(a) Compliance with directions of law enforcement officers.
(1) An operator must at all times comply with any direction given by a law enforcement officer, a bridge and tunnel officer of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, or an officer of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority authorized to enforce these rules, or a school crossing guard by hand, voice, whistle or mechanical device.
(2) A law enforcement officer, school crossing guard or a bridge and tunnel officer may disregard any traffic light signal or rule in order to expedite the movement of traffic or to safeguard pedestrians or property.
(3) Vehicle operators must present and/or surrender their operator's license, vehicle registration and insurance documents upon request of a law enforcement officer.
(b) Passengers in vehicle. No person shall ride in any place or in any part of a vehicle except that provided for passenger carrying purposes, nor shall he/she permit any part of his/her body to extend outside of any part of a vehicle, except when required to extend the hand to indicate an intention to turn, slow down, stop, or start from the curb.
(c) Getting out of vehicle. No person shall get out of any vehicle from the side facing on the traveled part of the street in such manner as to interfere with the right of the operator of an approaching vehicle or a bicycle.
(d) Fire drill line. The operator of any vehicle, except authorized emergency vehicles, shall not drive through or approach within one hundred feet of a line of children during a fire drill, nor interfere with, hinder, obstruct, or impede in any way whatsoever any such fire drill.
(e) Operator's hand on steering device. No person shall operate or ride a motor vehicle or bicycle without having his/her hand on the steering device or handle bars. A person riding or leading a horse or driving a horse-drawn carriage shall have the reins in his/her hand continuously.
(f) Unbridled horse. No person shall leave a horse unbridled or unattended in a street or unenclosed place unless the horse is securely fastened, or harnessed to a vehicle with wheels so secured as to prevent it from being dragged faster than a walk.
(g) Peddlers.
(1) No peddler, vendor, hawker, or huckster shall permit his cart, wagon, or vehicle to stand on any street when stopping, standing, or parking is prohibited or on any street within 25 feet of any corner of the curb or to stand at any time on any sidewalk or within 500 feet of any public market or within 200 feet of any public or private school.
(2) No peddler, vendor, hawker, or huckster shall stop, remain upon or otherwise encumber, or permit any cart, table, wagon, vehicle, or other object owned or controlled by such peddler, vendor, hawker or huckster to stop, remain upon or otherwise encumber, any elevated pedestrian walkway or bicycle lane on a bridge or a bridge approach for the purpose of selling, displaying, storing or creating merchandise or providing a service. For purposes of this subdivision, the term “bridge” means a structure erected to allow for travel over a highway, body of water, railway or other obstacle; the term “elevated pedestrian walkway” means a portion of a bridge that is separated from vehicular traffic and is intended for use by pedestrians; and the term “bridge approach” means the area within the envelope of a bridge that connects a bridge to the street.
(h) Reporting accidents by operators of other than motor vehicles. The operators of any bicycle or vehicle other than a motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in death or injury to a person or damage to property must stop and give their names and addresses and information concerning liability insurance coverage to the party sustaining injuries or damage, and in the case of death or injury, he/she must, in addition to the above, without delay report the accident to the nearest police station, unless he/she has supplied the information to a police officer on the scene. Accidents involving motor vehicles must be reported as required by the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
(i) Horn for danger only. No person shall sound the horn of a vehicle except when necessary to warn a person or animal of danger.
(j) Commercial advertising vehicles.
(1) Restrictions. No person shall operate, stand, or park a vehicle or bicycle on any street or roadway for the purpose of commercial advertising. Advertising notices relating to the business for which a vehicle is used may be put upon a motor vehicle when such vehicle is in use for normal delivery or business purposes, and not merely or mainly for the purpose of commercial advertising, provided that no portion of any such notice shall be reflectorized, illuminated, or animated, and provided that no such notice shall be put upon the top of the vehicle and that no special body or other object shall be put upon vehicles for commercial advertising purposes. Advertisements may be put upon vehicles licensed by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission in accordance with the Commission's rules.
(2) Buses and Sanitation Vehicles. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision (j), buses operated pursuant to a franchise or consent from the Department of Transportation of the City of New York, and cleaning and collection vehicles owned or operated by the New York City Department of Sanitation may display commercial advertisements, including reflectorized and illuminated advertisements, on the exterior surface areas of such vehicles and may have installed on such vehicles the necessary frames, supports and related appurtenances in order to display such advertisements.
(k) Snow Emergency.
