Grants commissioner of transportation jurisdiction to regulate motor vehicles used to transport disabled persons and persons in need of non-emergency transportation

2 Co-sponsors

• Ruth Hassell-Thompson
• John L. Sampson

Title of bill

An act to amend the transportation law and the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the regulation of ambulette motor vehicles and the operators thereof

Purpose

This legislation establishes a set of uniform standards for the non-emergency medical transportation industry to ensure a consistent level of safety and quality.

Summary of provisions

This bill amends section 80 of the transportation law to remove New York City's jurisdiction over the non-emergency medical transportation industry.

This bill also amends section 509-a of the vehicle and traffic law to define vehicles used for non-emergency medical transportation as buses.

This bill also amends section 509-d of the vehicle and traffic law to require a criminal background check for all drivers of non-emergency medical transportation.

This bill also amends Section 509-h of the vehicle and traffic law to allow a driver hired conditionally to operate a non-emergency medical transportation vehicle while undergoing background and drug testing.

This bill also amends Section 509-1 of the vehicle and traffic law to require drug testing of all drivers hired to operate non-emergency medical transportation.

This bill also requires under section 150 et seq. of the transportation law common carriers seeking to provide transportation services to transportation disabled passengers and those in need of non-emergency medically necessary transportation under section 365-h of the social services law in the city of New York to be granted a special certificate by DOT.

This bill also requires that no such special permit be granted unless the person or persons seeking such permit agree to:

a. Develop, maintain and store electronic trip records for pickup and delivery of clients to the satisfaction of DOT.

b. License and decommission vans with specific mileage requirements identical to those already imposed by the TLC.

Justification

Currently, operators of non-emergency medical transportation are subject to differing regulatory requirements dependent on whether or not they are operating within New York City. This bill creates a uniform regulatory system that applies to all providers of non-emergency medical transportation throughout the state. This bill will improve safety standards and driver qualifications throughout the state, resulting in greater oversight and patient safety.

Legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

This legislation directs registration fees to the state sufficient to pay for the increased costs of regulation.

Local fiscal implications

Savings to New York City.

Effective date

This bill shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become law.