N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law § 509-m: Duties of the department

§ 509-m. Duties of the department. The department of motor vehicles

shall:

1. At least once every three years, review the bus driver files of

each motor carrier, provided, however, that the commissioner may review

such bus driver files at his discretion at any other time during regular

business hours. Provided, however, that the commissioner shall review at

least annually the bus driver files of each driver employed by a motor

carrier who operates an altered motor vehicle commonly referred to as a

"stretch limousine" designed to carry nine or more passengers including

the driver pursuant to operating authority issued by the commissioner of

transportation, and annually verify whether each such driver holds a

valid driver's license valid for the operation of such altered motor

vehicle.

2. Establish regulations and forms for the orderly administration of

and compliance with this article. Regulations shall also be established

which are necessary for implementation of the process for appeal

pursuant to subdivision two of section five hundred nine-d of this

article.

3. Provide each motor carrier with notice whenever one of the drivers

of such motor carrier has received revocation or suspension of a

driver's license, learner's permit or privilege to operate.

4. Provide a motor carrier who has complied with the requirements of

subdivision four of section five hundred nine-i of this article with

information on any employee of the motor carrier regarding a conviction

for a violation of this chapter.

5. Upon receipt of the criminal history record report of a school bus

driver, notify the motor carrier of disqualification of an applicant or

school bus driver which would or could disqualify such driver under the

provisions of section five hundred nine-cc of this article. Notification

to the carrier shall be without specification of the grounds for

disqualification, those grounds to be made available only to the school

bus driver or his or her representative.

6. In order to effectuate the provisions of this article, establish

procedures, by regulation, to conduct curbside verification of bus

driver and motor carrier identity to determine whether or not such motor

carrier has notified the commissioner of the bus driver's employment as

required by subdivision four of section five hundred nine-d of this

article and whether or not such motor carrier has compiled with the

provisions of this article and with any regulations promulgated

thereunder; provided, however, such verifications shall be conducted so

as not to disrupt the flow of traffic or endanger public safety.

7. The commissioner shall prepare and distribute a form for the

provision of objective data concerning the driving history of a bus

driver who is subject to regulation under this article. Such form shall

be completed by current or former employers of such bus drivers upon the

request of a prospective or subsequent employer.

8. Maintain and annually update its website to provide information

with regard to each motor carrier that operates altered motor vehicles

commonly referred to as "stretch limousines" designed to carry nine or

more passengers including the driver pursuant to operating authority

issued by the commissioner of transportation that includes the motor

carrier's name, location and region of operation including place of

address, whether such motor carrier is in compliance with this article

as required by section five hundred nine-j of this article in relation

to the operation of such altered motor vehicles, the number and nature

of violations of this article resulting in convictions of such motor

carrier in relation to the operation of such altered motor vehicles, the

number of miles traveled by such altered motor vehicles operated by such

motor carrier in the preceding twelve months, and, with respect to

drivers employed by such motor carrier operating such altered motor

vehicles, the total number so employed, the number holding valid

licenses which are valid for the operation of such altered motor

vehicles, the number which lack licenses valid for such operation, the

number disqualified from operating such altered motor vehicles, the

number of convictions and accidents involving any such driver employed

by such motor carrier during the preceding twelve months, and the number

of convictions and accidents per ten thousand miles traveled.

9. In coordination with the commissioner of transportation and the

superintendent of state police, establish and regularly update the form

and content of a pre-trip safety briefing for motor carriers that

operate altered motor vehicles commonly referred to as "stretch

limousines", designed to carry nine or more passengers including the

driver pursuant to operating authority issued by the commissioner of

transportation, which motor carriers shall provide to passengers prior

to transporting such passengers for hire in such stretch limousines.