(1) Standing and Parking Prohibited. When the Commissioner declares a state of snow emergency, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon a street designated by signs as a snow street, or upon any part of the right-of-way, including the berm or shoulder adjacent to the roadways, entrances and exits of the expressways, parkways, bridges and tunnels set forth in 34 RCNY § 4-07(i), except in such areas and for such purposes as shall be designated by the Commissioner, until the Commissioner declares the prohibition of such standing or parking terminated. On certain designated snow streets, posted signs may prohibit parking on only one side of the street.
(2) Operating vehicles prohibited. When the Commissioner declares a state of snow emergency, no person shall operate a vehicle upon a street designated by signs as a snow street or upon any part of the right-of-way, including the berm or shoulder adjacent to the roadways, entrances, and exits of the expressways, parkways, bridges and tunnels set forth in 34 RCNY § 4-07(i) unless the drive, traction or powered wheels of said vehicle are equipped with skid chains or snow tires, until the Commissioner declares the state of snow emergency terminated.
(3) Snow tires defined. For the purposes of this rule, snow tires are defined as:
(i) Any radial tire (a radial tire is a tire in which the ply cords, extending to the beads, are nearly at right angles to the center line of the tread).
(ii) Any tire with tread which has ribs, lugs, blocks or buttons arranged in a generally discontinuous pattern; when inflated, a substantial number of the lug, block or rib edges in the tread design are at an angle greater than 30 degrees to the tire circumferential center line; and, on at least one side of the tread design, have shoulder lugs that protrude at least one-half inch in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of travel.
(iii) Any tire labelled on the sidewall with the words "MUD AND SNOW" or any contraction using the letters "M" and "S" (e.g. MS, M/S, M-S or M&S).
(4) Worn or damaged tires. Worn or damaged tires which no longer provide effective traction shall not constitute snow tires within the meaning of this section regardless of their original classification or designation.
(5) Use of parkways by certain vehicles. Notwithstanding any other provision of these rules, during snow emergencies declared by the Commissioner, commercial vehicles owned or operated by oil heating companies that are no more than 7 feet in height, no more than 8,500 pounds in maximum gross weight, and have no more than two axles and four tires may travel on parkways and other roadways where commercial vehicles are normally prohibited when such vehicles are responding to heat emergencies which require the repair of heating and hot water equipment. Such vehicles must abide by all posted weight limits and clearances on such roadways.
(l) Emergency repairs. No person shall solicit or render repair service or push or tow any vehicle on any part of the right-of-way, including the berm or shoulder adjacent to the roadways, entrances and exits of the expressways and parkways, and bridges enumerated in § 4-07(i), except persons and vehicles operating pursuant to a permit issued by the Commissioner. This subdivision (l) shall not be deemed to prohibit emergency repairs by the occupants of a disabled vehicle.
(m) Bus lane restrictions on city streets.
(1) When signs are erected giving notice of bus lane restrictions, except as otherwise posted, no person shall drive a vehicle other than a bus or a wheelchair accessible Access-A-Ride vehicle having a seating capacity of four or more passengers, within a designated bus lane during the restricted hours, except:
(i) to use such bus lane in a safe manner in order to make a right hand turn where permitted into a public or private street or driveway provided that the vehicle does not drive through an intersection; or
(ii) to use the bus lane in a safe manner to make a right hand turn where permitted, within two hundred feet of entry into such bus lane, into a public or private street or driveway even if such activity requires driving through an intersection; or
(iii) to approach to or leave the curbside space, unless standing or stopping at the curb is prohibited by sign or rule; or
(iv) temporarily to enter or leave the bus lane for the purpose of and while actually engaged in expeditiously receiving or discharging passengers, except when such activity is prohibited by signs or rules; or
(v) to avoid an obstacle which obstructs the roadway and leaves fewer than ten feet of roadway width available for the free movement of vehicular traffic (except for temporary situations such as slow moving traffic and vehicles loading refuse); or
(vi) to comply with the direction of any law enforcement officer or other person authorized to enforce this rule.
(2) With respect to the exceptions in subparagraphs (iii) through (vi) of paragraph (1) of this subdivision, a vehicle must exit the bus lane at the nearest opportunity where it is safe and legal to do so.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of these rules, no person may drive a vehicle within a designated bus lane in a manner that interferes with the safety and passage of buses operating thereon.
(4) The same rights and restrictions that apply to vehicles pursuant to this subdivision also apply to horse-drawn vehicles and devices moved by human power.
