(1)No person shall be carried in a goods carriage other than a bona fide employee or the owner or the hirer and except in accordance with this rule.(2)No person shall be carried in the cabin of goods carriage beyond the number for which there is seating accommodation at the rate of thirty-eight centimetres measured along with the seat for each person excluding the space reserved for the driver, and not more than-(i)six persons in addition to the driver in any goods carriage other than light transport vehicle;(ii)three persons in addition to the driver in any light goods carriage;(iii)one person in addition to the driver in the light goods carriage having gross vehicle weight less than one thousand kilograms.(3)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1) but subject to provisions of sub-rules (5) and (6) a Regional Transport Authority may by an order in writing permit that a large number of persons may be carried in the vehicle on the condition that no goods at all are carried in addition to such persons and such persons are carried free of charge in connection with the work for which the vehicle is used, and that such other conditions as may be mentioned by the Regional Transport Authority are observed and where the vehicle is required to be covered by a permit, the conditions of permission aforesaid are also made conditions of the permit.(4)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (1) and (2), but subject to the provisions of sub-rules (4) and (5)-(i)for purpose of celebrations in connection with the Republic day or Independence day, the Regional Transport Officer, and(ii)where it considers expedient in public interest in respect of vehicles owned or hired by it and in respect of other vehicles on such grounds of urgent nature to be specified in the order, the State Government may, by general or special order, permit goods carriage to be used for the carriage of persons for the purpose aforesaid and subject to the conditions as be specified in the order.(5)No person shall be carried in any goods carriage-(i)unless an area of not less than 3600 square centimetres of the floor of the vehicle is kept open for each person,(ii)in such manner-(a)that such person when carried on goods or otherwise is in danger of falling from the vehicle;(b)that any part of his body, if he was in a sitting position, is not a height exceeding three metres from the surface upon which the vehicle rests.(6)The provisions of this rule shall not apply to motor vehicles registered under Section 60 of the Act.(7)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (1) and (2) but subject to the provisions of sub-rule (5) such tractor-trailer other than those registered in the name of industrial organisation. Municipal Institutions, water supply institution and non-agricultural cooperative societies, and the unladen weight of which does not exceed 7300 Kgs. may be used for the following purposes-(i)for carrying labourers and the member of the family of agriculturist for the purpose of agriculture or any purpose connected with agriculture including sale and purchase of articles or agriculture.(ii)for carrying persons at the time of Mela, Markets, Religious Functions, Marriages and at other ceremonial occasions provided that the number of persons so carried shall not exceed 20 at a time.
