a. A commuter van service and an owner of a commuter van shall be responsible for compliance with the following provisions and shall be liable for violations thereof:
(1) No commuter van shall be used in the course of operations of a commuter van service unless a commuter van license has been obtained for such vehicle pursuant to section 19-504 of this chapter and such commuter van displays a license identification in the manner prescribed by the commission.
(2) No commuter van shall be used in the course of operations of a commuter van service unless such vehicle (a) is inspected by the state department of transportation as provided under section one hundred forty of the transportation law or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder or as provided under an agreement between the state department of transportation and the commission entered into pursuant to subparagraph one of paragraph a of subdivision five of section eighty of the transportation law, (b) prominently displays the name of the holder of the authorization and certificate evidencing an inspection, and (c) meets the vehicle safety standards prescribed by rule or regulation of the state commissioner of transportation pursuant to section one hundred forty of the transportation law.
(3) No commuter van shall be used in the course of operations of a commuter van service unless such vehicle is in compliance with the registration requirements of the vehicle and traffic law.
(4) No commuter van shall be used in the course of operations of a commuter van service unless a surety bond or policy of insurance is maintained covering such commuter van conditioned for the payment of all claims and judgments for damages or injuries caused in the operation, maintenance, use or the defective construction of such commuter van in at least the following amounts unless higher amounts are established by rule of the commission:
(a) if the commuter van has a carrying capacity of twelve passengers or less: for personal injury or death to one person, one hundred thousand dollars; for personal injury or death to all persons in one accident, three hundred thousand dollars, with a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars for each person; and for property damage, fifty thousand dollars.
(b) if the commuter van has a carrying capacity of more than twelve passengers and less than twenty-one passengers: for personal injury or death to one person, one hundred thousand dollars; for personal injury or death to all persons in one accident, five hundred thousand dollars, with a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars for each person; and for property damage, fifty thousand dollars.
(c) if the commuter van has a carrying capacity of more than twenty passengers: for personal injury or death to one person, one hundred thousand dollars; for personal injury or death to all persons in one accident, one million dollars, with a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars for each person; and for property damage, fifty thousand dollars.
(5) No commuter van shall be used in the course of operations of a commuter van service unless the driver holds (a) a commercial driver's license which pursuant to the vehicle and traffic law is valid for the operation of such commuter van for the transportation of passengers for-hire and (b) a commuter van driver's license issued pursuant to section 19-505 of this chapter.
(6) No commuter van that utilizes a two-way radio or other communications system shall be used in the course of operations of a commuter van service unless such commuter van service and the owner of such commuter van are in compliance with all regulations of the federal communications commission applicable to such use.
(7) A commuter van service and an owner of a commuter van shall maintain such records as the commission shall prescribe by rule. Such records shall be subject to inspection by authorized officers or employees of the commission during regular business hours.
(8) A commuter van service shall designate each and every driver who operates pursuant to an authorization to operate such commuter van service as agent for service of any and all legal process from the commission which may be issued against such commuter van service. An owner of a commuter van shall designate each and every driver who operates such commuter van as agent for service of any and all legal process from the commission which may be issued against such commuter van owner.
b. A commuter van service shall certify annually in accordance with rules of the commission that such commuter van service is in compliance with title III of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.) and any regulations promulgated thereunder, as such act and regulations may be amended.
c. A commuter van service shall comply with such provisions of section five of the federal omnibus transportation testing act of 1991 (49 U.S.C. App. § 2717) and any regulations promulgated thereunder, as that act and regulations may be amended, as are applicable to such commuter van service. A commuter van service shall certify such compliance annually in accordance with rules of the commission.
(Am. L.L. 2017/006, 2/15/2017, eff. 6/15/2017)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1993/115.