(n) Work affecting traffic. The rules contained in the New York State Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices shall be complied with by public and private organizations when temporary disruption of street traffic is required for street repaving or repairs, subsurface utility line installations or other repairs and similar projects.
(o) Use of roadways.
(1) Pedestrians, horses, bicycles and limited use vehicles prohibited. In order to provide for the maximum safe use of the expressways, drives, highways, interstate routes, bridges and thruways set forth in 34 RCNY § 4-07(i) and to preserve life and limb thereon, the use of such highways by pedestrians, riders of horses and operators of limited use vehicles and bicycles is prohibited, unless signs permit such use.
(2) Flat tires. No operator shall stop on the improved or paved roadway of any of the arteries set forth in 34 RCNY § 4-07(i), for the purpose of removing or replacing a flat tire. No person shall remove or replace a flat tire unless the vehicle is completely off the improved or paved roadway so that no part of the vehicle or person is exposed to passing vehicles.
(p) Bicycles.
(1) Bicycle riders to use bicycle lanes. Whenever a usable path or lane for bicycles has been provided, bicycle riders shall use such path or lane only except under any of the following situations:
(i) When preparing for a turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
(ii) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, pushcarts, animals, surface hazards) that make it unsafe to continue within such bicycle path or lane.
(2) Driving on or across bicycle lanes prohibited. No person shall drive a vehicle on or across a designated bicycle lane, except when it is reasonable and necessary:
(i) to enter or leave a driveway; or
(ii) to enter or leave a legal curbside parking space; or
(iii) to cross an intersection; or
(iv) to make a turn within an intersection; or
(v) to comply with the direction of any law enforcement officer or other person authorized to enforce this rule; or
(vi) to avoid an obstacle which leaves fewer than ten feet available for the free movement of vehicular traffic. Notwithstanding any other rule, no person shall drive a vehicle on or across a designated bicycle lane in such manner as to interfere with the safety and passage of persons operating bicycles thereon.
(3) Bicycles permitted on both sides of 40-foot wide one-way roadways. Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway that carries traffic in one direction only and is at least 40 feet wide may ride as near as is practicable to either the left or the right hand curb or edge of such roadway, provided that bicycles are not prohibited from using said roadway.
(4) Business using a bicycle for commercial purposes.
(i) Definitions. For purposes of this paragraph, the following terms have the following meanings:
(A) "Business using a bicycle for commercial purposes" means a person, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, or other entity that, either on behalf of itself or others, delivers packages, parcels, papers or articles of any type by bicycle.
(B) "Bicycle operator" means a person who delivers packages, parcels, papers, or articles of any type by bicycle on behalf of a business using a bicycle for commercial purposes and who is paid by such business.
(ii) Registration information. A business using a bicycle for commercial purposes that does not have a site within the City of New York that is open and available to the public must register with the Department and provide, upon a form prescribed by the Department, the following information:
(A) the name under which such business is authorized to do business in the State, pursuant to the Business Corporation Law;
(B) the name of the owner of such business;
(C) the registered agent upon whom process against such business may be served and the address of such agent, or, if the business has designated the Secretary of State as its agent for receiving such process, the post office address to which the Secretary of State may mail a copy of such process;
(D) the list of entities such business is providing services for;
(E) the roster with such business's bicycle operator information as required by § 10-157(d) of the New York City Administrative Code, and
(F) any other information requested by the Department.
(iii) Bicycle safety poster or notice. Every business using a bicycle for commercial purposes must post at least one bicycle safety poster at each business site using a bicycle for commercial purposes; provided, however, that if such business has only a post office address within the City, such business must provide a written notice to each of its bicycle operators.
(A) The bicycle safety poster or notice must be in English, Spanish and any other language spoken predominately by any bicycle operator utilized by the business. The poster must be clear, prominent, and large enough to be visible to the bicycle operators and patrons of the business; however, the size of the poster must be printed in at least 10 point font and on paper that is at least 11 inches x 17 inches.
(B) The poster must be printed in a manner so as to be legible even to people who are colorblind.
(C) An example of the type of poster required to be posted must be made available on the Department's website.
(D) The poster must consist of a header or title, which will appear at the top of the poster, Sections 1 through 4, and a footer, which will appear at the bottom of the poster, as more fully described below:
1. Header/Title: Commercial Bicyclist Safety
2. Section 1: This poster must be displayed where delivery cyclists will easily see it. Sections 10-157 and 10-157.1 of the New York City Administrative Code regulate businesses using a bicycle for commercial purposes. The responsibilities listed below are imposed by law. Failure to comply with these requirements may subject violators to legal sanctions.
