[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1257 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1257

  To amend title 49, United States Code, relating to continuation of 
  operating assistance for small transit operators in large urbanized 
                                 areas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 24, 1999

  Mr. Frost introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 49, United States Code, relating to continuation of 
  operating assistance for small transit operators in large urbanized 
                                 areas.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Transit Fairness Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) small transit operators, including those in large 
        urbanized areas (urbanized areas with a population of at least 
        200,000), are usually more reliant on Federal operating 
        assistance than larger operators;
            (2) Federal operating assistance has been eliminated, from 
        the fiscal year 1995 level of $710,000,000 to $0 in fiscal year 
        1999;
            (3) the elimination of operating assistance over the 4-year 
        period provided little time for many small transit operators in 
        large urbanized areas to adjust, and without the resources to 
        make up this gap, these small transit operators might have to 
        cut service and raise fares;
            (4) the elimination of operating assistance for small 
        operators in large urbanized areas could harm the quality of 
        transit service for their customers resulting in fare 
        increases, or substantial service cuts to meet the anticipated 
        shortfall in Federal operating funds;
            (5) a Transportation Research Board analysis conducted in 
        1996 concluded that transit riders in some areas would see 
        their fares double if operators have to pass Federal operating 
        assistance reductions on to passengers;
            (6) fare increases or service cuts would particularly 
        impact people with disabilities and the elderly; and
            (7) operating assistance funding reductions can cause 
        transit service to decrease, thus worsening highway gridlock 
        especially in large urbanized areas where most of the Nation's 
        traffic congestion occurs.

SEC. 3. CONTINUATION OF OPERATING ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL TRANSIT 
              OPERATORS IN LARGE URBANIZED AREAS.

    Section 5307 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by adding at the end of subsection (a) the following:
            ``(3) Primary transit operator.--The term `primary transit 
        operator' means the designated recipient for, or the largest 
        transit operator in, an urbanized area with a population of at 
        least 200,000.
            ``(4) Small transit operator.--The term `small transit 
        operator' means an entity, other than a primary transit 
        operator, receiving assistance under this section that has 
        fewer than 20 revenue service vehicles and operates in an 
        urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(o) Continuation of Operating Assistance for Small Transit 
Operators in Large Urbanized Areas.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may allow a small transit 
        operator in an urbanized area with a population of at least 
        200,000 to use funds made available under this section to fund 
        the operating costs of equipment, facilities, and associated 
        capital maintenance items for use in mass transportation if the 
        Secretary finds that providing no assistance to the small 
        transit operator providing mass transportation service to 
        elderly and persons with disabilities for such operating costs 
        has caused or will cause--
                    ``(A) the small transit operator to suffer undue 
                hardship; or
                    ``(B) significant fare increases or cuts in transit 
                service.
            ``(2) Limitation.--The amount of funds made available for 
        operating costs described in paragraph (1) to small transit 
        operators in an urbanized area in accordance with this 
        subsection in a fiscal year may not exceed a total of 5 percent 
        of the funds made available under this section in such fiscal 
        year to a designated recipient for an urbanized area with a 
        population of at least 200,000.''.
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