Simplifying Compliance with New York's Article 19-A

For the passenger motor carriers who run in the state of New York, Article 19-A is a pain to manage. There is a lot of redundancy to the FMCSA Driver Qualification File but 19-A has more records and strict requirements to use their exact forms and capture wet signatures. An ink signature requirement makes implementing a technology solution hard. There are only so many hours in the day so it hurts when you’re forced to spend time on paper pushing for regulatory compliance rather than what truly matters: the safety of your drivers.

AvatarFleet set out to help motor carriers adhere to these regulations while modernizing what is possible with the constraints presented by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles Bus Driver Unit. That's why we're introducing our new 19-A Module. Let's explore the path that led us to this point.

The Origin of Article 19-A

A Tragic Catalyst

The inception of Article 19-A traces back to a heart-breaking accident in 1972, where a collision between a school bus and train claimed the lives of five children and injured over 40. This incident prompted New York State to take action by implementing strict regulations on passenger motor carriers.

A Push for Greater Enforcement

Fast forward to 2018, an New York state audit revealed a need for stricter enforcement and accountability, resulting in a doubling of fines the following year. If you thought the enforcement has been more strict since 2019, it has. There has been no public report since 2019 but our clients have told us the stricter enforcement trend has continued.

The Problems We Saw That Needed a Solution

Bridging the Digital Divide

AvatarFleet set out to create a bridge between a digital solution to automate as far as possible and still adhere to the wet signature requirements. We compared our passenger motor carrier client experiences with direct conversations and emails with the New York Department of Motor Vehicles Bus Driver Unit to determine how to craft the right solution.

Crafting Digital Compliance

Our approach was simple—recreate compliant forms in a digital format that mirrored their physical counterparts. The DMV made it very clear the output needed to exactly fit the PDFs available for download on their website. So we replicated them and pre-populated all known information for you to print.

Introducing the 19-A Module and How to Use

A Seamless Setup

Implementing the 19-A Module is straightforward. With a few clicks in their A-Suite account, you can activate this feature and then enter in your company information for the last time so it will pre-populate on all future forms. Then, you can print the record to have your driver (and Certified Examiner when necessary) complete and sign the record. Our goal is always to be “zero paper,” but in the case of 19-A, the wet signature requirement forced a pre-fill and print solution. This module lets you capture the efficiencies of a digital world while still ensuring that you satisfy the requirements.

Scenarios of Application

The module shines in two key areas—onboarding new drivers and managing ongoing compliance tasks, such as biannual road tests. The process of downloading, printing, and re-uploading signed forms has been designed to be as efficient as possible, significantly reducing administrative burdens.

The Digital Advantage

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the 19-A Module is its emphasis on digital record-keeping. In an era where data is king, having digital access to compliance records not only aids in organization but also ensures readiness for any audits or inspections that may arise.

How to Get Started

To get started, simply follow the steps in AvatarFleet's  19-A Knowledge Base article.

Enjoy the time savings of this 19-A Module so you can automate compliance and focus on what's important: the safety of your drivers.