48:4-2.1f - Bus safety out-of-service violations; schedule, sanctions established

48:4-2.1f  Bus safety out-of-service violations; schedule, sanctions established.

4. a. The commission shall establish by regulation, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), a schedule of bus safety out-of-service violations and applicable sanctions and penalties for buses operating with bus safety out-of-service violations.  The regulations shall promote uniformity with national safety standards. The regulations shall establish penalties for category 1 and category 2 safety violations which shall be proportional with the severity of such violations as determined by the commission.  The bus operator shall be responsible for all penalties.

b.The schedule of bus safety out-of-service violations shall establish and specify those violations which the commission determines to be category 1 violations, and shall further establish and specify the monetary civil penalty for category 1 violations.  The monetary civil penalties established and specified by the commission in the schedule shall be proportional to the nature, severity and repetition of the violation.  The minimum monetary civil penalty for a category 1 violation shall be $300 and the maximum monetary civil penalty for a category 1 violation shall be $5,000.

c.The schedule of bus safety out-of-service violations shall establish and specify those violations which the commission determines to be category 2 violations, and shall further establish and specify the monetary civil penalty for category 2 violations.  The monetary civil penalties established and specified by the commission in the schedule shall be proportional to the nature, severity and repetition of the violation.  The maximum monetary civil penalty for a category 2 violation shall be $500.

L.1995,c.225,s.4; amended 2003, c.13, s.95.
 
48:4-2.1g.Evidence of appropriate insurance; holding, impoundment of vehicle
5. In addition to any other penalties provided by law, when a bus is operated on public highways or in public places in this State, without satisfactory evidence of appropriate insurance as required by statute or regulation, that vehicle may be immediately placed out-of-service and held or impounded by law enforcement authorities or the department.  The vehicle may be held or impounded until evidence of appropriate insurance for that vehicle is on file with the department or the bus owner or operator otherwise meets applicable statutes or regulations governing same.

L.1995,c.225,s.5.
 
48:4-2.1h.Bus safety out-of-service violation; holding, impoundment of vehicle6. In addition to any other penalties provided by law, when a bus is operated on public highways or in public places in this State, with a bus safety out-of-service violation, whether in interstate or intrastate commerce, whether registered or not in this or any other jurisdiction, that vehicle may be immediately placed out-of-service and held or impounded by law enforcement authorities or the department.  The vehicle may be held or impounded until appropriate repairs are made on-site or until towed by the owner or operator to an appropriate repair facility, maintenance garage or otherwise, so that repairs of all bus safety out-of-service violations can be made.  The vehicle shall not be operated in this State until the defects are remediated and such remedial action is either certified or approved by the department.

L.1995,c.225,s.6.