3. Section 2: Commercial bicyclists must obey all traffic laws and rules. These laws include, but are not limited to, the following requirements:
• Yield to pedestrians.
• Ride in the direction of traffic
• Stay off the sidewalk
• Stop at all red lights and stop signs
• Do not wear more than one earphone while riding
• Use a white headlight and red taillight at night
4. Section 3: Commercial bicyclists must:
• Wear retro-reflective outermost upper body apparel with the business's name and bicyclist's 3 -digit ID number on the back in lettering at least 1 inch high.
• Wear a bicycle helmet that is in good condition
o Every business using a bicycle for commercial purposes must provide or ensure the availability of protective headgear for each of its bicycle operators at no cost to such operators.
• Carry a business ID card at all times when making deliveries or operating a bicycle on behalf of the business, which includes the information below:
o Business name, address and phone number
o Bicycle operator's name, photo and 3 -digit ID number
• Every business using a bicycle for commercial purposes must provide the above items.
5. Section 4: Every business using a bicycle for commercial purposes must:
• Equip each commercial bicycle with the following, in addition to the items required above:
o A bell or other audible device
o White headlight and red taillight
o Reflex reflectors
o Brakes
• Maintain a roster of its bicycle operators, which includes each bicyclist's:
o Name, home address, employment start date and, where applicable, date of discharge
o Unique 3-digit ID number
o Date of completion of DOT Commercial Bicyclist Safety course
6. Footer: For more information, please visit nyc.gov/bikes
(5) Additional requirements for pedal-assist commercial bicycles.
(i) No person shall operate or park a pedal-assist commercial bicycle on any public highway in the City of New York unless such bicycle has permanently affixed in a prominent location on the electric motor of the bicycle or elsewhere on the bicycle a legible original label of the manufacturer of the bicycle and/or of the electric motor containing the maximum motor-assisted speed and motor wattage of the bicycle.
(ii) All pedal-assist commercial bicycles and their operators must comply with the provisions of Article 34 of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law relating to the operation of bicycles, except as provided in 34 RCNY § 4-02(e).
(iii) A pedal-assist commercial bicycle that has been modified in any of the following ways shall not be considered a pedal-assist commercial bicycle and may not be operated or parked on any public highway:
A. Any modification that increases the output of such bicycle to seven hundred fifty watts or greater;
B. Any modification that prevents the motor from disengaging when (i) the operator applies the brakes, (ii) the operator stops pedaling, or (iii) the bicycle achieves a speed of fifteen miles per hour; or
C. Any modification that accelerates the speed of the pedal-assist commercial bicycle motor by means other than pedaling.
(iv) A pedal-assist commercial bicycle may not be parked or left unattended on a sidewalk.
(v) A pedal-assist commercial bicycle shall comply with manufacturer’s weight rating specifications.
(6) Operating a bicycle sharing system without written authorization prohibited. No person may operate a bicycle sharing system in the City of New York without the prior written authorization of the Department.
(7) No person or such person's agent or employee shall leave unattended, or permit to be left unattended, any bicycle, whether or not owned by such person, in any city owned bike-rack within the jurisdiction of the department of transportation in excess of seven consecutive days. A notice may be affixed to any unattended bicycle advising that the bicycle must be removed within seven days from the date of the notice. This notice shall also state that the failure to remove the unattended bicycle within the designated time period will result in the removal of the unattended bicycle by the department of transportation, the police department, or any other agency delegated by the department of transportation. Nothing in this section shall preclude the immediate removal of any bicycle or the taking of any other action by any agency if the presence of such bicycle creates a dangerous condition by restricting vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Bicycles removed pursuant to this paragraph shall be treated as lost property pursuant to article 7-B of the Personal Property Law.
(8) Additional requirements for commercial bicycles.
(i) Commercial bicycles must display a color contrasting identification label on both sides of each bicycle indicating the name or symbol of the business in which such bicycle is used and if more than one bicycle is used, a unique ID number assigned by the business.
(ii) Commercial bicycles may park or stand in commercial bicycle loading only zones when actively engaged commercially in loading or unloading property and for the duration of the posted sign.
(iii) Commercial bicycles may park or stand in the parking lane on a street wherever commercial vehicles may park or stand including commercial vehicle metered parking or truck loading zones and shall be exempt from paying parking meter fees. Bicycles must be parked perpendicular to the curb provided there is space for the passage of a vehicle between the bicycle and the center of the street.
