a. No commuter van service and no person who owns, operates or drives a commuter van shall solicit, pick up or discharge passengers, or permit or authorize the solicitation, pick up or discharge of passengers:
(1) outside of the geographical area set forth in the authorization to operate a commuter van service issued pursuant to section 19-504.2 of this chapter; or
(2) at stops of, or along a route which is traveled upon by a bus line which is operated by the New York city transit authority or the city or a private bus company which has been granted a franchise by the city. The prohibition contained in this paragraph shall not apply to the pick up or discharge of passengers in the borough of Manhattan south of Chambers Street by commuter van services who on July first, nineteen hundred ninety-two had authority from the state department of transportation to pick up or discharge passengers along bus routes in such area, provided that the scope of operations by such commuter van services along bus routes in such area shall not exceed the scope of such operations prior to July first, nineteen hundred ninety-two.
b. Where a violation of subdivision a of this section has been committed by a driver of a commuter van, the commuter van service and the owner of such vehicle shall also be liable for a violation of subdivision a of this section.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1993/115.