(a) As used in this article “motor vehicle carrying passengers for hire” is hereby defined as meaning any motor vehicle propelled otherwise than by muscular power (excepting such vehicles as run only upon rails or tracks exclusively) carrying passengers for hire of any kind over the highways in this State except (1) motor vehicles carrying passengers for hire over the highways in this State by virtue of municipal consent or consents upon a route or routes established in any municipality or municipalities; (2) taxicabs; (3) hotel buses; (4) buses employed solely for transporting school children and teachers to or from school; (5) autobuses with a carrying capacity of not more than 10 passengers now or hereafter operated under municipal consent upon a route established wholly within the limits of a single municipality, which route does not in whole or in part parallel upon the same street the line of any street railway or traction railway or any other autobus route; (6) autobuses operated over highways in this State for the purpose of carrying passengers from a point outside the State to another point outside the State or from a point outside the State to a point within the State, or from a point within the State to a point outside the State between fixed termini on a regular schedule; (7) any vehicle with a maximum carrying capacity of not more than 15 passengers, including the driver, which is used in the form of service termed “ridesharing,” where the transportation of passengers is incidental to the purpose of the driver. The term shall include such ridesharing arrangements known as carpools and vanpools.

(b) “Self-insurer” means any person who by virtue of any law of this State, or in case of a nonresident, of the state of which such person is a resident and in which any motor vehicle coming within the provisions of this article is registered, is exempted by some official, board or body of this State or such other state from requirements imposed upon other owners of similar motor vehicles to carry insurance or secure possible claims for damages by a bond of a surety company.

(c) “Financial responsibility” means ability to satisfy claims to the extent set forth in sections 48:4-47 and 48:4-48 of this Title.

(d) “For hire” means compensation in any form, whether directly or indirectly made.

(e) “Financial coverage” means insurance and also self-insurer.

(f) “Magistrate” shall be deemed and understood to mean and include all judges of county and criminal courts, and other officers having powers of the committing magistrate.

Amended by L.1962, c. 198, s. 85; L.1981, c. 413, s. 12, eff. Jan. 7, 1982.