[HISTORY: Derived from Ch. IV, Sec. 4-9, of the Revised General Ordinances
of the Borough of Fort Lee, 1978, adopted 3-1-1979. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
No person shall operate, or cause to be operated, any motor vehicle
for the transportation of school children residing in the Borough of Fort
Lee for hire, or under contract, to and from school without first having obtained
from the Mayor and Council a license to operate the vehicle in this manner.
An applicant for a license to transport school children to and from school shall apply to the Borough Clerk's office for the license. Upon receipt of the application, the Borough Clerk's office shall refer the application to the Chief of Police for review. The Chief of Police shall thereafter investigate and report to the Mayor and Council as to whether the applicant complies with the minimum requirements for the issuance of the license as set forth in §§ 395-3, 395-4 and 395-5.
No motor vehicle shall be licensed as herein required, and no licensed vehicle shall be operated for the transportation of school children, unless said vehicle satisfies and continues to satisfy the specifications and requirements for school buses or small vehicles promulgated by the State Board of Education, as set forth in the New Jersey Administrative Code, Chapter 21, Subchapters 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10, and as the same may hereafter be amended.
No license as herein required shall be issued unless the applicant shall
present satisfactory evidence that the proposed operator of the vehicle is
the holder of a special license as required by N.J.S.A. 39:3-10.1. No licensed
vehicle shall thereafter be operated except by a person holding the aforesaid
special license as required by N.J.S.A. 39:3-10.1.
A.
No license as herein required shall be issued for any
vehicle unless the applicant therefor shall have filed with the Borough Clerk
an insurance policy of a company duly licensed to transact business under
the insurance laws of this state against claims by reason of the liability
imposed by law upon the vehicle owner for damages on account of bodily injury
or death suffered by an person, and in the amount of not less than $500,000
for each passenger in any one accident, and subject to the same limit for
each person, in the amount of $1,000,000 per accident.
B.
The insurance policy shall provide for the payment of
any final judgment recovered by any person on account of ownership, maintenance
and use of such vehicle or any default in respect thereto, and shall be for
the benefit of every person suffering loss, damage or injury as aforesaid.
An applicant shall pay to the Borough Clerk a fee of $50 for the issuance
of each license, which license shall be valid until August 31 following its
issue; and a fee of $50 for renewal of the license upon the same terms and
conditions for each succeeding year. The license shall bear a description
of the vehicle, the name and address of the owner thereof, the date of issuance,
and the maximum number of school children permitted to be transported by the
vehicle at any one tune. The license shall be valid only for the owner and
vehicle for which it is issued, and may not be transferred to any other person
or vehicle.
The Mayor and Council, after notice and hearing, may revoke any license
upon a showing of good cause and when in their judgment it may be necessary
or advisable for the furtherance of the public health, safety and welfare,
or where it appears that the licensed vehicle has not been operated in accordance
with the provisions of this chapter.
No person shall operate or cause or permit to be operated any motor
vehicle licensed under the provisions of this chapter in violation of any
provision of this chapter, or in violation of any term or condition of the
license, including the maximum number of school children permitted to be transported
thereby.
No person shall require from any other person, as a condition precedent
to transporting school children to and from school, a waiver of any right
or claim which may otherwise be asserted.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to:
A.
Motor vehicles engaged in the common carriage of passengers
for hire in the manner and form commonly called taxicab service or regularly
routed bus service.
B.
Motor vehicles operated by or under contract with any
public Board of Education constituted under the laws of the State of New Jersey.
C.
Automobiles carrying less than five school children and
operated by a parent of any one of the school children.
Enforcement of the provisions of this chapter is hereby invested in
the borough police.
