A 8831: Relates to the operation of three-wheeled vehicles; removes requirement that such vehicles have two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in the rear.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8831 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY June 9, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the opera- tion of a three-wheeled vehicle The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subparagraphs (iv) and (vii) of paragraph (a) of subdivi- 2 sion 2 of section 501 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by 3 chapter 25 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows: 4 (iv) Class D. Such license shall be valid to operate any passenger or 5 limited use automobile or any truck with a GVWR of not more than twen- 6 ty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR 7 of not more than ten thousand pounds, or any such vehicle towing another 8 vehicle with a GVWR of more than ten thousand pounds provided such 9 combination of vehicles has a GCWR of not more than twenty-six thousand 10 pounds, or any personal use vehicle with a GVWR of not more than twen- 11 ty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR 12 of not more than ten thousand pounds, except it shall not be valid to 13 operate a tractor, a motorcycle other than a class B or C limited use 14 motorcycle, a vehicle used to transport passengers for hire or for which 15 a hazardous materials endorsement is required, or a vehicle defined as a 16 bus in subdivision one of section five hundred nine-a of this title. 17 Such license also shall be valid to operate a three-wheeled motor vehi- 18 cle that has [two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in the 19 rear, has] a steering mechanism and seating which does not require the 20 operator to straddle or sit astride, is equipped with safety belts for 21 all occupants and is manufactured to comply with federal motor vehicle 22 safety standards for motorcycles including, but not limited to, 49 23 C.F.R. part 571. 24 (vii) Class M. Such license shall be valid to operate any motorcycle, 25 or any motorcycle, other than a limited use motorcycle, towing a trail- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13286-01-5 
 A. 8831 2 1 er. Such license also shall be valid to operate a three-wheeled motor 2 vehicle that has [two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in the 3 rear, has] a steering mechanism and seating which does not require the 4 operator to straddle or sit astride, is equipped with safety belts for 5 all occupants and is manufactured to comply with federal motor vehicle 6 safety standards for motorcycles including, but not limited to, 49 7 C.F.R. part 571. 8 § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 4 of section 502 of the vehicle and 9 traffic law, as amended by chapter 379 of the laws of 2022, is amended 10 to read as follows: 11 (b) Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in para- 12 graph (a) of this subdivision which shall include an alcohol and drug 13 education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a 14 "Road Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of this 15 subdivision, a "Work Zone Safety" awareness component as described in 16 paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision, a "Motorcycle Safety" awareness 17 component as described in paragraph (c-3) of this subdivision, a "School 18 Bus Safety" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-4) of this 19 subdivision, and a "Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety" awareness component 20 as described in paragraph (c-5) of this subdivision, the commissioner 21 shall cause the applicant to take a road test in a representative vehi- 22 cle of a type prescribed by the commissioner which shall be appropriate 23 to the type of license for which application is made, except that the 24 commissioner may waive the road test requirements for certain classes of 25 applicants. Provided, however, that the term "representative vehicle" 26 shall not include a three-wheeled motor vehicle that has [two wheels 27 situated in the front and one wheel in the rear, has] a steering mech- 28 anism and seating which does not require the operator to straddle or sit 29 astride, is equipped with safety belts for all occupants and is manufac- 30 tured to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards for motorcy- 31 cles including, but not limited to, 49 C.F.R. part 571. The commissioner 32 shall have the power to establish a program to allow persons other than 33 employees of the department to conduct road tests in representative 34 vehicles when such tests are required for applicants to obtain a class 35 A, B or C license. If [she] the commissioner chooses to do so, [she] the 36 commissioner shall set forth [her] their reasons in writing and conduct 37 a public hearing on the matter. [She] The commmissioner shall only 38 establish such a program after holding the public hearing. 39 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.