No autocab or rented motor vehicle shall operate
along any street in the City without first obtaining a valid City
of Paterson registration for said vehicle, except where said vehicle
is operated within the City merely to discharge a passenger(s) and
said motor vehicle already has a valid license from another municipality,
then rather than a City of Paterson registration, consent of this
City is required before said vehicle may operate here. Such consent
is deemed given where the following two criteria have been met:
A.
Said vehicle is in compliance with State of New Jersey
minimum insurance requirements.
B.
A certificate of compliance listing the name of the
insurance company, the policy number, the date of expiration and a
description of the vehicle in question is posted in a conspicuous
place within the autocab or rented motor vehicle.
A.
All applications for an autocab or rented motor vehicle
registration or its renewal shall be made upon forms furnished by
the Taxicab Division.
B.
The application shall contain:
(1)
The type of vehicle ownership, i.e., individual, joint
individuals, corporation, partnership or sole proprietor.
(2)
The full name of the vehicle's owner and, if the vehicle
is owned by a corporation or other organization, the name of at least
one individual who will serve as the agent for purposes of service
of notices. This provision, however, shall not be a bar to proper
service where service is made upon another individual or entity and
such service is otherwise valid under the laws of the State of New
Jersey.
(3)
The mailing address and actual residential address of the party(s) named in Subsection B(2) and, where the owner is a corporation, the mailing address and actual residential address of all officers and all shareholders who own at least 10% of the corporation.
(4)
Where the owner is a corporation, a copy of the corporation's
Articles of Incorporation shall also be filed with the application.
(5)
The year, make, model, vehicle identification number
and an accurate odometer reading from the vehicle.
(6)
The passenger capacity of the vehicle.
(7)
A copy of the title and the valid insurance identification
card for the vehicle.
(8)
Any other information deemed necessary by the Director
of Taxicab Division.
C.
The number of autocab registrations issued by the
City shall not exceed 100.
[Amended 10-24-2000 by Ord. No. 20-040]
A.
The Taxicab Division shall supervise all vehicles
registered under this Part 2 to see that they are kept in a condition
of fitness for public use. To this end, the Taxicab Division shall
inspect all proposed autocabs or rented motor vehicles prior to the
applicant being issued a City registration and prior to the renewal
of any registration previously issued under this Part 2.
B.
Prior to inspection by the Taxicab Division, all vehicles
must first pass the regular State of New Jersey motor vehicle inspection.
C.
No autocab or rented motor vehicle registered under
this Part 2 shall be operated on any street within the City of Paterson
without both a valid New Jersey vehicle inspection sticker and a valid
City of Paterson inspection sticker.
D.
No vehicle registered under this Part 2 shall be issued
an inspection sticker until it has been thoroughly and carefully inspected
and found to be safe for the transportation of passengers, clean both
on the interior as well as the exterior, well-painted and otherwise
in good condition and of good appearance.
[Amended 1-24-1995 by Ord. No. 95-003]
A.
No vehicle shall be placed in service as an autocab
for the first time by the owner where it has already reached the age
of 72 months.
B.
When a vehicle reaches the age of 72 months old, it
shall be removed from service as an autocab, except those vehicles
which have already reached the age of 72 months on the effective date
of this Part 2.
C.
Within five years from the effective date of this
Part 2, all owners and autocab companies with autocabs which had already
reached the age of 72 months on the effective date of this Part 2
shall have at least 50% of their vehicles below 72 months old.
D.
Within seven years from the effective date of this
Part 2, all owners and companies with autocabs which had already reached
the age of 72 months on the effective date of this Part 2 shall have
100% of their vehicles below seven years of age.
A registration issued under this Part 2 shall
be for a period commencing on April 1 of the year of issuance and
ending on March 31 of the following year, unless sooner suspended
or revoked.
A.
