Proof of financial responsibility; carriers of railroad workers

A. This Section shall apply to persons, firms, corporations, or contract carriers who are in the for-hire business of providing transportation services on the highways of this state for railroad workers in the course of their employment. B. It shall be unlawful for any for-hire person, firm, corporation, or contract carrier to operate any motor vehicle along or upon any public street or highway in any parish, incorporated city, town, or village in this state for the carriage of passengers employed by or contracting as workers for a railroad company in the course of their employment unless such for-hire person, firm, corporation, or contract carrier has given, and there is in full force and effect and on file with the office of motor vehicles of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, proof of financial responsibility pursuant to Subsection C of this Section. C. When a vehicle that is designed to carry fifteen or fewer passengers is used by a for-hire person, firm, corporation, or contract carrier to transport passengers who are employed by or who are contracting as workers for a railroad company in the course of their employment, that for-hire person, firm, corporation, or contract carrier shall, as proof of financial responsibility, maintain and be able to show verification of hit and run, uninsured, and underinsured motor vehicle coverage in a total amount of not less than five hundred thousand dollars per passenger. D. (1) Whenever the owner of a for-hire carrier used to transport railroad workers is found in violation of this Section, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles, shall send the owner a "Notice of Violation" within thirty days of the violation. The notice shall inform the owner that noncompliance with the provisions of this Section shall subject the registration of the carrier vehicle to suspension. (2) The office of motor vehicles shall adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, subject to oversight by the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and public works as are necessary regarding the regulation and enforcement of this Section. This authority shall include the assessment of fees and fines in accordance with this Section. (3) In the event that the driver and the owner are not the same person, the driver shall not be responsible for violations of this Section. E. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any railroad company using vehicles owned by the railroad company and operated by railroad employees to transport railroad employees in the course of their employment.