No-Expiry Permits for City Vehicles

Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 15 of section 385 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by section 1 of part C of chapter 59 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The commissioner of transportation is hereby authorized to continue to grant permits, and to charge fees therefor, for the operation or movement of a vehicle or combination of vehicles having weights or dimensions which exceed the limitations provided for in this section upon any highway under his or her jurisdiction except that such permit shall not be valid for the operation or movement of such vehicles on any state or other highway within any city not wholly included within one county. Such permits shall be issued in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in rules and regulations governing special hauling permits which have been or shall be promulgated by the commissioner of transportation and which may include, but not be limited to, a requirement that a vehicle or combination of vehicles being issued a permit shall be accompanied by one or more escort vehicles which is being operated by an individual having a valid escort certificate issued by the commissioner. The commissioner of transportation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations governing the operation, use and equipment of escort vehicles and the duties and responsibilities of the operator of an escort vehicle. Any finding by the commissioner of transportation that an individual has violated such rules and regulations shall

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD08236-02-7

A. 6926--A 2

be grounds for the cancellation of an individual's escort certificate and a penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars per occurrence for the first violation and not to exceed one thousand dollars per occurrence for each subsequent violation. Prior to issuing such a finding, the commissioner of transportation shall afford an individual the right to a hearing pursuant to section one hundred forty-five of the transportation law. Such rules and regulations shall take into consideration, but shall not be limited to, the safety of the traveling public and the protection of the highways and the environment. Such rules and regulations shall also contain a schedule of fees to be charged for the issuance of such permits which fees shall cover, but shall not be limited to, the costs to the department of transportation for the administration of the permit program, and shall permit the commissioner of transportation to levy a surcharge of up to twenty dollars for the issuance and distribution of special hauling permits at regional offices of the department of transportation. The annual vehicle fee for a permit issued pursuant to subparagraphs (i), (ii), (ii-a) and (iii) of paragraph (f) of this subdivision shall be three hundred sixty dollars for vehicles with less than five axles, seven hundred fifty dollars for vehicles with five or six axles and nine hundred dollars for vehicles with seven or more axles. The annual vehicle fee for a permit issued pursuant to subparagraphs (iv), (v), and (vi) of paragraph (f) of this subdivision shall be four hundred eighty dollars for vehicles with less than five axles and one thousand dollars for vehicles with five or more axles. Additionally, the commissioner shall establish a fee schedule for the permitting of extra non-power combination units that may not exceed twenty-five dollars per vehicle and may offer discounts for multi-trailer registrations. Such fees shall not be charged to municipalities in this state. A permit issued by the commissioner to a municipality pursuant to this subdivision, that would otherwise be annual, shall not expire until such municipality removes such permitted vehicle from operation; provided, however, that any amendment to such permit shall remain subject to the commissioner's approval and nothing contained in this paragraph shall be deemed to alter the authority of the commissioner to revoke any such permit as authorized by this chapter. If the permit has routing requirements, such rules and regulations shall provide that if the routing anticipates the use of highways not under the jurisdiction of the commissioner of transportation, then he or she shall immediately notify the municipality or municipalities, having jurisdiction over such highway that an application for a permit has been received and request comment thereon. Said municipality or municipalities shall not have less than fifteen days to comment. Such rules and regulations shall also contain any other requirements deemed necessary by the commissioner of transportation.

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.