HB4579 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 19382 HEP 64635 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB4579

Introduced 2/1/2012, by Rep. Donald L. Moffitt

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 2705/2705-355 new

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Authorizes the Department to enter into contracts to provide feeder services to and from rail terminals and intercity bus transportation. Defines terms. Provides that the Department may provide funding to Amtrak to enter into contracts with motor carriers for intercity transportation if certain conditions are met. Specifies that the first inter-city bus routes the Department coordinates shall be Quincy-Springfield-Decatur-Champaign-Danville and Quad Cities-Galesburg-Peoria-Normal-Champaign-Danville. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2705-355 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2705/2705-355 new)

Sec. 2705-355. Inter-modal transportation.

(a) The Department may enter into contracts with any common carrier or with any corporation, partnership, or person to provide feeder services to and from rail passenger terminals or intercity bus transportation.

(b) For purposes of this Section:

"Amtrak" means the National Railroad Passenger Corporation or its successor agency.

"Common carrier" means any public or private provider of transportation, whether by land, air, or water.

"Farebox recovery ratio" means the percentage ratio between the cost of providing intercity bus service as the denominator and the revenues collected by the sale of bus and rail tickets to passengers of mixed-mode feeder bus service as the numerator.

"Motor carrier of passengers" means a person or entity providing motor vehicle transportation of passengers for compensation.

"Mixed-mode feeder bus service" means bus service carrying both passengers connecting to or from a rail service and passengers only using the bus service.

(c) To the extent permitted by federal law, the Department shall encourage Amtrak and motor carriers of passengers to do the following:

(1) combine or package their respective services and facilities to the public as a means of improving services to the public; and

(2) coordinate schedules, routes, rates, reservations, and ticketing to provide for enhanced inter-modal surface transportation.

(d) The Department may provide funding to Amtrak for the purpose of entering into a contract with a motor carrier of passengers for the intercity transportation of passengers by motor carrier over regular routes only if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) Service is provided only on schedules and routes that are coordinated with scheduled intercity rail service to facilitate mixed-mode feeder bus service.

(2) The motor carrier is registered with the United States Department of Transportation, operates in compliance with the federal motor carrier safety regulations, and provides service that is accessible to persons with disabilities in compliance with applicable federal regulations pertaining to Amtrak services, in accordance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

(3) The bus service provider and Amtrak issue joint tickets and publish each other's Illinois schedules on their respective websites and timetables and otherwise integrate their operations and schedules to provide a seamless transfer between modes for passengers.

(4) All buses operating under the contract display signs on the vehicle that say "Amtrak Illinois" to coordinate with the appearance of State-supported Amtrak service.

(e) The Department shall incorporate the conditions specified in subsection (d) into State-supported passenger rail feeder bus service agreements between Amtrak and motor carriers of passengers. The bus service agreements shall also provide that a breach of those conditions shall be grounds for termination of the agreements.

(f) The farebox recovery ratio for State-supported mixed-mode feeder bus service must be 100% in Fiscal Year 2012 and thereafter.

(g) The first inter-city bus routes that the Department coordinates shall be Quincy-Springfield-Decatur-Champaign-Danville and Quad Cities-Galesburg-Peoria-Normal-Champaign-Danville. Intermediate stops are permitted on these routes. These routes shall use the Amtrak facilities in Champaign, Bloomington, and Springfield as their terminals.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.