Chapter 78. Taxicabs

Chapter 78 TAXICABS

§ 78-1. Definitions.

§ 78-2. License required.

§ 78-3. Expiration date of licenses.

§ 78-4. To whom application is made.

§ 78-5. Application for license.

§ 78-6. Fees.

§ 78-6.1. Liability Insurance.

§ 78-7. Revocation, suspension or refusal to renew license.

§ 78-8. License plates; property of township.

§ 78-9. Insignia on vehicles.

§ 78-10. Violations and penalties.

§ 78-11. Inconsistent ordinances repealed.

§ 78-12. When effective.

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Gloucester 7-6-48 as Ord. No. 145. Amendments noted where applicable.]

General References

Autobuses - See Ch. 32.

Streets and sidewalks - See Ch. 72.

Vehicle and traffic - See Ch. 81.

Be it ordained by the Township Council of the Township of Gloucester, in the County of Camden and State of New Jersey, as follows:

§ 78-1. Definitions.

The following words and phrases, and their derivatives, when used in this ordinance, shall have the meaning hereafter ascribed to them:

TAXICAB - Means and includes any automobile or motorcar 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 "streets or highways" of the Township of Gloucester, and particularly accepts and discharges such "persons" as may offer themselves for trans­portation from points or places to points or places within or without the Township of Gloucester.

DRIVER - Means any "person" who drives a "taxi cab" within the Township of Gloucester.

OWNER: Means any "person", corporation or association 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 conditional vendee or lessee thereof.

OPERATION OF A TAXICAB - Shall consist of transporting in such "taxicab" one (1) or more "persons" for hire along any of the "streets and highways" of the Township of Gloucester. Accepting a passenger to be transported for hire within this "township" or from a point within this "township" to a a point within this "township" to a point outside the "township" limits, or discharg­ing a passenger transported for hire from a point outside of the "township' limits to a point within the "township" limits shall be deemed to be "operation of a taxicab" within the Township of Gloucester under the terms hereof. The "operation of a taxicab" in any of the above-described manners by one other than the "owner" shall be deemed operation by the "owner" 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 a sign or signs therein or thereon using the word "taxi", "taxicab," "cab" or "hack" shall be prima facie evidence of operation.

PERSONS - Means and includes the plural as well as the singular and any individual, co-partnership, association, corporation or joint-stock company, their lessees, trustees or receivers ap­pointed by any court whatsoever.

TOWNSHIP - Is the Township of Gloucester, in the County of Camden and State of New Jersey.

LICENSED - Means "licensed" in accordance with the appropriate section of this ordinance.

STREETS AND HIGHWAYS - Means and includes any "street," avenue, park, Parkway, "highway" or other public place or any part thereof.

LIMOUSINE - means and includes any automobile or motor car with a seating capacity of not more than 14 passengers not including the driver provided that such vehicle shall not have a seating capacity in excess of 4 passengers not including the driver beyond the maximum passenger seating capacity of the vehicle not including the driver at the time of manufacture, and used in the business of carrying passengers for hire to provide prearranged passenger transportation on a dedicated, non-scheduled charter basis that is not conducted on a regular route. Nothing in this definition shall be construed to include taxicabs. (N.J.S.A. 48:16-13) [Amended on 01-24-04 by Ord. O-04-03]

§ 78-2. License required.

From and after the effective date of this ordinance, no person shall operate any taxicab within the Township of Gloucester unless the taxicab is licensed pursuant to this ordinance and conforms to all the provisions hereof.

§ 78-3. Expiration date of licenses.

Any and all licenses issued pursuant to the terms of this ordinance shall expire at 12:00 midnight of the 31st day of January of the year following which the same was issued, unless sooner surren­dered, suspended or revoked.

§ 78-4. To whom application is made.

All applications for the issuance or renewal of any license shall be made to the Township Council on forms adopted by said Township Council and obtained from the Township Clerk and designed to elicit information respecting the identification, responsibility and law-abiding habits of the application.

§ 78-5. Application for license.

Each applicant for a license shall supply the information requested on the application, in full, and verify the correctness thereof by his oath or affirmation, and thereafter file the completed application with the Township Clerk, together with the full amount of the proper fee hereinafter fixed therefor, at least one (1) week before said application shall be acted upon by the Township Council. All applicants shall be required to provide information sufficient for an initial municipal background check and at renewal time for the companies they work for. [Amended on 01-24-04 by Ord. O-04-03]

§ 78-6. Fees.

