New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 17 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › Chapter VI - Transportation Regulations › Subchapter G - Mass Transportation Operating Assistance › Part 975 - Statewide Mass Transportation Operating Assistance Program › Section 975.20 - Eligibility requirements to insure services are open to the general public

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a) When a public
				  transportation system requests STOA for (1) a coordinated transportation
				  service as defined in section
				  975.4(Z),
				  or (2) for any other public transportation service where the service receives
				  fifty percent or more of its operating revenue from human service agency
				  contract(s), or (3) where the operator of the bus service was previously or is
				  currently providing substantial services for human service agency(ies), then
				  the public transportation system must develop and adopt a mass transportation
				  service plan that must define and provide the publicly-available information
				  regarding the following:
(1) service
				  area;
(2) hours of service
				  operation;
(3) fares and
				  third-party reimbursement rates;
(4) routes and schedules/timetables (if fixed
				  route service);
(5) phone number to
				  arrange for service if demand responsive service;
(6) advanced reservation requirements, if
				  any;
(7) marketing and public
				  information regarding service to the general public;
(8) means of restricting access to the
				  service if demand exceeds capacity; (Note: Prioritization procedure for STOA
				  eligible service cannot give preference to human service agency
				  clients.)
(9) description of the
				  financial plan including estimated cost and operating revenue, state, federal,
				  and local financial assistance for the coming fiscal year;
(10) description of any contracts with human
				  service agencies including the amount of compensation, passengers, and whether
				  reimbursement is on a per-passenger or other basis;
Note: A per-passenger payment from a human service agency
					 may be accepted in lieu of collecting a fare from a human service agency client
					 (see section
					 975.2(d).
					 Where a public transportation system proposes to meet human service agency's
					 transportation needs, the system should carefully review if the service can be
					 met most economically, efficiently, and effectively by an exclusive service
					 that does not receive STOA or as part an open-to-the-public service that is
					 eligible for STOA. Portions of a service that give preference, or are
					 restricted, to a particular client group (s) are not eligible for STOA.)
(11) contracts for services; and
(For coordinated transportation service, one
					 operator--preferably the principal operator--must control all transportation
					 service components of the coordinated transportation service system including
					 marketing, scheduling, dispatching operations, and the compilation of federal
					 and state reports.)
(12)
				  public transportation vehicles to be used.
(If school buses are to be used, they must be identified in
					 the plan and describe the actions taken to satisfy the provisions of 975.2(b)
					 to insure that the service is recognized as open to the general public. If
					 vehicles are purchased through the use of federal or state funds, they must be
					 identified. This section of the plan can also contain the material to satisfy
					 the provision of section
					 975.2(e) 
					 regarding vehicle capacity.)