A. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CRUISING
The practice of driving about the Township streets with a taxicab so as to solicit passengers or to bring the presence of the taxicab to the attention of prospective passengers. A taxicab driving along the streets of the Township for any purpose other than transporting a passenger, going to a definite destination by the most direct route in response to a call for a taxicab by a prospective passenger or returning by the most direct route to the taxicab's home terminus after discharging a passenger or going to or from the terminus, to the drivers home by the most direct route shall be prima facie evidence of cruising.
DRIVER
Any person who drives a taxicab within the Township, whether or not such person is also the owner thereof.
IDENTIFICATION CARD
The card issued by the Chief of Police containing the name, address and description of the person named thereon as owner or driver, together with a recent photograph of the holder thereof affixed thereon.
OPERATION OF A TAXICAB
Consists of accepting one or more passengers for hire anywhere within the Township and transporting such passenger or passengers along any Township streets. The operation of a taxicab as above described by one other than the owner shall be deemed operation by the owner thereof as well as by the person actually driving the same. The transportation of any person other than the owner or driver in any motor vehicle bearing the sign therein or thereon using the word "taxi," "taxicab," "cab," or "hack" shall be prima facie evidence of operation.
OWNER
Any person in whose name title to any taxicab is registered with the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles or who appears in such records to be the conditional vendee or lessee thereof.
TAXICAB PERMIT
A permit issued pursuant to this chapter.
TAXICAB
Any automobile or motor car, commonly called "taxi," engaged in the business of carrying passengers for hire which is held out, announced or advertised to operate or run or which is operated or run over any of the Township streets, and which accepts passengers in the Township for transportation from points or places to points or places within or without the Township.
B. 
Word usage. Nothing herein contained shall include or apply to "autobus" as defined in N.J.S.A. 48:16-23 or jitneys or other vehicles operated under municipal consent upon a route established wholly within the Township or the public conveyances which are by law subject to state or federal regulation exclusively.
A. 
Required. No person shall operate any taxicab within the Township unless the owner thereof has secured the necessary permit as provided herein and conforms to all the provisions hereof.
B. 
Permit. A taxicab permit shall entitle the taxicab therein described to be operated in the Township until the permit either expires or is surrendered, suspended or revoked and shall not be transferable.
C. 
Display of permit. All permits issued hereunder shall be affixed to the left fender of the taxicab in a position which is equal in distance from the top of the fender and the bottom of the fender and six inches behind the left front headlamp.
D. 
Expiration of permits. Every permit issued pursuant to this section shall expire annually at midnight on December 31 of the year in which issued unless sooner surrendered, suspended or revoked.
E. 
Number of permits permitted. The number of permits permitted to be issued or outstanding in any one year shall be fixed by resolution of the Township Committee.
F. 
Identification card. The identification card issued by the Chief of Police shall be carried by the person to whom issued during any period in which said person is operating.
A. 
All applications for permits shall be filed with the Township Clerk, together with the required fee and shall be in writing, in duplicate, and shall contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the owner, the serial number, type, color, age and maker of the taxicab, the number of persons it is to carry, and the names and addresses of two responsible property owners of the Township as references. In addition, every application for a permit shall contain the name and address, date and place of birth of every person employed by the owner as a driver of the taxicab, together with a recent photograph of the owner and drivers listed on the application of a size not less than 1 1/4 inches in height and 1 3/4 inches in length. Every change of address of the owner and/or driver shall be reported in writing to the Township Clerk within three days after such change. An application must be filed for each individual taxicab.
B. 
Upon receipt of an application for a permit, the Township Clerk shall submit the application to the Wall Township Police Department for fingerprinting and a records check of the owner and driver(s) of the taxicab proposed to be licensed.
C. 
Upon receipt of a reply from the Wall Township Police Department, the Township Clerk shall submit the application together with the Police Department's report thereon to the Township Committee at its next succeeding meeting for action, and all applications so submitted may be approved or denied by a majority vote of the members present at such meeting. Upon the approval of the application by the Township Committee, the Township Clerk shall cause a permit to be issued to the applicant, together with an identification card for the owner of the taxicab and each driver thereof.
A. 