(Amended 12-16-54 by Ord. # 188.)[Amended on 01-24-04 by Ord. O-04-03]

A. Limousine

Certificate of Compliance - Insurance $50.00

(N.J.S.A. 40A:16-17)

License/Permit Fee $50.00

(N.J.S.A. 40A:16-18.1)

Non-refundable annual fee January 1st of each succeeding year.

B. Taxicabs

License/Permit Fee/Insurance Certificate

First Taxi $100.00

Per Taxi Thereafter 25.00

Non-refundable annual fee January 1st of each succeeding year. [Amended on 03-08-04 by Ord. O-04-07]

§ 78-6.1. Liability insurance.

Limos - No license or other consent shall become effective and no such operation shall be permitted until the owner of such limousine shall have filed with the Municipal Clerk an insurance policy or certificate thereof f a company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of the State of New Jersey, in the amount of one million five hundred thousand dollars (1.5 million) to satisfy any claims for damages by reason of bodily injury to or the death of any person resulting from an accident, and a sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars (1.5 million) on account of any such accident. By reason of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of such limousine upon any public street; and conditioned for the payment of a sum not less than one million five hundred thousand dollars (1.5 million) to satisfy any claim for damages to property of all persons resulting from an accident, and a sum not less than one million five hundred thousand dollars (1.5 million) 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 limousine upon any public street.

Taxicabs - No license or other consent shall become effective and no such operation shall be permitted until the owner of such taxicab shall have filed with the Municipal Clerk an insurance policy or certificate thereof, of a company duly licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of the State of New Jersey, in the sum of not less than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.) to satisfy all claims for damages by reason of bodily injury to or the death of any one (1) person resulting from an accident, and a sum of not less than Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.) to satisfy all claims for damages by reason of the 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 taxicab upon any public street; and conditioned for the payment of a sum not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.) to satisfy any claims for damages to property of any one (1) person resulting from an accident, and a sum not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.) 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. [Amended on 01-24-04 by Ord. O-04-03] [Re-Amended on 03-08-04 by Ord. O-04-07]

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Editor's Note: This section added upon adoption of the Code, see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Article I, Adoption of Code.

§ 78-7. Revocation, suspension or refusal to renew license.

The Township Council may, in its discretion, refuse to issue or renew, or may, after notice and hearing, revoke or suspend, any license:

A. If the applicant or licensee has been convicted of a crime in this or any other jurisdiction, or convicted of being a disorderly person or of a violation of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes of New Jersey entitled "Motor Vehicles and Traffic regulations," or who violates any provision of this ordinance or has any judgment unsatisfied of record against his arising out of an automobile accident, or who is not a citizen of the United States of America or who has made false answers in his application for such license or any renewal thereof, or who has failed or fails to render reasonably prompt, safe and adequate taxicab service, or who has not complied fully with all the requirements of this ordinance; or

B. If the motor vehicle licensed or to be licensed, by reason of unsafe or unsanitary condition, is dangerous to the safety or health of the occupants thereof or others, or if the financial requirements of Revised Statutes 48:16-1 et seq. have not been complied with or have lapsed, or if the financial responsibility required thereby is not maintained at all times.

§ 78-8. License plates; property of township.

Each applicant granted a taxicab license shall be issued a license plate or card made of such material and in such form as the Township Council shall decide, which shall at all times be kept clearly legible and be displayed on the taxicab so licensed. Said license or tag shall at all times be and remain the property of the township and, on direction of the Township Council, shall at once be surrendered to and deposited with the Township Clerk.

§ 78-9. Insignia on vehicles.

Every taxicab so licensed shall have displayed on both sides thereof the word "Taxi" or "Cab" in letters at least six (6) inches high or the name of the operating owner containing the word "Taxi" or "Cab" or "Taxicab".

§ 78-10. Violations and penalties.²

Any person or person who shall violate any of the provisions of this ordinance shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.) or imprisonment in the County jail for a term not exceeding ninety (90) days, in the dis­cretion of a court of competent jurisdiction.

§ 78-11. Inconsistent ordinances repealed.

All ordinances and parts of ordinances inconsistent with the provisions hereof are, to the extent of the inconsistency, hereby repealed.

§ 78-12. When effective.

This ordinance shall take effect immediately.

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² Editor's Note: This section amended upon adoption of the Code, see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Article I, Adoption of Code.