Section 19-504.3. Conditions of operation relating to commuter vans

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  any  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
  including,  but  not  limited  to,  records  of requests for service and
  trips. 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.