No person, whether owner, lessee, bailee or otherwise,
shall operate, cause to be operated or permit to be operated any autocab
or rented motor vehicle unless the owner or agent thereof has filed
with the Clerk of the municipality in which the owner has his principal
place of business an insurance policy from an insurance company duly
licensed to transact business under the insurance laws of the State
of New Jersey and said insurance policy remains in full force and
effect and it provides for the payment of a sum of not less than $50,000
against loss by reason of the liability imposed by law upon every
autocab or rented motor vehicle owner for damages on account of bodily
injury or death suffered by any person as a result of an accident
occurring by reason of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use
of said autocab or rented motor vehicle upon any public street. Such
insurance policy shall be for the benefit of every person suffering
loss, damage or injury as aforesaid and shall name the City of Paterson
as an additional insured.
B.
In lieu of the requirements of Subsection A, any corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey may carry its own liability insurance, upon filing with the City Clerk the order from the State Commissioner of Insurance exempting the corporation from the state's minimum insurance requirements contained in N.J.S.A. 48:16-14 and a sworn affidavit from an officer in the corporation stating that the corporation is the owner of the autocab or rented motor vehicle in question and that the corporation has paid up cash value of not less than $150,000.
C.
The insurance exemption contained in Subsection B shall remain in effect only so long as the paid up cash value of the corporation is not less than $150,000 and the order of the State Commissioner of Insurance exempting the corporation from the state's minimum insurance requirements remains in effect.
D.
In the event that a corporation's insurance exemption lapses for any reason, the corporation shall immediately obtain insurance in compliance with Subsection A of this section.
E.
Each owner of an autocab or rented motor vehicle shall
execute and deliver to the City Clerk a power of attorney appointing
the Director of Finance as his or her 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 filed.
G.
The original certificate of compliance shall be posted
within each autocab and shall contain the name of the insurance company,
the policy number, the expiration date of the policy, a description
of every autocab or rented motor vehicle insured thereunder and their
registration numbers.
H.
A certificate of compliance shall remain in effect
only so long as the insurance policy submitted to the City Clerk or
the insurance exemption remains in full force and effect.
When an autocab driver changes residences, he
or she must notify the Taxicab Division of his or her new address,
in writing on forms provided by the Taxicab Division, within three
days after such change.
The registering of an autocab or rented motor
vehicle shall be evidenced by the issuance of a registration card
signed by Director of the Taxicab Division.
A.
Any vehicle registration issued under this Part 2
may be revoked or suspended after a hearing before the Public Safety
Director or his or her designee if:
(1)
The registered vehicle is found to be unfit or unsuited
for public transportation or public patronage because it is not in
good condition, it has a bad appearance, it is not clean, it is not
safe or for any other good cause.
(2)
The owner or operator of the registered vehicle has
violated any provision of this Part 2.
B.
The Director of the Taxicab Division is hereby empowered
to temporarily suspend the registration of any vehicle pending a hearing
before the Public Safety Director if he or she reasonably believes
that the vehicle presents an unreasonable risk of danger to the health
or safety of the public.
C.
In the event that the Taxicab Division suspends or
revokes a vehicle registration, the Taxicab Division shall so notify
the owner of the vehicle, in writing, and shall retain a copy of this
letter on file.
D.
The suspension or revocation of a vehicle registration
shall become effective immediately upon actual receipt of notice by
the owner of the vehicle in question or his or her agent or, where
notice is sent by mail, the suspension or revocation shall become
effective five days after notice of the suspension or revocation was
sent.
E.
A vehicle may be impounded by order of the Director
of the Taxicab Division where:
F.
Where a vehicle registration is suspended or a vehicle
is impounded by order of the Director of the Taxicab Division, the
owner of the vehicle may apply to the Taxicab Division for a hearing
before the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee for the
limited purpose of reviewing the order in question. The hearing shall
be scheduled within 10 working days from the date of the application.
If through no fault or acquiescence of the owner the hearing is not
held within the stated period, the suspension shall be rescinded or,
regarding an impounded vehicle, the vehicle shall be released to the
owner. Any summons for an underlying violation, however, will remain
in effect and shall not be dismissed without good cause.
G.
The Director of Public Safety or his or her designee
shall render a decision no later than three working days from the
conclusion of the hearing.
