[HISTORY Adopted by the Mayor and Council
of the Borough of Bergenfield 12-16-1975 by Ord. No. 1046 as Sec. 6-13 of the Revised
General Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 13-2460]
All public hacks, cabs, omnibuses, automobiles,
limousines or other vehicles used for the transportation of passengers
for hire shall be licensed in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter. No person shall operate or drive or cause to be operated
or driven any such public hack, cab, omnibus, automobile, limousine
or other vehicle for such purpose, unless the same shall have been
licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The license
required by this section shall be known as the "owner's license.''
A.
No owner's license shall be issued for any vehicle
herein required to be licensed until the owner thereof shall have
filed an application in writing addressed to the "Police Committee
of the Borough Council," setting forth the character of the vehicle
proposed to be licensed, the correct name of the owner thereof, the
residence of the owner, and such other facts as the police committee
may require, and until the vehicle proposed to be licensed shall have
been inspected by the Police Committee or some person designated by
such Committee, and until there shall have been paid to the Borough
Clerk, for the use of the Borough, the license fee hereinafter provided.
B.
No owner's license shall be issued to anyone until
there has been filed with the Borough Clerk a policy of insurance
with the premium prepaid thereon of a company duly licensed to transact
business under the insurance laws of the State of New Jersey in the
sum of $500,000 against loss from liability imposed by law upon the
owner for damages on account of bodily injury or death suffered by
one person; and in the sum of $1,000,000 against loss from liability
imposed by law upon the said owner for damages on account of bodily
injury or death suffered by more than one person as a result of an
accident occurring by reason of the ownership, maintenance or use
of the vehicle so licensed within the Borough and the sum of $50,000
against loss from liability imposed by law upon the said owner for
personal property damage suffered by any person or persons as a result
of an accident occurring by reason of ownership, maintenance or use
of the vehicle so licensed and such permit to continue effective and
operative only as long as the insurance policy shall remain in force
and effect, and the full amounts payable thereunder shall remain collectible.
The insurance policies shall provide for the payment of any final
judgment received by any person or persons on account of the ownership,
maintenance and use of the vehicle or any fault in respect thereto
and shall be for the benefit of any person suffering loss, damage
or injury as aforesaid, and shall recite on its face that it is issued
in pursuance with this chapter. This provision shall become effective
on and after August 1, 1966. The license of any owner failing to comply
with this chapter within the prescribed time shall be deemed to be
revoked.
[Amended 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 13-2460]
[Amended 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 13-2460]
No person shall drive or operate as driver or chauffeur, or
otherwise, any public hack, cab, omnibus, automobile, limousine or
other vehicle used for the transportation of passengers for hire,
unless such person shall have a license issued pursuant to the provisions
of this chapter. The license herein required shall be known as "driver's
license."
A.
No driver's license shall be granted to any person,
unless such person is at least 18 years of age, is a citizen of the
United States of America, and until such person shall have filed an
application in writing addressed to the "Police Committee of the Borough
Council" setting forth his full name, his place of residence, age
and a certification as to his good moral character and ability, signed
by at least two citizens of Bergen County, and such other facts as
the Police Committee may require, and shall have paid to the Borough
the license fee herein provided.
B.
In addition to these requirements, it shall be necessary
that there be placed on file a certificate issued by the Chief of
Police of the Borough of Bergenfield, certifying that the applicant
has been photographed, fingerprinted and his record investigated.
No owner's license or driver's license shall
be issued to any person who has not been a resident of Bergenfield
for at least 30 days prior to the date of making application, unless
the Borough Council shall, by resolution, determine and declare that
there are an insufficient number of public conveyances or drivers
or operators thereof, and therefore the Police Committee may in their
its discretion authorize the issuance of owner's licenses, or driver's
licenses to nonresidents of Bergenfield, provided that application
for such licenses by residents of Bergenfield shall receive preference
over those who are nonresidents. This portion shall not apply to owner's
license issued to domestic corporations, and shall not apply to driver's
license issued to drivers actually in the employ of such domestic
corporations holding an owner's license.
A.
