N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 20 § 534.4

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 17, April 24, 2024
Section 534.4 - Refunds and credits for omnibus carriers engaged in local transit service

Tax Law, § 1119(b)

(a)Definitions.
(1)Omnibus carrier. For purposes of this section, an omnibus carrier is a carrier that provides local transit service in this State and that operates pursuant to a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Commissioner of Transportation of this State or by a like officer or agency of the United States or pursuant to a contract, franchise, or consent between the carrier and a city in this State having a population of more than one million inhabitants, or any agency of such city.
(2)Omnibus. For purposes of this section, an omnibus is a motor vehicle with a seating capacity of more than seven passengers used for the transportation of passengers for hire. Such term does not include a taxicab.
(3)Local transit service. For the purposes of this section, local transit service means a mass transit service (as distinguished from a charter, contract, school bus, sight-seeing or other service) provided by an omnibus carrier in which passengers are carried by omnibuses from one point in this State to another point in this State and in performance of which the omnibuses either:
(i) regularly pick up or discharge passengers at their convenience or at bus stops on the street or highway, as distinguished from buildings or facilities used for bus terminals or stations; or
(ii) pick up and discharge passengers at bus terminals or stations, the distance between which is not more than 75 miles, measured along the route traveled by the bus.

Example 1:

Buses of the X Company operate, pursuant to a certificate of convenience and necessity from the Commissioner of Transportation, from a terminal in the city of A to a station in the city of B, proceed to a station in the city of C and continue to a terminal in the city of D. All of the cities and all of the mileage are within the State of New York. The distance along the route traveled from A to B is 80 miles, from B to C is 80 miles and from C to D is 60 miles. Between A and B these buses pick up and discharge passengers at stops along the highway, but they do not do this between B and C and C and D. Between A and B and C and D these buses are operated in local transit service, but not between B and C.

Example 2:

Buses of the Y Company operate from a terminal in A, a city within the State of New York, to a terminal in B, a city outside the State of New York. Between the terminal in A and the State boundary, the buses do not pick up or discharge any passengers. These buses are not being operated in local transit service because they are not carrying passengers from one point in this State to another point in this State.

Example 3:

Buses of the Z Company operate from a terminal in A to a station in B and proceed to a terminal in C. Cities A and C are in New York State and city B is outside of New York State. The distance between each of the cities along the route traveled is 20 miles. The company carries passengers from city A to cities B and C. The buses will be considered as operating in local transit service since the total distance between points A and C is less than 75 miles, even though the distance from A to C includes some mileage outside of the State.

Example 4:

Assume the facts in example 3, except that the distance between each of the cities is 40 miles. The buses will not be considered as operating in local transit service, since the total distance between points A and C is greater than 75 miles. The fact that the company carries passengers from city A to city B, a distance of 40 miles does not qualify such carriage as a local transit service because it is not between two points within the State of New York.

(4)Vehicle mileage.Vehicle mileage means the number of miles run by all omnibuses operated by a carrier in the performance of local transit service plus the number of idle miles run to the point at which service begins and from the point at which such service terminates. Such mileage includes only miles operated within New York State.
(5)Total mileage operated.Total mileage operated includes the vehicle mileage computed in paragraph (4) of this subdivision, plus the number of miles operated in charter service, school contract service, other contract service, excursion service, sight-seeing service, and all other passenger service which is not included within the meaning of vehicle mileage. Such mileage includes only miles operated within New York State.
(6) Local transit service percentage.
(i) The local transit service percentage is the proportion that the carrier's vehicle mileage operated in local transit service, as defined in paragraph (4) of this subdivision, bears to the carrier's total mileage operated in this State, as defined in paragraph (5) of this subdivision, for the calendar year immediately preceding the end of the quarterly return period to which such refund or credit relates.
(ii) Special computation for the first four quarterly returns of an omnibus carrier not engaged in local transit service in the preceding calendar year. Such a carrier shall compute the local transit service percentage by determining the proportion that the vehicle mileage operated in local transit service in this State in the first three months of operation bears to the total mileage operated in this State in such period.

Example 5:

Under the facts of Example 3 set forth in paragraph (3) of this subdivision, omnibus carrier Z operates its buses for 65,000 miles. Of this number of miles, 17,500 miles are between the terminal in city A and the station in city B, of which 1,000 miles are operated outside of New York State. 17,500 miles are operated between the station in city B and the terminal in city C, of which 4,000 miles are operated outside of the State. 15,000 miles are operated in school bus contract service in New York State and 15,000 miles are operated in charter service in New York State. Vehicle mileage consists of 30,000 miles which is composed of the 16,500 miles traveled in New York State between cities A and B and the 13,500 miles traveled in New York State between cities B and C. Total mileage consists of 60,000 miles which is all of the miles operated except the 5,000 miles operated out of the State. The local transit service percentage is 50 percent (the percentage that 30,000 miles bears to 60,000 miles).

