N.Y. Educ. Law § 3635-c

§ 3635-c. Standing passengers prohibited. Standing passengers shall\nnot be carried on school buses owned by or contracted to a school\ndistrict while such vehicles are employed exclusively for the\ntransportation of pupils under the age of twenty-one and teachers and\nother persons acting in a supervisory capacity to or from school or\nschool activities, except as provided in subdivision one or two of this\nsection:\n 1. Standing passengers may be permitted on such a school bus provided\nthat the number of standing passengers does not exceed the limit\nestablished in the following schedule for the applicable time period:\n Period: Not more than:\nThrough June 30, 2001 20% of approved seating capacity\nBetween July 1, 2001 and 15% of approved seating capacity\n June 30, 2002\nBetween July 1, 2002 and 10% of approved seating capacity\n June 30, 2003\nBetween July 1, 2003 and 5% of approved seating capacity\n June 30, 2004\n 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the\ncontrary, standing passengers may be permitted without limitation as to\nnumber during the first ten days of session in each school year, and in\ncircumstances where a breakdown, accident, or other unforeseen\noccurrence necessitates the transportation of standing passengers.\n 3. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to restrict\nthe power of a city with a population of one million or more to adopt\nand enforce local laws that comply with at least the minimum applicable\nstandards set forth in this section.\n