BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - In the wake of the 2018 limousine crash in Schoharie that resulted in the deaths of 20 people, Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill package that adds more safety to the limousine industry.
The changes include the requirement that any vehicle converted into a stretch limo in 2021 must have at least two seat belts in the front seat and one for every passenger in the rear. It will also require all stretch limousines to be retrofitted to include seatbelts by 2023.
READ MORE: 20 DEAD IN LIMOUSINE CRASH IN SCHOHARIE, NEW YORK
The law also requires new commercial driver's licenses for limo drivers, impoundment of defective limos, GPS requirements, customer service resources, drug and alcohol testing, and more.
"These far-reaching reforms deliver much-needed protections that will help keep dangerous vehicles off our roadways, crack down on businesses that do not prioritize safety and will give New Yorkers piece of mind when they enter a limo in this state," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "New York stands with those who lost loved one in the horrific crashes that inspired this legislation and I commend the family members who worked tirelessly to help pass these bills to help prevent future tragedies."
While the governor's office touted the passage of the bill, those within the industry said not much will really change and that the state should have enforced the laws they currently have rather than make new ones.
"Many of these laws that they put in place were already in place," Limousine, Bus, and Taxi Operators of Upstate New York President, Kevin Barwell, said. "They were laws already made and they just decided to make laws on top of laws."
Barwell said seatbelt requirements was already passed by the federal government and drivers are already required to have a commercial driver's license.
State Senator Tim Kennedy disagreed with Barwell that the laws were already on the books. He said that the bills passed set a precedent for the rest of the nation.
"These bills are really changing the way we're looking at safety in the entire industry," Kennedy said. "We're not done. We're just getting started. The list of changes we've made are vast but we always know there's more work to do. That's why we're creating a task force that's going to continue to examine limousine safety and safety programs."
A modified 2001 Ford Excursion blew through a stop sign at a T-intersection on Oct. 6 in rural Schoharie, New York, and crashed beside a country store, killing the driver, 17 passengers on a birthday outing and two pedestrians. Brake failure is what caused the crash according to an expert who was hired by the state.
The operator of the company involved in last fall's crash , Nauman Hussain, has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts each of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree manslaughter. His trial will begin in March.
Barwell said Schoharie tragedy could have been avoided if the state enforced its laws and impounded the vehicle after it was pulled over multiple times for not having an updated inspection.
"Stretch limousines have been a dying breed for the past few years and this probably just put the nail in the coffin," Barwell said. "You probably won't see a lot of those vehicles out anymore and you won't have to worry about any of this.
Since the tragedy, Schoharie said there hasn't been many concerns from people looking to rent a limo at his company.
He credited the legislation for helping to get the bad operators out of the limousine industry. However, Barwell also said that the legislation has added a further cost for insurance on businesses who are compliant and said some may shut down because of the law.
"Our industry is very much out for safety and very much out for making sure that the operators who are on the road operate legitimately and operate in a safe fashion. We hope that the state looks along with not only the regulators but also the private industry to create laws that work effectively for everybody. Going forward (we hope) it's a positive environment instead of any other issues. It was a tragic accident and we've talked to some of the families. We can't imagine what they're going through with losing a child."
He reminds customers to search for quality operators instead of the cheapest.