New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 17 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Chapter VI - Transportation Regulations
Subchapter D - Motor Carriers Of Passengers
Article 1 - Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity and Permits
Part 700 - Transportation Of Special Or Chartered Parties
Section 700.1 - Definitions

(a) Bus line--as defined in section 2, subdivision 3 of the Transportation Law.

(b) Bus company--as defined in section 2, subdivision 2 of the Transportation Law.

(c) Certificate of public convenience and necessity--authority to operate as a common carrier granted pursuant to section 153 of the Transportation Law.

(d) Temporary certificate of public convenience and necessity--temporary authority to operate a bus line granted pursuant to section 149(5) of the Transportation Law.

(e) Authorized bus service--service provided by a bus company pursuant to a certificate of public convenience and necessity or a temporary certificate of public convenience and necessity.

(f) Permit--authority to operate as a contract carrier of passengers by motor vehicle.

(g) Regular route--a route over which a bus company operates a bus line pursuant to a certificate of public convenience and necessity or a temporary certificate of public convenience and necessity.

(h) Regular route point--a city or town served on a regular route. It shall include additional territory as follows:

(i) Chartered party--a group of persons who, pursuant to a common purpose and under a single contract and at a fixed charge, have acquired exclusive use of a passenger-carrying motor vehicle to travel together as a group to a specific destination or for a particular itinerary, either agreed upon in advance or modified by the chartered group after having left the place of origin. Carriers shall not transport chartered parties between the same points or along the same routes so frequently as to constitute bus line, van service or sightseeing service.

(j) Special party--a group of persons transported under individual fares or charges in a passenger-carrying motor vehicle used exclusively for the transportation of such group of persons to a specific destination or for a particular itinerary as determined by the carrier in round-trip transportation. Carriers shall not transport special parties between the same points or along the same routes so frequently as to constitute bus line, van service or sightseeing service.

(k) Sightseeing service is common carriage and means transportation for a group of persons on an individual or group fare basis, on a frequent prepublished schedule, from specified pickup points to a point or various points of interest and return to said pickup points, usually distinguished by the services of an escort for explanatory services.