Lawmakers in New York City are hard at work at passing bills that would significantly increase the fines truckers would have to pay for parking in the wrong place.
One bill working its way through the New York State Senate, S3215, would allow for a large increase in fines for truck drivers who are caught parking overnight in residential areas in New York City.
The bill would allow for an increase of the fine for a first time offense from $250 to $400. A trucker caught parking in a residential area overnight twice in a six month period would be subject to pay $800 instead of the current $500 amount. Lawmakers say that the increased fines will cause truck drivers to “think twice before parking on residential streets, enhancing the quality of life for residents of Southeast Queens.”
The bill has passed the House but still must make it through the Assembly before it could be signed into law.
Another bill also making its way through the New York State Senate, S2761, would create a fine where none currently exists for semi trucks found “parked or unattended” on city streets.
Current law only allows the truck to be towed off the street, but if the bill passes, truck owners would be responsible not only for the towing fee but they would also face a $1000 fine.
From the text of the bill:
“Currently, the owners or operators of illegally parked tractor-trailers or semitrailers are not fined. The owners can retrieve their vehicles by simply paying a $160 towing fee. For many tractor-trailer owners or operators, this $16o is a small price to pay compared to what it can cost to legally park a tractor-trailer in a city. The unfortunate result is that residents of many city neighborhoods who must endure crowded, exhaust filled streets are penalized while tractor trailer owners or operators – undeterred by a relatively small towing fee – flagrantly violate the law. A $1,000 fine for tractor-trailers that are illegally parked overnight would help to encourage the legal parking of these vehicles and help maintain the quality of life in our city neighbor- hoods. “
S2761 has also passed in the House and must pass through the Assembly to become law.
Both bills are sponsored by New York State Senator Leroy Comrie.