a. (1) Any taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver may attend a remedial or refresher course approved by the commission or a motor vehicle accident prevention course approved by the New York state department of motor vehicles. Upon presentation to the commission of proof of satisfactory completion of a commission-approved remedial or refresher course by such driver, three points shall be deducted from the number of points assessed under the persistent violators program against his or her commission-issued driver's license, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph. A taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver shall be eligible for a point reduction pursuant to this paragraph for points assessed by the commission against his or her commission-issued driver's license only once within a five-year period.
(2) Upon presentation to the commission of proof of satisfactory completion of a motor vehicle accident prevention course approved by the New York state department of motor vehicles, three points shall be deducted from the number of points accrued under the persistent violator program for points assessed by the New York state department of motor vehicles or an equivalent licensing agency of the driver's state of residence against the driver's license issued to such taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver by such department or agency, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph. A taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver shall be eligible for a point reduction pursuant to this paragraph for points assessed by the New York state department of motor vehicles or an equivalent licensing agency of the driver's state of residence only once within an eighteen-month period.
(3) In the event no commission-approved remedial or refresher course is available at the time such driver seeks to enroll, completion of a New York state department of motor vehicles-approved course taken pursuant to paragraph two of this subdivision shall result in the removal of three points from the number of points accrued under the persistent violators program, whether such points are assessed against such driver's commission-issued license or such driver's license issued by the New York state department of motor vehicles or an equivalent licensing agency of the driver's state of residence.
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs one, two or three of this subdivision, no point reduction shall affect any suspension or revocation action which may be taken by the commission pursuant to this program prior to the completion of a commission-approved or department of motor vehicles-approved course and no taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver shall receive a point reduction unless attendance at such course is voluntary on the part of the driver.
b. Any taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver who has been found guilty of violations such that a total of six or more points but fewer than ten points have been assessed by the commission against his or her commission-issued driver's license or by the New York state department of motor vehicles or an equivalent licensing agency of the driver's state of residence against the driver's license issued to such taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver by such department or agency within any fifteen-month period and whose license has not been revoked shall have his or her commission-issued driver's license suspended for up to thirty days.
c. Any taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver who has been found guilty of violations such that a total of ten or more points have been assessed by the commission against his or her commission-issued driver's license or by the New York state department of motor vehicles or an equivalent licensing agency of the driver's state of residence against the driver's license issued to such taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver by such department or agency within any fifteen-month period shall have his or her commission-issued driver's license revoked.
d. For the purposes of assessing points against the license of a taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver, where a taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver has been found guilty of multiple violations arising from a single enforcement action by an authorized enforcement agent, such driver shall be deemed guilty of the single violation having the highest point assessment.
e. A taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver shall not be subject to an assessment of points against his or her commission-issued driver's license or the imposition of duplicate penalties where the same act is a violation under provisions of law other than commission rules and where such violations duplicate each other or are substantively the same and any such driver may be issued only one summons or notice of violation for such violation.
f. It shall be an affirmative defense that the act which formed the basis for the violation was beyond the control and influence of the taxicab or for-hire vehicle driver.
g. Any violation issued to a taxicab driver or owner for meter-tampering shall be served on the licensee by personal delivery or by certified and regular mail within five calendar days of its issuance. The licensee shall have an opportunity to request a hearing before the commission or other administrative tribunal of competent jurisdiction within ten calendar days after receipt of any such notification. Upon request such hearing shall be scheduled within ten calendar days. If the tenth day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, the hearing may be held on the next business day. A decision shall be made with respect to any such proceeding within sixty calendar days after the close of the hearing. In the event such decision is not made within that time period, the license or medallion which is the subject of the proceeding shall be returned by the commission to the licensee and deemed to be in full force and effect until such determination is made. It shall be an affirmative defense to any violation for meter-tampering issued to a taxicab driver or owner that such person (i) did not know of or participate in the alleged meter-tampering and (ii) exercised due diligence to ensure that meter-tampering does not occur.
h. For purposes of subdivision g of this section, examples of an owner's due diligence shall include, but are not limited to (1) giving to their drivers a clear warning that violations of the meter tampering rules will result in the immediate termination of any lease agreement, the reporting to the commission of driver tampering and the commission's probable revocation of the driver's commission-issued driver's license, (2) including in any written lease agreement provisions containing the warnings against violation of meter tampering rules, (3) stamping warnings about the illegality of meter tampering on the trip cards issued to all drivers of an owner's taxicabs, (4) having management personnel or mechanics periodically check for proper odometer and meter mileage comparisons in order to determine if there are inappropriate disparities between the two sets of figures, (5) conducting periodic random inspections of the taxicab meter and its wiring for all of its taxicabs to detect any evidence of violation of the meter tampering rules and (6) having all of such owner's taxicabs inspected by a licensed meter shop once every commission inspection cycle.
i. [Repealed.]
j. [Repealed.]
(Am. L.L. 2016/051, 4/21/2016, eff. 8/19/2016; Am. L.L. 2020/012, 1/10/2020, eff. 3/10/2020)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1999/020 and L.L. 2014/030.