No permit shall be issued or become effective until the owner of the taxicab shall have filed with the Clerk of the municipality in which such operation is permitted, an insurance policy of a company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of this state, conditioned for the payment of a sum of not less than $10,000 to satisfy all claims for damages by reason of bodily injury to, or the death of, any one person resulting from an accident and a sum of not less than $20,000 to satisfy all claims for damages by reason of bodily injuries to, or the death of, all persons on account of any such accident, by reason of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of such autocab upon any public street; and conditioned for the payment of a sum not less than $5,000 to satisfy any claim for damages to property of any one person, resulting from an accident, and a sum not less than $5,000 to satisfy all claims for damages to property of all persons, on account of any such accident, by reason of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of such taxicab upon any public street.
B. 
The permit shall become effective and operation thereunder shall be permitted only so long as the insurance policy shall remain in force to the full and collectible amounts as aforesaid.
C. 
The insurance policy shall specifically provide that all passengers entering such taxicab for transportation shall be protected whether such passenger is accepted for transportation from a fixed taxi stand or other public place, or from any other point or place whether fixed or otherwise.
D. 
If such owner operates more than one taxicab, he may file with the Township Clerk, in lieu of the policy required as set forth above, a bond or insurance policy of a company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of this state, in the sum of $50,000 which shall be a blanket insurance covering all cabs operated by such owner which shall provide for the payment of any final judgment recovered by a person on account of the ownership, maintenance and use of any such taxicab or any fault in respect thereto, and shall be for the benefit of every person suffering loss, damage or injury as aforesaid.
The owner of the taxicab shall execute and deliver to the Clerk of the municipality concurrently with the filing of a policy or bond referred to in the aforesaid sections a power of attorney, wherein and whereby the owner shall appoint the Township Clerk of the Township his true and lawful attorney for the purpose of acknowledging service of any process out of a court of competent jurisdiction to be served against the insured by virtue of the indemnity granted under the insurance policy or bond filed.
The fees for the issuance of the taxicab permits referred to herein shall be as follows:
A. 
For each taxicab permit: the sum of $50 per year or any portion thereof.
B. 
For each additional taxicab permit: the sum of $25 per year or any portion thereof.
The Township Committee may, in its discretion, refuse to issue or renew or may, after notice and hearing revoke or suspend:
A. 
Any permit if the applicant or permittee, within two years next preceding the filing of an application hereunder or who, having obtained a permit while the permit is in effect hereunder has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude in this or any other jurisdiction, or of being a disorderly person in this or any other jurisdiction, or of reckless driving in this or any other state, or who violates or who has any judgment unsatisfied of record against him arising out of an automobile accident, or who has failed to render reasonably prompt, safe and adequate taxicab service, or who has not complied fully with all the requirements of this chapter; or
B. 
Any taxicab permit if the applicant has any communicable or contagious disease; or
C. 
Any taxicab permit if the taxicab for which a permit is issued, by reason of unsafe or unsanitary condition is dangerous to the safety and health of the occupants or others, or if the insurance policy required herein or by any statute of New Jersey has once lapsed, or such coverage is not maintained at all times.
The operation of any taxicab licensed pursuant hereto shall be permitted and shall be lawful only so long as the applicable liability insurance policies prescribed by this chapter shall remain in full force and collectible amount stated in the policies.
Every taxicab shall have conspicuously located on the exterior thereof, the words "Taxi" or "Cab" or "Taxicab" which shall be illuminated during darkness.
No person shall cruise on the Township streets with any taxicab for the purpose of soliciting passengers.
The Township Committee may by resolution make such general rules and regulations and such special rulings and findings as may be necessary for the proper regulation and control of the operation of taxicabs in the Township and enforcement of this chapter. In addition thereto and not inconsistent therewith the Township Committee may alter, amend, repeal and publish the same.
The violation by the taxicab owner or the driver thereof of any rules, regulations, special rulings and findings which are hereafter promulgated by the Township Committee and included with a resolution adopted by the Committee shall be sufficient cause for revocation of any permit granted to the taxicab owner pursuant to this chapter and shall be sufficient cause for the refusal by the Township Committee to renew such permit, in addition to all other grounds heretofore specifically mentioned herein.
Nothing in this chapter contained shall exempt any person owning or operating any taxicab from complying with the laws relating to the ownership, registration and operation of automobiles in this state.