NY Transp L § 73-C (2021)
2021 New York Laws TRA - Transportation Article 2-F - New York State Rural Public Transportation Coordination Assistance Program 73-C - Definitions.

§ 73-c. Definitions.  Whenever  used  in  this  article, the following   terms shall have the respective meanings:1. "Department" shall mean the state department of transportation.2. "Commissioner" shall mean the commissioner of transportation.3.  "Committee"  shall  refer  to  the  New  York  state   interagency   coordinating committee on rural public transportation as hereinafter set   forth.4. "Transportation disadvantaged person" shall mean any person, who by   reason of physical, economic or other circumstances does not have access   to  private personal transportation or is unable to use private personal   transportation,  either  permanently  or  temporarily  such  as   frail,   elderly,   physically   or   mentally  handicapped,  low-income,  youth,   unemployed or underemployed, and other individuals who may  need  public   transportation  services for gaining access to human or public services,   health  care,  educational,   recreational,   shopping   or   employment   opportunities.  Identification  of  persons  in  this  group  shall  not   preclude such persons from being  considered  "general  public"  in  any   public  transportation  service  criteria  established  pursuant to this   article.5.  "Public   transportation   service"   shall   mean   a   passenger   transportation   service  which,  during  its  hours  of  operation,  is   available  on  an  equal  opportunity  basis  to  any  person,   without   preference for service availability, eligiblity or design being given to   any  person  or  population  sub-group  because  of  age,  gender, race,   national origin, creed or agency client status, and which  is  regularly   advertised  and  marketed as available to the general public. Nothing in   this article shall be deemed to mean that  the  transportation  services   operated  or  provided  by  human  or social service agencies solely for   their clients or programs  constitute,  in  and  of  themselves,  public   transportation services.6-a.  "Transportation  provider"  shall  mean  any  public, private or   not-for-profit entity utilizing public funds to provide or contract  for   public  transportation services for the benefit of the general public or   specific client groups.6-b. "Operator of passenger transportation  service"  shall  mean  the   municipal  government  or  public transportation authority which assumes   full responsibility for the operation of the  service  or  a  common  or   contract  carrier under contract to said government or authority for the   purpose of assuming said responsibility.7. a. "Coordinated transportation service" in  a  rural  county  shall   mean  a  passenger  transportation  service  formed  by  the  pooling or   sharing, by contract, of  funds,  facilities,  vehicles,  equipment  and   other  resources  used  for  passenger transportation for the purpose of   improving the mobility of  rural  residents  through  increased  service   levels,  so  that  the  coordinated  service  is under the direction and   control of a single operator  of  passenger  transportation  having  the   authority  for  establishing  the  service's  operating  hours,  routes,   schedules,  dispatching  and  other  operating  features  and  when  the   resulting  transportation service serves more passengers for the same or   reduced  amount  of   government   expenditure   than   the   previoulsy   uncoordinated services. A coordinated transportation service may include   an  existing  public  transportation  service operating within the rural   county. Nothing contained herein shall require a transportation provider   to contribute funds or services; current providers  may  participate  in   whole or in part in the coordinated service.b.   "Coordinated   public   transportation   service"  shall  mean  a   coordinated transportation  service  which  is  predominately  a  public   transportation  service  as  defined in this article.   Such coordinated    public transportation service shall offer service to the general  public   to  at  least  the  same  extent and degree, in terms of service levels,   operating hours and geographic  coverage,  as  service  is  offered  for   clients  of human service agency programs, and seeks to increase service   to   transportation   disadvantaged   persons   who   do   not   receive   transportation from a human or social services agency program.8.  "Rural  counties"  shall mean those New York state counties having   populations of two hundred thousand or less.9. "Services coordinator" shall mean the person, authority, agency  or   corporation  designated by resolution of a rural county's governing body   to undertake or oversee preparation  and  implementation  of  the  rural   county's  public  transportation  service  plan  in accordance with this   article. Such person, authority, agency or corporation shall  be  chosen   from  among  those who can fairly and equitably address the needs of all   transportation disadvantaged persons and  the  general  public,  without   preference   to  any  one  population  sub-group  or  component  of  the   transportation disadvantaged population.