169.306 USE OF SHOULDERS BY BUSES.
(a) The commissioner of transportation may permit the use by transit buses and metro
mobility buses of a shoulder of a freeway or expressway, as defined in section
160.02, in the
seven-county metropolitan area.
(b) If the commissioner permits the use of a freeway or expressway shoulder by transit buses,
the commissioner shall also permit the use on that shoulder of a bus with a seating capacity of
40 passengers or more operated by a motor carrier of passengers, as defined in section
221.011,
subdivision 48
, while operating in intrastate commerce.
(c) Buses authorized to use the shoulder under this section may be operated on the shoulder
only when main line traffic speeds are less than 35 miles per hour. Drivers of buses being operated
on the shoulder may not exceed the speed of main line traffic by more than 15 miles per hour and
may never exceed 35 miles per hour. Drivers of buses being operated on the shoulder must yield
to merging, entering, and exiting traffic and must yield to other vehicles on the shoulder. Buses
operated on the shoulder must be registered with the Department of Transportation.
(d) For the purposes of this section, the term "metro mobility bus" means a motor vehicle
of not less than 20 feet in length engaged in providing special transportation services under
section
473.386 that is:
(1) operated by the Metropolitan Council, or operated by a public or private entity receiving
financial assistance from the Metropolitan Council; and
(2) authorized by the council to use freeway or expressway shoulders.
History: 2002 c 364 s 10; 2005 c 51 s 1