Albany County, NY Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- 6-14-1993, Res. No. 142-1993
- Contract taxi fee
- $500/month + $500 per access card (min. 15)
- Limo/charter access card
- $125 for 100 trips
- Limo curbside space
- $1,000/year per vehicle space
- Hotel/motel van fee
- $500/vehicle/year
- Off-Airport rental car card
- $525 for 100 trips
- Off-Airport shuttle fee
- $5,000/vehicle/year, unlimited trips
Summary
Commercial vehicles picking up or dropping off passengers at Albany County Airport must buy an access card or lease curbside space under Code § 357-2. Taxis, limousines, hotel shuttles, and off-Airport rental-car and parking-lot shuttles each pay a different published fee to use the loading/unloading zone, and medallions are required for identification.
The County Legislature hereby authorizes the imposition of access fees for commercial operators and vehicles and vehicles for hire to access the new loading and unloading zone to be established for their use as follows: ... B. Luxury limousine and charter party carriers... Luxury limousine and charter party carriers will be required to purchase an access card which permits 100 entrances to the commercial vehicle loading/unloading zone. The cost of the card will be $125 as follows: $1 per trip x 100 trips $100, Deposit on the access card $25, Total initial cost $125... Some luxury limousine and charter party carriers may still desire curbside access. The airport will charge $1,000 per year per vehicle parking space... Any luxury limousine and charter party carrier not bearing a medallion will be directed to the public parking areas.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4022468; v11 updated 2024-07-21).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 357, § 357-2, adopted June 14, 1993 by Resolution No. 142-1993, lets the County Legislature charge commercial ground-transportation operators for access to the Airport's loading and unloading zone rather than leaving curbside pickup unregulated. The fee structure is tiered by vehicle type. A contract taxi/passenger-stage company that guarantees at least 15 vehicles pays a $500 monthly rental fee and must buy at least 15 access cards at $500 each, with 15 bonus trips built in; a card reader debits $1 per trip, and the Airport notifies the company once a card reaches $450 in debits, deactivating it when credits run out.
Independent taxi and passenger-stage operators stage separately and are offered the same $500 card and 15-trip bonus. Luxury limousine and charter-party carriers buy a $125 access card good for 100 entrances ($1 per trip plus a $25 deposit), or, if they want dedicated curbside space, pay $1,000 per year per vehicle parking space and must display a County-issued medallion. Hotel and motel courtesy vans are assessed $500 per vehicle per year, also medallioned. Off-Airport rent-a-car companies pay $525 for a 100-trip access card ($5 per trip plus a deposit), and off-Airport parking-lot shuttles pay $5,000 per vehicle per year for unlimited trips, with the option to lease an exclusive loading/unloading zone by competitive bid for a twelve-month term. Subsection F lets operators bid for exclusive-use lanes within the commercial zone rather than share the common-use lanes, awarded to the highest bidder.
Violations & Fines
Section 357-2 enforces compliance through exclusion rather than a fine schedule: access cards are deactivated once trip credits are exhausted, cutting off entry to the staging area until recharged, and "any luxury limousine and charter party carrier not bearing a medallion will be directed to the public parking areas." Off-Airport rent-a-car and shuttle operators without a current access card or lease likewise lose zone access, separate from the annual medallion and space fees the Airport bills.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a taxi company pay to access the airport loading zone?
What does it cost a limousine or charter service to use the zone?
Do hotel shuttles and rental-car vans pay to use the zone too?
Can an operator get an exclusive loading lane?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albany County
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