All persons engaged in the taxicab business in the Township operating
under the provisions of this chapter shall render an overall service to the
public desiring to use taxicabs. Holders of taxicab licenses shall maintain
a central place of business and keep the same open for at least the minimum
hours stipulated on the license, for the purpose of receiving calls for taxicab
service and dispatching taxicabs pursuant thereto. All licensees or their
representatives shall answer all calls received for taxicab services inside
the Township limits as soon as they can do so. If said services cannot be
rendered within a reasonable time, they shall then notify the prospective
passenger as to how long it will be before the call may be answered and give
the reason therefor. Any holder of a taxicab license issued under this chapter
who shall refuse to accept a call for taxicab service anywhere within the
Township limits at any time when such licensee has taxicabs available, or
who shall fail or refuse to give overall service, shall be deemed to have
violated this chapter.
No driver shall permit any other person to occupy or ride in any taxicab
unless the person or persons first employing the taxicab shall consent to
the acceptance of the additional passenger or passengers.
Drivers of taxicabs shall not receive or discharge passengers in the
roadway, but shall pull up to the right-hand sidewalk as nearly as possible
or, in the absence of a sidewalk, to the extreme right-hand side of the road
and there receive or discharge passengers, except upon one-way streets, where
passengers may be discharged on either the right- or left-hand sidewalk or
side of the roadway in the absence of a sidewalk.
Drivers of taxicabs shall be clean and neat in appearance at all times.
Every driver of a taxicab shall thoroughly search the interior of such
taxicab at the termination of each trip for any article of value which may
be left in such taxicab by a passenger. Any article found therein shall be
immediately returned to the passenger owning it, if he is known; otherwise,
it shall be deposited with the licensee of the taxicab at the conclusion of
the driver's tour of duty. A written report, in duplicate, of the finding
and deposit of such article shall be made by the said licensee within 24 hours
to the Chief of Police.
The driver of each taxicab shall keep a daily record upon which all
trips are recorded, showing time and place of origin and destination of each
trip and amount of fare charged therefor. All such records shall be retained
for two years by the licensee of the taxicab, who shall be responsible for
the maintenance of daily records of all taxicabs operated by him. The forms
for such daily records shall be furnished by the said licensee after prior
approval thereof by the Chief of Police. All such records to be maintained
by the licensee shall be open to inspection by the Chief of Police at any
time.
Any motor vehicle accident involving a taxicab and causing injury to
a person or persons or to property of another in excess of $100 shall be reported
immediately by the driver to the police; and the said taxicab shall not be
moved until released by the police, except in an emergency where there is
immediate danger to life or limb.