In light of multiple accidents involving sight-seeing buses that occurred this year, this bill expands licensing requirements for drivers of sight-seeing buses. This bill creates a new “sight-seeing bus driver license” and requires the Department of Consumer Affairs to create rules governing this new license.
- Filed (End of Session)
History
Proposed Int. No. 529-A
By Council Members Espinal, Rodriguez, Richards, Chin, Constantinides, Johnson, Koo, Mendez, Barron, Rosenthal, Menchaca and Rose
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to strengthening the licensing requirements in the sight-seeing bus industry.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 20-372 of subchapter 21 of chapter 2 of title 20 of the New York city administrative code is amended by adding a new subdivision 11 to read as follows:
11. "Sight-seeing bus driver" shall mean any natural person who operates a sight-seeing bus in the city of New York.
§ 2. Subchapter 21 of chapter 2 of title 20 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 20-376.2 to read as follows:
§ 20-376.2 Sight-seeing bus driver. a. It shall be unlawful for an owner of a sight-seeing bus company to employ any person as a sight-seeing bus driver unless that person:
1. is at least 18 years of age;
2. possesses a valid motor vehicle driver license;
3. possesses a valid commercial driver license that is valid for the operation of such bus pursuant to the state vehicle and traffic law;
4. has not had their motor vehicle license or commercial driver license suspended or revoked two or more times within the past five years;
5. has not been convicted of three or more traffic infractions pursuant to the state vehicle and traffic law within the past three years; and
6. has not been convicted of any alcohol or drug-related offense pursuant to article 31 of the state vehicle and traffic law within the past three years.
b. An owner of a sight-seeing bus company shall provide the commissioner with a complete list of all sight-seeing bus drivers employed by the sight-seeing bus company in writing. Such list shall be provided at the time of application and renewal of the sight-seeing bus license, and shall be updated within five days after a new sight-seeing bus driver is hired or a sight-seeing bus driver leaves the company.
c. An owner of a sight-seeing bus company shall inform the commissioner of the details any accident or traffic infraction that involves one of the company’s a sight-seeing buses within five days of the incident. Such details shall include the identification of the sight-seeing bus driver involved in the incident, and whether or not the sight-seeing bus driver was at fault.
d. An owner of a sight-seeing bus company shall not permit a sight-seeing bus driver to operate a sight-seeing bus for more than 12 hours of any continuous 24 hour period. The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to a sight-seeing bus driver exclusively hired or engaged for a special trip or excursion.
§ 3. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.
BG/RC/LUR
LS 2398/2014
9/19/2016 7:12 PM