What's happening
This bill imposes new safety requirements and commercial license rules for operating stretch limousines with nine or more passengers in New York.
Why it matters
Expands regulatory oversight. The bill brings stretch limousines with nine or more passengers under stricter state safety regulations, meaning these vehicles will face similar scrutiny as larger commercial passenger vehicles, potentially improving passenger safety.
Commercial license requirement. Drivers of stretch limousines with nine or more seats (including the driver) will now be required to possess a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a passenger endorsement, ensuring more rigorous driver training and vetting.
Closes regulatory loopholes. By specifically including stretch limousines in the definition of vehicles subject to these rules, the bill addresses gaps that previously allowed some large limos to operate with less oversight than buses or other commercial vehicles.
Impacts limo businesses and event planning. Limousine operators will need to meet higher safety and licensing standards, which could increase operational costs and affect availability or pricing for groups seeking large limo services for events, weddings, or parties.
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Who cares
Stretch limousine operators
Altered limousines seating nine or more people, including the driver, would become subject to transportation law section 140 even when operating under the local taxi and livery provisions amended by the bill.
Stretch limousine drivers
Drivers of those vehicles would need a commercial driver's license with a passenger endorsement rather than a class E license.
State motor vehicle and transportation regulators
The bill would expand the vehicles covered by state licensing and safety requirements and authorize implementing rules before its effective date.
Stretch limousine passengers
Those riding in altered limousines seating nine or more people, including the driver, would travel in vehicles subject to the expanded safety and driver-licensing requirements.
Headline styles
Make Stretch Limos Safer
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Substituted by A8474A
- Ordered to third reading cal.80
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 6192a
- Amend (t) and recommit to transportation
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Advanced to third reading
Show 3 earlier actions
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1090
- Referred to transportation
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.
Toughen Limo Safety Rules
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Angelo Santabarbara
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6192--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 21, 2019
Introduced by Sens. KENNEDY, BRESLIN, CARLUCCI, GAUGHRAN, KAPLAN, LIU, PARKER, TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the transportation law and the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to stretch limousine safety requirements and changing the class of license required to operate stretch limousines
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 11 and 12 of section 151 of the transportation law, subdivision 11 as amended and subdivision 12 as added by chapter 330 of the laws of 2005, are amended to read as follows:
11. As a taxi or livery service, except for transportation services that are designed for the transportation of transportation-disabled persons, conducted in vehicles having a seating capacity of less than fifteen passengers pursuant to the jurisdiction or regulatory control of a municipality, other than a city with a population over one million, authorized to adopt an ordinance relating to both registration and licensing pursuant to subdivision one of section one hundred eighty-one of the general municipal law, when service is conducted wholly within such municipality and when such service is available to the general public on a prearranged or demand-response basis over a non-specified or irregular route with the point or points of pick-up and discharge determined by the passenger, but such taxi or livery service shall not include van service. For the purpose of this subdivision, the term "livery service" shall include the term "limousines" as used in subdivision one of section one hundred eighty-one of the general municipal law. Provided, however, that altered motor vehicles commonly referred to as "stretch limousines" having a seating capacity of nine or more passen-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11417-09-9
S. 6192--A 2
gers including the driver shall be subject to the provisions of section one hundred forty of this chapter.
12. As a taxi or livery service conducted in vehicles having a seating capacity of twenty passengers or less pursuant to the jurisdiction or regulatory control of a city with a population over one million, when such service is conducted wholly within such a city; provided, however, that vehicles having a seating capacity of fifteen or more passengers and altered motor vehicles commonly referred to as "stretch limousines" having a seating capacity of nine or more passengers including the driver shall be subject to the provisions of section one hundred forty of this chapter.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 501-a of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 173 of the laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows:
1. Commercial driver's license or CDL. A class A or B driver's license or a class C driver's license which bears an H, P or X endorsement, which licenses contain the legend commercial driving license or CDL thereon and which is issued in accordance with the commercial motor vehicle safety act of 1986, public law 99-570, title XII, and this article which authorizes a person to operate a commercial motor vehicle and an altered motor vehicle commonly referred to as a "stretch limousine" having a seating capacity of nine or more passengers including the driver.
§ 3. Subparagraphs (ii) and (v) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 501 of the vehicle and traffic law, subparagraph (ii) as amended by chapter 696 of the laws of 1990, and subparagraph (v) as added by chapter 173 of the laws of 1990, are amended to read as follows:
(ii) Class B. Such license shall be valid to operate any vehicle or combination of vehicles which may be operated with a class E license and shall be valid to operate any motor vehicle or any such vehicle, other than a tractor, towing a vehicle having a GVWR of not more than ten thousand pounds and shall be valid to operate any altered motor vehicle commonly referred to as a "stretch limousine" having a seating capacity of nine or more passengers including the driver except it shall not be valid to operate a motorcycle other than a class B or C limited use motorcycle.
(v) Class E. Such license shall be valid to operate only vehicles which may be operated with a class D license, except that in addition it shall be valid to operate any such motor vehicle, other than a vehicle defined as a bus in subdivision one of section five hundred nine-a of this chapter, used to transport up to fourteen passengers for hire and other than an altered motor vehicle commonly referred to as a "stretch limousine" having a seating capacity of nine or more passengers including the driver.
§ 4. Subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 501 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by section 4 of part E of chapter 58 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
(iv) P endorsement. Shall be required to operate a bus as defined in sections one hundred four and five hundred nine-a of this chapter, any altered motor vehicle commonly referred to as a "stretch limousine" having a seating capacity of nine or more passengers including the driver or any motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating of more than twenty-six thousand pounds which is designed to transport passengers in commerce. For the purposes of this subparagraph the gross vehicle weight of a vehicle shall mean the actual weight of the vehicle and the load.
S. 6192--A 3
§ 5. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law. 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 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the transportation law and the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to stretch limousine safety requirements and changing the class of license required to operate stretch limousines
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation require individuals operating limousines carrying 9 or more passengers, including the driver, to have a commercial driver's license.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1: amends subdivisions 11 and 12 of section 151 of the transpor- tation law, to provide that "stretch limousines" having a seating capac- ity of nine or more passengers shall be subject to CDLs.
Section 2: amends subdivision 1 of Section 501-a of the vehicle and traffic law to provide that any driver of a stretch limousine must have a CDL with a "P" endorsement
Section 3: amends subparagraphs (ii) and (iv) of paragraph (a) of subdi- vision (a) of section 501 of the vehicle and traffic law, to provide for the Class of licenses that are applicable
Section 4: amends subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 501 of the vehicle and traffic law, to provide that any driver of an altered vehicle referred to as a stretch limousine have a "P" endorsement
Justification
Recent tragic limousine crashes throughout New York State have high- lighted the need for additional safety measures in the limousine indus- try. This legislation requires individuals who operate limousines to possess a commercial driver's license with a passenger (P) endorsement.
In order to get a commercial driver's license with a P endorsement, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles requires knowledge and training regarding passenger safety, extensive vehicle inspections, speed and common obstacles faced by large passenger vehicles.
Prior legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.