What's happening
This bill allows commuter vans in New York City to accept street hails from passengers, similar to taxis.
Why it matters
Expands transportation options. By allowing licensed commuter vans to accept street hails, the bill gives New Yorkers—especially those in areas underserved by taxis or public transit—another way to find rides quickly, potentially improving mobility for workers and residents in transit deserts.
Creates new competition for traditional taxis and for-hire vehicles. Making commuter vans eligible for street hails could disrupt the existing market for yellow and green cabs, possibly lowering fares or changing service patterns, but also raising concerns about congestion and regulatory oversight.
Regulatory and safety implications. The bill maintains requirements that only properly licensed commuter vans may accept street hails, aiming to ensure safety and accountability, but may also require the city to increase enforcement and monitoring to prevent unlicensed or unsafe operations.
Potential impact on traffic and curb management. Allowing more types of vehicles to pick up street hails may affect curb space usage, traffic flow, and enforcement priorities in busy city areas, leading to possible changes in how the city manages streets and transportation policy.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Vans Pick Up Riders
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to cities
- Referred to cities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Let Commuter Vans Take Hails
In Senate Committee · Cities · Sponsor Andrew J. Lanza
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7948
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to allowing commuter vans to accept hails from prospective passengers in the street; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision p of section 19-502 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 115 of the city of New York for the year 1993, is amended to read as follows:
p. "Commuter van" means a commuter van service having a seating capacity of at least nine passengers but not more than twenty passengers or such greater capacity as the commission may establish by rule and carrying passengers for hire in the city duly licensed as a commuter van by the commission [and not permitted to accept hails from prospective passengers in the street]. For purposes of the provisions of this chapter relating to prohibitions against the operation of an unauthorized commuter van service or an unlicensed commuter van and to the enforcement of such prohibitions and to the imposition of penalties for violations of such prohibitions, the term shall also include any common carrier of passengers by motor vehicle not subject to licensure as a taxicab, for-hire vehicle, or wheelchair accessible van or not operating as an authorized bus line pursuant to applicable provisions of law. The commission shall submit to the council the text of any proposed rule relating to the maximum capacity of commuter vans at the time such proposed rule is published in the City Record.
§ 2. Paragraph 1 of subdivision a of section 19-504 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 115 of the city of New York for the year 1993, is amended to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07041-02-7
A. 7948 2
(1) A taxi-cab, coach, wheelchair accessible van, commuter van or for-hire vehicle shall operate within the city of New York only if the owner shall first have obtained from the commission a taxicab, coach, wheelchair accessible van, commuter van or for-hire vehicle license for such vehicle and only while such license is in full force and effect. Vehicle licenses shall be issued for a term of not less than one nor more than two years and shall expire on the date set forth on the license unless sooner suspended or revoked by the commission. No motor vehicle other than a duly licensed taxicab or commuter van shall be permitted to accept hails from passengers in the street. No commuter van shall be operated within the city of New York unless it is operated as part of a current, valid authorization to operate a commuter van service duly issued by the commission pursuant to section 19-504.2 of this chapter.
§ 3. The section heading and subdivision a of section 19-516 of the administrative code of the city of New York, the section heading as amended by local law number 115 of the city of New York for the year 1993 and subdivision a as amended by chapter 9 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
Acceptance of passengers by for-hire vehicles [and commuter vans]. [a.] For-hire vehicles that do not possess a valid HAIL license may accept passengers only on the basis of telephone contract or prearrangement. The commission or successor agency may establish such disciplinary actions as it deems appropriate for failure to abide by the provisions of this chapter.
§ 4. Subdivision b of section 19-516 of the administrative code of the city of New York is REPEALED.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.