Vieux Carré bus limitations.

New Orleans City Code § 162-942

in effect

Sec. 162-942. - Vieux Carré bus limitations. (a) It shall be unlawful for any bus having an overall length longer than 31 feet to use any street within the Vieux Carré, except as provided for in the rules and regulations promulgated under subsection (d) of this section. (b) Those buses with an overall length in excess of 20 feet and not greater than 31 feet may use the streets of the Vieux Carré as provided for in this section. For the purposes of this section a bus shall be defined as any road bus, tour bus or tour vehicle, excluding limousines and taxicabs. (c) For the purposes of this section, Vieux Carré shall mean the area within the lake side of North Peters Street, the center line of Decatur Street between Conti Street and St. Philip Street, the downriver side of Esplanade Avenue, the river side of North Rampart Street and the downriver side of Canal Street. Therefore, all buses, regardless of the overall length, shall be permitted to use North Rampart Street, Canal Street, North Peters Street, and the river side of Decatur Street between Conti Street and St. Philip Street. (d) A properly licensed CPNC bus having an overall length in excess of 20 feet and not greater than 31 feet shall be permitted to use routes in the Vieux Carré as recommended by the director of the department of public works and approved by the city council. The director of public works shall, within 135 days of the adoption of this ordinance (Ordinance Number 17,558 M.C.S., as amended by Ordinance Number 17,727 M.C.S.), promulgate such rules and regulations, in compliance with section 2-1000 of the City Code, as enacted by Ordinance Number 17,611 M.C.S., necessary to enforce the provisions of this section. Such rules and regulations shall become effective, in accordance with section 4-107(3)(d) of the Home Rule Charter, only after approval by the city council, after review and recommendation by the council's ground transportation committee or its successor. No bus operator while loading or unloading passengers shall be permitted to idle the bus engine longer than ten minutes. Further, no bus shall be allowed to stop in one place for a period in excess of 15 minutes. (e) A violation by a CPNC holder or its driver of any of the regulations set forth in this section shall result in a fine and/or suspension or revocation of the CPNC according to the following: (1) First violation in any 12-month period shall result in a fine of not less than $200.00 nor more than $500.00, to be determined by a duly authorized hearing examiner following a hearing on the matter. (2) Second violation in any 12-month period shall result in a fine of $500.00 and/or suspension of the CPNC for a minimum period of one month and a maximum period of six months, to be determined by a duly authorized hearing examiner following a hearing on the matter. (3) Third violation in any 12-month period shall result in a fine of $500.00 and suspension of the CPNC for a minimum period of three months and a maximum period of 12 months, to be determined by a duly authorized hearing examiner following a hearing on the matter. (4) Fourth violation in any 12-month period shall result in the revocation of the CPNC. If another violation takes place during the revocation period, an additional period of 12 months shall be added to the revocation period for each violation. Prior to such revocation, the CPNC holder shall be entitled to a hearing on the matter before a duly authorized hearing examiner. (f) A violation by a bus driver or company who is not a CPNC holder of any of the regulations set forth in this section shall result in a fine and/or imprisonment and additional actions by the city according to the following: (1) First violation shall result in a fine of not less than $200.00 and the department of public works' nonapproval of any CPNC application made by the offending driver or the offending company for a three-month period from the date of the violation. (2) Second violation shall result in a fine of not less than $400.00 and imprisonment for not more than three months and the department of public works' nonapproval of any CPNC application made by the offending driver or the offending company for a six-month period from the date of the violation. (3) Third violation shall result in a fine of not less than $500.00 and imprisonment for not less than 30 days. Thirty days or more of public service in the Vieux Carré and adjacent areas may be substituted for the days of imprisonment. Further, the department of public works shall not consider any CPNC application or issue any CPNC to the offending driver or the offending company for a period of nine months from the date of the violation. (4) Four or more violations shall result in a fine of not less than $500.00 and imprisonment for not less than 60 days for each violation. Sixty days or more of public service in the Vieux Carré and adjacent areas may be substituted for the days of imprisonment. Further, the department of public works shall not consider any CPNC application or issue any CPNC to the offending company for a period of 12 months from the date of the violation. Further, if more than four violations take place, an additional 12-month nonapproval period shall be added for each violation to the original period during which time no CPNC application shall be considered or issued. (g) The director of the department of public works shall make such administrative regulations which may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section; such regulations shall become effective upon approval of the city council after review and recommendation by the council's ground transportation committee or its successor. (Code 1956, § 12-250; M.C.S., Ord. No. 17,558, § 1, 6-6-96; M.C.S., Ord. No. 17,727, § 1, 8-15-96; M.C.S., Ord. No. 17,789, § 1, 10-3-96; M.C.S., Ord. No. 17,823, § 1, 10-17-96; M.C.S., Ord. No. 21480, § 5, 4-1-04; M.C.S., Ord. No. 25795, § 1, 4-24-14; M.C.S., Ord. No. 28624, § 2, 3-11-21)

Source: City of New Orleans, Code of Ordinances and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH162VEHI_ARTIXTOVEBU_DIV2RE_S162-942VICABULIFetched: 10/28/2026