at least 18 years of age and able to read and write the English language. He must also be of sound physique and fit for the safe operation of a motor vehicle and must annually pass a physical examination and be certified in this respect by the Borough Physician or a practicing physician of the State of New Jersey. In case of a question as to an applicant's physical or mental fitness to operate a vehicle, the Borough Council may appoint a board of three physicians to examine the applicant and to render their opinion and make a recommendation, which shall be followed.
(b) 
An applicant must be the holder of a New Jersey motor vehicle driver's license and must have had such for a period of at least one year prior to granting of a license hereunder.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection G(2)(c), which provided that an applicant must be photographed and fingerprinted, and which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 5-12-1986 by Ord. No. 7-86.
H. 
Application for licenses. All applications for owners' and/or drivers' licenses shall be made to the Borough Clerk on forms supplied by the Borough and shall be transmitted to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police shall cause such investigation to be made as he shall deem necessary and proper and report to the Borough Council as to the eligibility of the applicant. All applications shall be filed by the Borough Clerk after being acted upon by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chatham, and the applicant shall be notified as to the action taken. In the case of denial of an application, the applicant shall be notified by the Borough Clerk in writing.
[Amended 5-12-1986 by Ord. No. 7-86]
I. 
Housing of vehicles. Every applicant for an owner's license shall indicate the address where the vehicle will be located when it is not actually in service. Such location shall not be changed except after written notice to the Borough Clerk. If the vehicle is so located or housed within the Borough of Chatham, it shall be at the owner's place of business. If such place of business is otherwise properly located in a residential zone, nevertheless, no more than two vehicles shall be housed at that address.
[Added 5-12-1986 by Ord. No. 7-86]
A. 
No vehicle shall be operated on the streets of this Borough unless mechanically safe to operate, with brakes, lights, windshield wipers and signaling devices in good working order. All vehicles shall be inspected as required by the State Motor Vehicle Code, and, in addition, the Chief of Police may require any vehicle to be inspected at the cost of the owner whenever he shall deem the same to be necessary or desirable. A vehicle, particularly the interior thereof, shall be kept clean and in good condition.
[Amended 5-12-1986 by Ord. No. 7-86]
B. 
Equipment of vehicle. The equipment of each licensed vehicle shall include the following provisions:
(1) 
A rate schedule card in a frame as approved by the Chief of Police must be displayed on the back of the driver's seat.
(2) 
Any radio in the vehicle operating between 550 and 1,600 kilocycles shall be operated at the discretion of the passenger and at no other time.
C. 
Equipment of driver.
(1) 
A driver shall wear a badge, as supplied by the Borough, conspicuously displayed on the right chest of his outermost garment at all times while operating the vehicle. The badge shall show the license number assigned to the driver's license. Said badge shall be returned to the Borough upon leaving the employ of the taxi or livery owner.
(2) 
A driver shall carry his Borough driver's license at all times while operating the vehicle. He shall show the license to any police officer or passenger upon request.
(3) 
A receipt book of forms showing the driver's full name and badge number shall be carried. A receipt showing the fare charged must be given to any passenger whenever there is a dispute over the fare.
(4) 
A driver shall keep a trip record by days of all trips made by the vehicle. Such trip records are to be kept by the owner for at least six months from date of issuance and subject to inspection at any time by the Police Department or someone authorized by Borough Council. The daily trip records must contain the following information:
(a) 
The state registration number of the vehicle.
(b) 
Name and badge number of driver.
(c) 
Time and location of the beginning of each trip and termination place of each trip; also the termination time of each hourly trip.
(d) 
The amount of fare collected for each trip.
D. 
Conduct of driver.
(1) 
A driver shall not operate a vehicle while to any degree under the influence of drugs or intoxicating liquors.
(2) 
Smoking while carrying passengers is prohibited except with the permission of the passenger.
(3) 
Disrespectful conduct or the use of abusive or insulting language to a passenger is prohibited.
(4) 
A driver shall not solicit patronage for restaurants, nightclubs, cabarets, dance halls, hotels or like places nor solicit for any place maintained in violation of the law.
(5) 
A driver shall not refuse service to any orderly person unless he is previously engaged.
(6) 
A driver shall thoroughly search the interior of the vehicle immediately after the termination of each trip and note if the passenger has left any article therein. Any property so found shall be taken to police headquarters and turned in to the officer in charge within 24 hours.
(7) 
A driver shall solicit fares only from the driver's seat or in a position within five feet of his vehicle.
(8) 
A driver of a taxicab entering a taxi stand shall do so by taking his position at the rear of any taxicabs already on the stand.
A. 
The Borough Council may designate as taxicab stand spaces on the public streets where and in such number as it may consider necessary to the public welfare; also the number of cabs to occupy each such stand.
B. 
The regulation of such designated taxi stands shall be under the jurisdiction of the Police Department.
C. 
No taxicab driver shall solicit business except from a public taxicab stand, and no vehicles except licensed taxicabs shall occupy space in a designated taxicab stand.
[Amended 5-12-1986 by Ord. No. 7-86; 3-22-2010 by Ord. No. 10-11]
No owner’s license shall be granted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chatham nor shall any such license remain in effect unless the owner can demonstrate that he is in full compliance with the maximum insurance requirements fixed by the State of New Jersey for the vehicle’s operation as a taxicab or livery as set forth in N.J.S.A. 48:16-1 et seq. and with the following minimum requirements of the Borough of Chatham: personal injury liability coverage in an amount not less than $500,000 per occurrence for taxicabs and not less than $1,500,000 per occurrence for auto liveries and all other regulated vehicles and property damage liability coverage in an amount not less than $100,000 per occurrence for taxicabs, auto liveries and all other regulated vehicles.
Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, § 1-14. The continuation of such violation 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.