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                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                     FORM 4

                  STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

    Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
       Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
               Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

|_|  Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5
     obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

(Print of Type Responses)
________________________________________________________________________________
1.   Name and Address of Reporting Person*

Bershad                               Jack                  R.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Last)                           (First)             (Middle)

             c/o Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley LLP, One Logan Square
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    (Street)

Philadelphia                          PA                19103-6998
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (City)                           (State)              (Zip)


________________________________________________________________________________
2.   Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

     Commerce Bancorp, Inc.  (CBH)

________________________________________________________________________________
3.   I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)

     183-22-6625
________________________________________________________________________________
4.   Statement for Month/Day/Year

     March 5, 2003
________________________________________________________________________________
5.   If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)

     N/A
________________________________________________________________________________
6.   Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
     (Check all applicable)

     |X|  Director                             |_|  10% Owner
     | |  Officer (give title below)           |_|  Other (specify below)


     ------------------------
________________________________________________________________________________
7.   Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable line)

     |X|  Form Filed by One Reporting Person
     |_|  Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person
________________________________________________________________________________

================================================================================
           Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of,
                             or Beneficially Owned
================================================================================


                                                                                                 5.
                                                                                                 Amount of      6.
                                                                 4.                              Securities     Owner-
                                                                 Securities Acquired (A) or      Beneficially   ship
                                       2A.          3.           Disposed of (D)                 Owned          Form:     7.
                            2.         Deemed       Transaction  (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)             Following      Direct    Nature of
                            Trans-     Execution    Code         ------------------------------- Reported       (D) or    Indirect
1.                          action     Date, if     (Instr. 8)                   (A)             Transaction(s) Indirect  Beneficial
Title of Security           Date       any          ------------                 or              (Instr. 3 &    (I)       Ownership
(Instr. 3)                  (mm/dd/yy) (mm/dd/yy)    Code     V      Amount      (D)    Price     Instr.4)      (Instr.4) (Instr.4)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            
  D
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Common Stock                 3/5/03                   M              3,514       A       $4.40
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Common Stock                 3/5/03                   F                373       D       $41.45   52,709 s/s     D              Self
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                                                                                                  19,776 s/s     I           By Wife
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====================================================================================================================================

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the Form is filed by more than one Reporting Person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).


Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information  contained
in this form are not  required to respond  unless the form  displays a currently
valid OMB control number.

                                                                                                               (Over)
                                                                                                      SEC 1474 (9-02)





FORM 4 (continued)

Table II -- Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
            (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

================================================================================


                                                                                                          9.
                                                                                                          Number    10.
                                                                                                          of        Owner-
                                                                                                          deriv-    ship
                                                                                                          ative     Form
             2.                                                                                           Secur-    of
             Conver-                            5.                              7.                        ities     Deriv-   11.
             sion                               Number of                       Title and Amount          Bene-     ative    Nature
             or                                 Derivative    6.                of Underlying     8.      ficially  Secur-   of
             Exer-            3A.      4.       Securities    Date              Securities        Price   Owned     ity:     In-
             cise             Deemed   Trans-   Acquired (A)  Exercisable and   (Instr. 3 and 4)  of      Follow-   Direct   direct
             Price   3.       Execut-  action   or Disposed   Expiration Date   ----------------  Deriv-  ing       (D) or   Bene-
1.           of      Trans-   ion      Code     of(D)         (Month/Day/Year)            Amount  ative   Reported  In-      ficial
Title of     Deriv-  action   Date if  (Instr.  (Instr. 3,    ----------------            or      Secur-  Trans-    direct   Owner-
Derivative   ative   Date     any      8)       4 and 5)      Date     Expira-            Number  ity     action(s) (I)      ship
Security     Secur-  (mm/dd/  (mm/dd/  ------   ------------  Exer-    tion               of      (Instr. (Instr.   (Instr.  (Instr.
(Instr. 3)   ity     yy)      yy)      Code V    (A)   (D)    cisable  Date     Title     Shares  5)      4)        4)       4)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   
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Stock Option
Right to Buy  $4.40   3/5/03            M    V        3,514   5/18/94   5/18/03  Common        0              0     D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $5.37                          V                5/24/95   5/24/04  Common    3,344          3,344     D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $5.83                          V                6/20/96   6/20/05  Common    3,188          3,188     D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $7.72                          V                6/18/97   6/18/06  Common    3,034          3,034     D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $12.82                         V                6/17/98   6/17/07  Common    2,890          2,890     D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $20.31                         V                6/29/99   6/28/08  Common   34,450         34,450     D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $21.85                         V                1/19/00   1/19/09  Common    3,150          3,150     D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $19.29                         V               12/21/00  12/21/09  Common    3,150          3,150     D
**                                                                                Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $30.60                         V                1/31/02   1/31/11  Common    6,000          6,000     D
**                                                                                Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Option
Right to Buy  $40.12                         V                2/4/03    2/4/12   Common    5,000          5,000     D
**                                                                                Stock
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5.95% Convertible  *** 3/11/02           P       2,000           ***   03/11/32*** Common  1,894*** $50   2,000     D
Trust of Preferred                                                                 Stock
Securitiies of Commerce
Capital Trust II