The Police Committee of the Borough Council shall
have the power to approve or disapprove the application for licenses
herein provided for and shall also have the power and is hereby authorized
to refuse to approve any application for any license, if it shall
appear to the best interests of the Borough that the license should
not be granted. The Police Committee shall grant no more licenses
of either of the classes than, in its opinion, are adequate to meet
the public requirements.
B.
The licenses herein provided for shall be signed by
the Borough Clerk and have the Borough Seal affixed thereto. The Borough
Clerk shall not issue any license until the application therefor has
been approved by the Police Committee, or by the Borough Council,
including the payment of the license fees.
[Amended 2-1-1977 by Ord. No. 1072]
A.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 48:16-17, the Clerk of the municipality in which
the owner has his principal place of business, upon the filing of
the required insurance policy and payment of a fee which shall not
exceed a total sum of $50 for each limousine service plus $10 for
each limousine which is covered under the required insurance policy,
shall issue in duplicate a license showing that the owner of the limousine
has complied with the terms and provisions of this article.
[Amended 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 13-2460; 9-9-2021 by Ord. No. 21-2585]
B.
The fee to be paid for a driver's license shall be
the sum of $5 per license annually. Each applicant for a driver's
license must file with his or her application two recent photographs
of himself of herself, one of which shall be attached to the license
when issued, the other one shall be filed with the application in
the Borough Clerk's office. Each licensed driver shall at all times
have openly and conspicuously exhibited in the cab such license and
photograph.[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection C, regarding the fee
for taxi owner/limousine operating licenses, added 3-21-1995 by Ord.
No. 2177, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed
7-7-2015 by Ord. No. 15-2478.
A.
The owner's license and the driver's license herein
provided for shall each bear a number and shall state the name of
the person licensed; in case of an owner's license, such license shall
briefly describe the vehicle licensed, and if the vehicle has a license
number issued by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, the number shall
also be stated in the license, and the license shall also state the
manufacturer's number of such motor vehicle. In case of a driver's
license, such license shall also give a brief physical description
of the person to whom it is issued.
B.
The Borough Clerk shall keep a register of all licenses
granted under the provisions of this chapter, which register shall
show the character of the license, its number, date of issue, name
of person licensed. The Clerk shall also keep all applications, and
upon those which may be granted, he shall endorse the number of the
license issued in pursuance thereof.
[Amended 2-1-1977 by Ord. No. 1072]
A.
The charge for carrying passengers from any point
within the Borough limits to any other point therein shall be as follows.
The Borough shall be divided into six zones.
(1)
North of East Main Street to the Dumont line bounded
by the railroad on the westerly side and by the Boroughs of Tenafly
and Cresskill on the easterly side.
(2)
South of East Main Street to Highland Avenue and East
Broad Street bounded by the railroad on the westerly side and by the
Borough of Tenafly on the easterly side.
(3)
South of Highland Avenue and East and West Broad Streets
to Liberty Road and Ivy Lane and the boundary line of the City of
Englewood; bounded by the railroad on the westerly side and by the
Borough of Tenafly on the easterly side.
(4)
North of West Main Street to the Dumont line; bounded
by the Borough of New Milford on the westerly side and the railroad
on the easterly side.
(5)
South of West Main Street to Hallberg Avenue and West
Broad Street; bounded by the Borough of New Milford on the westerly
side and the railroad on the easterly side.
(6)
South of Hallberg Avenue and West Broad Street to
the Teaneck boundary line; bounded by the Borough of New Milford on
the westerly side and the railroad and the Township of Teaneck on
the easterly side.
B.
A base fare shall be established at the rate of $1.50
for a trip encompassing two zones or less, with an increment charge
of $0.25 upon the vehicle proceeding into each change in zone; thereafter,
however, the maximum fare shall be $2.
C.
In addition, the charge for senior citizens (65 years
of age or older) shall be at the base fare of $1 for a trip encompassing
two zones or less, with an increment charge of $0.15 upon the vehicle
proceeding into each change in zone; thereafter however, the maximum
fare for senior citizens shall be $1.30. The maximum charge for each
additional passenger shall be $0.15. Waiting time shall be paid at
the maximum rate of $0.15 for the first five minutes or a fraction
thereof and $0.05 for each additional minute.
D.
