[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:
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.
The driver of either a taxicab or an auto livery.
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.
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:
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:
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)
(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:
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:
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.