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.95% Convertible  *** 3/11/02           P       1,000           ***   03/11/32*** Common  947***   $50   1,000     I       Jointly
Trust of Preferred                                                                 Stock                                   with wife
Securitiies of Commerce
Capital Trust II
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Explanation of Responses:

*Granted under the Company's 1989 and 1998 Stock Option Plans for Non-Employee
Directors, which are each 16b-3 Plans.

**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal
  Criminal Violations.

***Each 5.95% Convertible Trust Preferred Security (each a "preferred security")
is convertible at any time on or after the occurence of the events described
below and prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the business day
immediately preceding the date of repayment of such preferred security, whether
at stated maturity (i.e. March 11, 2032) or upon redemption, at the option of
the holder thereof, into shares of Commerce Bancorp, Inc.'s common stock at an
initial coversion ratio of 0.9478 shares of Commerce Bancorp, Inc. common stock
for each preferred security, subject to adjustment under certain

                                                                     Page 2 of 3



                                                                                                         9.
                                                                                                          Number    10.
                                                                                                          of        Owner-
                                                                                                          deriv-    ship
                                                                                                          ative     Form
             2.                                                                                           Secur-    of
             Conver-                            5.                              7.                        ities     Deriv-   11.
             sion                               Number of                       Title and Amount          Bene-     ative    Nature
             or                                 Derivative    6.                of Underlying     8.      ficially  Secur-   of
             Exer-            3A.      4.       Securities    Date              Securities        Price   Owned     ity:     In-
             cise             Deemed   Trans-   Acquired (A)  Exercisable and   (Instr. 3 and 4)  of      Follow-   Direct   direct
             Price   3.       Execut-  action   or Disposed   Expiration Date   ----------------  Deriv-  ing       (D) or   Bene-
1.           of      Trans-   ion      Code     of(D)         (Month/Day/Year)            Amount  ative   Reported  In-      ficial
Title of     Deriv-  action   Date if  (Instr.  (Instr. 3,    ----------------            or      Secur-  Trans-    direct   Owner-
Derivative   ative   Date     any      8)       4 and 5)      Date     Expira-            Number  ity     action(s) (I)      ship
Security     Secur-  (mm/dd/  (mm/dd/  ------   ------------  Exer-    tion               of      (Instr. (Instr.   (Instr.  (Instr.
(Instr. 3)   ity     yy)      yy)      Code V    (A)   (D)    cisable  Date     Title     Shares  5)      4)        4)       4)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right to Buy  $42.80   2-18-03          *J  V     1,250       2/18/04   2/18/03 Common     1,250    --      1,250    D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right to Buy  $42.80   2-18-03          *J  V     1,250       2/18/05   2/18/13 Common     1,250    --      1,250    D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right to Buy  $42.80   2-18-03          *J  V     1,250       2/18/06   2/18/13 Common     1,250    --      1,250    D
**                                                                               Stock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right to Buy  $42.80   2-18-03          *J  V     1,250       2/18/07   2/18/13 Common     1,250    --      1,250    D
**                                                                               Stock
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Explanation of Responses:

*Granted under the Company's 1989 and 1998 Stock Option Plans for Non-Employee
Directors, which are each 16b-3 Plans.

**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal
  Criminal Violations.



      /s/ Jack R. Bershad                                       3/7/03
---------------------------------------------            -----------------------
      **Signature of Reporting Person                             Date

FORM 4 (continued)


circumstances.  The preferred securities are convertible into shares of Commerce
Bancorp,  Inc. common stock if: (a) the closing sale price of Commerce  Bancorp,
Inc.  common  stock for at least 20 trading  days in a period of 30  consecutive
trading days ending on the last trading day of any  calendar  quarter  beginning
with  the  quarter  ending  June 30,  2002 is more  than  110% of the  preferred
securities  conversion  price  then in effect  on the last day of such  calendar
quarter,  (b) the assigned credit rating by Moody's of the preferred  securities
is at or below Bal,  (c) the  preferred  securities  are  called for  redemption
(which  may occur on or prior to March 11,  2032),  or (d)  specified  corporate
transactions  have occurred as set forth in the  Indenture  dated March 11, 2002
between Commerce Bancorp, Inc. and The Bank of New York, as Debenture Trustee.



Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
If space provided is unsufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information  contained
in this form are not  required to respond  unless the form  displays a currently
valid OMB control number.