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BILL NUMBER:S999A

TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the maximum vehicle length

PURPOSE: This legislation would extend the maximum vehicle length for a special use, non-fixed route bus that is operating in New York State from 45 feet to 49 and 1/2 feet.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Amends paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 385 of the vehicle and traffic law as amended by chapter 493 of the laws of 2003 to extend the length of buses and coaches from forty five feet to forty nine and one half feet.

JUSTIFICATION: Current New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law does not allow for the operation of a special use, non-fixed route bus that exceeds 45 feet in length. No exemptions are provided for the statutory length restrictions.

Technological advances in manufacturing these vehicles have rendered the 45 foot maximum obsolete. The extended length also provides an environmental benefit. The 49 and 1/2 feet buses can transport more passengers on one vehicle, saving on fuel and emissions.

The legislation also states that these special use, non-fixed route buses will only be allowed the 49 and 1/2 feet length if they have successfully completed, a New York State Department of Transportation administered, full safety review and its wall-to-wall turning diameter shall not exceed ninety feet three inches.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: Similar to S.8452 of 2010

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.

Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________

999--A

2011-2012 Regular Sessions

IN SENATE

(PREFILED)

January 5, 2011
___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  MARCELLINO  -- read twice and ordered printed, and
  when printed to be committed to the  Committee  on  Transportation  --
  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
  recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the  maximum
  vehicle length

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 3 of section 385 of the  vehi-
cle  and  traffic law, as amended by chapter 493 of the laws of 2003, is
amended to read as follows:
  (c) The length of buses having a carrying capacity of more than  seven
passengers  shall  not exceed forty-five feet, except that the length of
articulated buses shall not exceed sixty-two feet AND THE  LENGTH  OF  A
SPECIAL  USE,  NON-FIXED ROUTE BUS THAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A NEW
YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTERED FULL SAFETY REVIEW,
SHALL NOT EXCEED FORTY-NINE AND ONE-HALF FEET AND ITS WALL-TO-WALL TURN-
ING DIAMETER SHALL NOT EXCEED NINETY FEET THREE INCHES.   A house  coach
shall  not exceed forty-five feet in length, provided however, that if a
house coach exceeds forty feet in length, its wall-to-wall turning diam-
eter shall not exceed ninety feet three inches and moreover, such  house
coach  shall have permanently affixed to its body on the front passenger
side door jamb, a data-plate on which the house coach manufacturer indi-
cates the vehicle identification number and wall-to-wall  turning  diam-
eter  and  attests to the fact that the wall-to-wall turning diameter is
calculated in accordance with the Society of Automotive Engineers  J-695
Standard  as  such  standard  existed on June first, two thousand three,
regarding turning capability. In the event such a  house  coach  exceeds
either twenty-six thousand pounds gross vehicle weight rating, is great-
er than forty feet in length or exceeds both, the operator of such house

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04432-05-1
S. 999--A                           2

coach  must have a driver's license with a personal use vehicle endorse-
ment as set forth in subparagraph (vii) of paragraph (b) of  subdivision
two  of  section  five hundred one of [the] this chapter. This provision
shall not apply to any city not wholly included within one county except
such  house  coaches  and  fifth  wheel trailers used for non-commercial
purposes may be operated on that portion of interstate ninety-five which
connects interstate two hundred eighty-seven with interstate two hundred
ninety-five, that portion of interstate two  hundred  ninety-five  which
connects interstate ninety-five with interstate four hundred ninety-five
and  that  portion of interstate four hundred ninety-five between inter-
state ninety-five and the Nassau-Queens county line.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.