What's happening
This bill allows anyone with a class D driver's license to operate any farm vehicle anywhere in New York State.
Why it matters
Expands who can legally drive farm vehicles. By allowing anyone with a standard Class D license to operate farm vehicles, this bill significantly increases the pool of eligible drivers, making it easier for farms to find help during busy seasons.
Removes distance and weight restrictions. The bill eliminates previous limits that only allowed heavier farm vehicles to be driven within 150 miles of the farm and required special endorsements for vehicles over 26,000 pounds, allowing much broader operation statewide regardless of vehicle size.
Streamlines regulatory requirements for farmers and employees. With the removal of special endorsements and extra licensing steps for larger farm vehicles, the process for getting drivers on the road is simplified, reducing administrative burdens for farm owners and workers.
May impact road safety and insurance. Allowing more people, including potentially less-experienced drivers, to operate large farm vehicles anywhere in New York could have implications for road safety and insurance practices, especially on public highways.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Class D Drive Farm Vehicles
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
885
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. YOUNG -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing the operation of any farm vehicle within the state by a person with a class D driver's license
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 501 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 339 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
(iv) Class D. (A) Such license shall be valid to operate any passenger or limited use automobile or any truck with a GVWR of not more than twenty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of not more than ten thousand pounds, or any such vehicle towing another vehicle with a GVWR of more than ten thousand pounds provided such combination of vehicles has a GCWR of not more than twenty-six thousand pounds, or any personal use vehicle with a GVWR of not more than twenty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of not more than ten thousand pounds, except it shall not be valid to operate a tractor, a motorcycle other than a class B or C limited use motorcycle, a vehicle used to transport passengers for hire or for which a hazardous materials endorsement is required, or a vehicle defined as a bus in subdivision one of section five hundred nine-a of this title.
(B) Notwithstanding any restriction on the operation of vehicles included in clause (A) of this subparagraph, such license shall be valid to operate any farm vehicle anywhere within this state.
§ 2. Subdivision 8 of section 501-a of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by section 3 of part E of chapter 58 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04128-01-9
S. 885 2
8. Covered farm vehicle. [(a)] A vehicle or combination of vehicles registered and operated in this state, which [(i)] (a) displays a covered farm vehicle designation issued by the commissioner, [(ii)] (b) is operated by the owner or operator of a farm or ranch, or an employee or family member of an owner or operator of a farm or ranch, [(iii)] (c) is used to transport agricultural commodities, livestock, machinery or supplies to or from a farm or ranch, [(iv)] (d) is not used in for-hire motor carrier operations, exclusive of operation by a tenant pursuant to a crop share farm lease agreement to transport the landlord's portion of the crops under that agreement; and [(v)] (e) is not used for the transportation of hazardous materials.
[(b) A covered farm vehicle with a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating, whichever is greater, of more than twenty-six thousand pounds may only be operated within one hundred fifty air miles of the farm or ranch.
(c) The commissioner shall, by regulation, designate an endorsement or endorsements for the operation of covered farm vehicles with a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating of more than twenty-six thousand pounds. Such endorsement or endorsements shall be required to operate such a covered farm vehicle or combination of covered farm vehicles. The identification and scope of such endorsement or endorsements shall, at a minimum, include a distinction between the operation of a covered farm vehicle having a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating of more than twenty-six thousand pounds and the operation of a combination of covered farm vehicles having a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating of more than twenty-six thousand pounds.
(d) For the purposes of this subdivision, the gross vehicle weight of a vehicle shall mean the actual weight of the vehicle and the load.]
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing the operation of any farm vehicle within the state by a person with a class D driver's license
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would allow farmers to drive truck/trailer combinations of up to 26,000 pounds statewide with a class D drivers' license. Farmers would be limited to transporting agriculture products, farm machinery, farm supplies or all of the aforementioned. Hazardous waste transporta- tion would be excluded.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends vehicle and traffic law subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 501 to require that:
- class D license shall be valid to operate any passenger or limited use automobile or any truck with a GVWR of not more than 26,000 pounds of any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of not more than 10,000 pounds, or any such vehicle towing another vehicle with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds provided such combination of vehicles has a GVWR of not more than 26,000 pounds.
Section 2: Repeals subparagraph (vi) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 501 of vehicle and traffic law.
Section 3: Amends subdivision 7 of section 501-a of vehicle and traffic law.
Section 4: Sets forth the effective date.
Effects of present law which this bill would alter
Under current law, farmers are allowed to move 26,000 pound truck/trailer combinations only up to a 150 mile radius of the person's farm with a class D license. Under this bill a farmer would have the ability to travel statewide with a class D license and a 26,000 pound truck/trailer combination.
Justification
In many cases farmers need to be allowed statewide transportation of agricultural products to meet the changing marketplace. Upstate farmers are being asked to market their products to the New York City area. In addition, farmers may show livestock or animals in another geographic area of the state from where their farms are located. The present class D driver's license, 26,000 pound, 150 mile requirement from a farm is outdated and adds a notable constraint to a farmers' ability to success- fully conduct his or her business.
Prior legislative history
2017,2018: S.3950 Referred to Transportation 2015,2016: S.2073 Referred to Transportation 2013,2014: S.2245 Referred to Transportation 2011,2012: S.834 Referred to Transportation 2009,2010: S.2477 Referred to Transportation 2008: S.7567/A.10636 Committed to Rules
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on January 1 following its enactment.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.