New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he still wants a ban of some sort on certain stretch limousines in the wake of the October crash in Schoharie that killed 20 people. Earlier this month, the Democrat dropped a proposed ban on stretch limos from his state budget proposal.
The Democrat told WAMC Thursday that there is a healthy discussion about what constitutes a “safe” stretch limo.
“We’re not looking to ban all stretch limousines,” Cuomo said. “It’s those stretch limousines that may be dangerous because of how the work was actually done.”
Limousine operators from around the state voiced opposition to Cuomo’s original proposal. A number of legislative proposals aimed at addressing limo safety have been introduced since the October 6th crash. A 2001 SUV stretch limo crashed into an embankment in rural Schoharie, killing all 18 people on board and two bystanders. State police have charged the operator of Prestige Limousine with criminally negligent homicide. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
