STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1155
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 5, 2011
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER, DINOWITZ, GUNTHER -- Multi-Sponsored by
-- M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, PERRY, P. RIVERA, TOWNS, WEINSTEIN -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to prohibiting
standing on school, camp, and charter omnibuses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1229-b of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended
2 by chapter 19 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 1229-b. Operation of school, camp and charter omnibuses with passen-
4 gers standing prohibited. 1. When the number of passengers is greater
5 than the number of seats available, it shall be unlawful to operate a
6 camp or charter omnibus upon the public highways [for a distance of ten
7 miles or more] with any passenger standing.
8 2. It shall be unlawful to operate upon the public highways a school
9 bus owned by or contracted to a school district with any passenger
10 standing whenever it is employed exclusively for the transportation of
11 students under the age of twenty-one and teachers or other persons
12 acting in a supervisory capacity to or from school or school activ-
13 ities[, except as provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision:
14 (a) Standing passengers may be permitted on such a school bus,
15 provided that the number of standing passengers on a school bus shall
16 not exceed the limit established in the following schedule for the
17 applicable time period:
18 Period: Not more than:
19 Through June 30, 2001 20% of approved seating capacity
20 Between July 1, 2001 and 15% of approved seating capacity
21 June 30, 2002
22 Between July 1, 2002 and 10% of approved seating capacity
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00733-01-1
A. 1155 2
1 June 30, 2003
2 Between July 1, 2003 and 5% of approved seating capacity
3 June 30, 2004
4 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contra-
5 ry, standing passengers may be permitted without limitation as to number
6 during the first ten days of session in each school year, and in circum-
7 stances where a breakdown, accident, or other unforeseen occurrence
8 necessitates the transportation of standing passengers.
9 (c) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to restrict
10 the power of a city with a population of one million or more to adopt
11 and enforce local laws that comply with at least the minimum applicable
12 standards set forth in this section].
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of September next
14 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