(b)Allowability of refund or credit of tax paid.
(1) An omnibus carrier engaged in local transit service is allowed a refund or credit of tax paid with respect to the purchase, lease, or use of an omnibus.
(2)
(i) An omnibus carrier engaged in local transit service is allowed a refund or credit of tax paid with respect to its purchase or use of motor fuel or diesel motor fuel, parts, equipment (including supplies) actually used or consumed only on or in omnibuses and with respect to its purchase of maintenance services or repairs actually performed on an omnibus.
(ii) The following lists of equipment and supplies are intended to indicate the scope of items applicable to omnibus carriers covered by section 1119(b) of the Tax Law. These lists are not all inclusive.
(a) Items of equipment, and of supplies that are eligible for refund or credit of tax paid are:
(1) grease, lubricating oils and fluids, and anti-freeze;
(2) first aid kits;
(3) fire extinguishers;
(4) fare boxes; and
(5) sanitary supplies and chemicals,

provided such items are actually used or consumed only on or in omnibuses.

(b) Items of equipment, and of supplies that are not eligible for refund or credit of tax paid are:
(1) repair trucks and supervisory vehicles, and fuel; parts, and lubricants used in the operation, maintenance and repair of such vehicles;
(2) tools and equipment used in garages;
(3) office, terminal and station equipment, furniture and fixtures;
(4) log books; and
(5) tickets.
(iii) If parts, equipment, or fuel are purchased and placed in inventory, a refund or credit will be allowed for the quarter in which purchased if they are actually used or consumed on omnibuses in such quarter, or if a statement is furnished by the carrier that such items will actually be used or consumed only on or in omnibuses.

Example 6:

An omnibus carrier purchases log books, desks, and chairs for a waiting room, 20,000 gallons of motor fuel, 20 carburetors, and is charged by a local garage for 200 hours of service. Omnibuses of the carrier use 15,000 gallons of motor fuel, require 15 carburetors, and 150 hours of service time. Repair vehicles use 3,000 gallons of motor fuel, require 3 carburetors and 30 hours of service time. Supervisors' cars require 2,000 gallons of motor fuel, 2 carburetors and 20 hours of service time. The only purchases eligible for a refund or credit are those actually used on or consumed in the operation or repair of the omnibus itself. Accordingly, only the cost of 15,000 gallons of motor fuel, 15 carburetors and 150 hours of service time is eligible for refund or credit of tax paid. The cost of the remaining motor fuel, carburetors, hours of service time, log books, desks and chairs is not eligible.

(c)Determination of amount of refund or credit.

The refund or credit is determined in accordance with the following table:

If the local transit service percentage is:The refund or credit is:
Less than 10 percentNone
10 percent10 percent of the combined State and local taxes paid
Greater than 10 percent but less then 70 percent10 percent plus the product of 1.5 times each whole percent in excess of 10 percent of the combined State and local taxes paid
70 percent or more100 percent of the combined State and local taxes paid

Example 7:

Under the facts of example 5, set forth in paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of this section, it was determined that the local transit service percentage of omnibus carrier Z is 50 percent. Omnibus carrier Z is entitled to a refund of 70 percent of the tax paid on items eligible for such refund or credit, computed as follows:

initial 10%= 10% +
40% × 1.5= 60%
Total70%

(d)Application for credit or refund.

An application for refund or credit must be filed with the Department of Taxation and Finance and must cover a period of not less than three months. (For the administrative provisions on applying for credit or refund, see section 534.2 of this Part.)

(e)Records to be maintained.
(1) An omnibus carrier must maintain records relating to its purchases or rentals of all omnibuses, parts, equipment (including supplies), motor fuel or diesel motor fuel, maintenance services or repairs, purchased and used in the operation of its omnibuses which disclose:
(i) the vendor's name;
(ii) the invoice number;
(iii) the invoice date;
(iv) the amount of the purchase;
(v) the amount of the sales tax paid on the invoice; and
(vi) a brief description of the item(s) purchased.
(2) An omnibus carrier must maintain records which disclose:
(i) vehicle mileage operated in local transit service in this State;
(ii) number of miles operated in the State that qualify as charter service, school contract service, excursion service, sight-seeing service, and other passenger service not included within the meaning of vehicle mileage in local transit service; and
(iii) total mileage operated within the State.

Cross-reference:

Application for and use of direct payment permits by omnibus carriers see section 532.5(h) of this Title.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 20 § 534.4