(q) Transportation of radioactive materials. Shipments of radioactive materials meeting or exceeding the specifications of "large quantities" and/or "fissile Class III" as specified by the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, shall follow the same truck routes designated for vehicles having an overall length of 33 feet or more, in 34 RCNY § 4-13 of these rules. All such shipments are required to be so classified under the NRC license or contract before being shipped and the carrier shall obtain the proper classification. All vehicles carrying such shipments shall adhere to the rules of the fire department, the Department of Environmental Protection and 24 RCNY Health Code § 175.111.
(r) Restricted use and limited use streets.
(1) Restrictions. No operator of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall operate, enter, stop, stand or park any such vehicle on any street designated as a restricted use street or a limited use street by the Department of Transportation, unless such vehicle or combination of vehicles
(i) is being used for the purpose of loading or unloading at premises legally utilizing an entrance, loading bay or elevator that fronts upon said street during authorized hours or,
(ii) is a bus traversing a route, franchised by the Department of Transportation, which includes said street, and the vehicle stands only at a designated bus stop or,
(iii) is a maintenance or utility vehicle operated or engaged by proper authority for the purpose of construction or maintenance of said street or any utility located on, above or below the street surface or for the construction or maintenance of any structure located on said street.
(2) Driving across permitted. Notwithstanding any other provision stated herein, the operator of any vehicle may drive across any restricted use or limited use street that intersects the street along which he is travelling.
(3) Commissioner may suspend. The commissioner, upon 24 hours' notice to the public, may suspend the application of this subdivision (r) for a specified period or indefinitely. If suspended for a specific period, the provisions of this subdivision (r) shall become effective at the termination of such period. If suspended indefinitely, the provisions of this subdivision (r) shall become effective upon order of the Commissioner and 48 hours notice to the public.
(4) Definitions. For the purpose of this subdivision (r), a restricted use street is a legally mapped street to be permanently closed to motor vehicles by the Department of Transportation, except as provided herein, and open to use by pedestrians. A limited use street is a legally mapped street to be temporarily closed to motor vehicles by the Department of Transportation, except as provided herein, and in accordance with lawfully authorized signs or other traffic control devices.
(s) Crossing buffer zones.
(1) For the purposes of this subdivision, a buffer zone is defined as an area in the roadway, created by white lines, that is used to separate a parking lane from a travel lane or a bicycle lane from a travel lane, as indicated on the diagram below.
(2) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on or across a designated buffer zone, except when it is reasonable and necessary to enter or leave a legal curbside parking space or a driveway.
(t) Horse drawn cab passenger boarding areas.
(1) No person operating a horse drawn cab shall solicit, pick up or discharge passengers at any location other than a location described in paragraph (2) of this subdivision or a location designated by the department by a posted sign as a horse drawn cab passenger boarding area. This subdivision shall not apply to a horse drawn cab ride that is prearranged as described in § 19-174 of the New York City Administrative Code.
(2) Except as otherwise indicated by a posted sign, operators of horse drawn cabs must expeditiously pick up or discharge passengers only at locations within Central Park indicated by sign and on the map below:
(i) Grand Army Plaza. In the center lane at the Grand Army Plaza entrance to Central Park.
(ii) Seventh Avenue Entrance. On the east curb, approximately 20 feet north of Central Park South.
(iii) Sixth Avenue. Between 59th Street and Center Drive.
(3) Temporary relocation or suspension of horse drawn cab passenger boarding areas in parks. In exceptional circumstances, the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation or the commissioner, subject to approval of the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, may temporarily relocate or suspend horse drawn cab passenger boarding areas. For purposes of this paragraph, exceptional circumstances shall include, but not be limited to construction, maintenance, unusually heavy pedestrian or bicycle traffic, existence of any obstructions, a parade, demonstration, special event, or other such similar event or occurrence at or near such location. Temporarily relocated horse drawn cab passenger boarding areas shall be located in Central Park and denoted by appropriate signage.
(Amended City Record 6/28/2018, eff. 7/28/2018; amended City Record 7/2/2018, eff. 8/1/2018; amended City Record 7/17/2018, eff. 8/16/2018; amended City Record 7/26/2018, eff. 8/25/2018; amended City Record 1/4/2019, eff. 2/15/2019; amended City Record 4/30/2019, eff. 5/30/2019; amended City Record 12/20/2021, eff. 1/19/2022; amended City Record 1/3/2024, eff. 1/3/2024; amended City Record 3/27/2024, eff. 4/26/2024)