Every vehicle licensed hereto shall have fastened
in a conspicuous place therein a printed card showing the rates herein
provided for in letters and figures of not less than 1/2 inch in height,
which card shall also bear the license number of such vehicle and
also the name of the owner thereof.
Every vehicle licensed hereunder having a seating
capacity of not more than seven persons shall at all times bear upon
both sides of such vehicle, in such places as designated by the Police
Department, the words "BERGENFIELD LICENSE" in letters of such character
that the same may be easily distinguishable.
Every holder of a driver's license when driving
or operating any vehicle herein required to be licensed shall have
in his possession the license issued to him. In case any such licensee
shall lose such license, he may procure a duplicate thereof from the
Borough Clerk, upon the payment of the sum of $3 for the reissuance.
A.
No owner's license shall be granted for any vehicle
which is not strong, clean and in good repair, and it shall be the
duty of the Police Committee to cause an inspection of the licensed
vehicle to be made at least once every three months, and in case any
vehicle so licensed becomes unfit or unsuited for the transportation
of passengers, the Police Committee shall cause such license to be
revoked.
B.
No vehicle herein required to be licensed shall be
used or operated for the carrying of passengers, unless such vehicle
is clean and in good repair.
C.
All vehicles for hire shall contain no fewer than
four doors, commonly known as a "four-door sedan" or "station wagon."
In addition, all vehicles shall be equipped with a properly charged
fire extinguisher, which shall be periodically inspected in accordance
with the provisions of this section.
The Police Committee is hereby authorized, empowered
and directed to make and adopt regulations respecting the use of vehicles
licensed hereunder, of public hack stands, the number of licensed
vehicles which may stand in any one place at the same time, as to
the form and contents of applications for licenses, for the inspection
of vehicles licensed and to be licensed hereunder, for the inspection
of drivers licensed hereunder and such other regulations as may promote
the public convenience. The following regulations shall apply:
A.
No driver or other person interested in or connected
with any vehicle licensed hereunder shall solicit customers in a noisy
or offensive manner nor at any place other than the public hack stands
in any manner whatever.
B.
No driver of any licensed vehicle which is disengaged
shall refuse to carry any orderly person upon payment of the rate
of fare herein fixed.
C.
No driver of any vehicle licensed hereunder shall
permit such vehicle, when disengaged, to stand in any public street
or place, other than a public hack stand, provided nothing herein
shall prevent such driver from waiting for a passenger in front of
any building or place.
A.
Public hack stands are hereby established at such
places as may be from time to time designated by the Police Committee
or by the Borough Council. The Police Committee or Borough Council
may designate the character of the vehicle which may stand at such
public hack stand.
B.
The location and capacity of any public hack stand
shall be indicated by a sign substantially as follows:
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"Public Hack Stand, Capacity . . . . . . ."
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C.
No vehicle other than one licensed hereunder and prepared
to accept passengers upon request shall stand at any such public hack
stand.
The Police Committee is hereby authorized and
empowered to revoke any license issued hereunder for the violation
of any law of the State of New Jersey, or the violation of any of
the provisions of this chapter; or for the violation of any of the
rules and regulations made, adopted and promulgated by the Police
Committee in accordance with the provisions hereof. An owner's license
may be revoked for misconduct of the driver of the licensed vehicle,
if it appears that the owner of such vehicle had knowledge of such
misconduct. No license shall be revoked until after the holder thereof
shall be given a hearing by the Police Committee of which hearing
at least 24 hours' written notice must be given to the holder of such
license. The action of the Police Committee in granting or refusing
to grant licenses or in revoking licenses may be appealed to the Borough
Council, which, after a hearing, may by resolution adopted by a majority
of the whole Council reverse the action of the Police Committee. If
the license is not renewed on or before expiration date, there shall
be an automatic requirement for a new application.
Any person violating any provisions of this
chapter shall, upon conviction, pay a fine not exceeding $50 or be
imprisoned in the county jail for a term not exceeding 30 days, or
both, in the discretion of the Municipal Judge before whom such person
shall be convicted, who shall have the power to impose any fine or
term of imprisonment, or both, not exceeding the maximum herein fixed.
In default of the payment of any fine imposed upon any person convicted
hereunder, such person may, in the discretion of the Judge, be imprisoned
in the county jail for any term not exceeding 30 days.
