(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Total system revenues” means passenger fares and other revenues incidental to a state-subsidized fixed-route bus system during a fiscal year ending June thirtieth, not including local, regional, state or federal payments to the operator of the system.

(2) “Total system expenses” means such a system's operating costs during such a fiscal year.

(3) “Deficit” means the difference between total system expenses and total system revenues during such a fiscal year.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-273l, the Commissioner of Transportation shall (1) pay, from the department's appropriation for public transportation, one hundred per cent of the deficit of any state-subsidized, fixed-route bus system for which the total system revenues exceed forty per cent of the total system expenses and (2) negotiate a cost-sharing arrangement with the operators of all other state-subsidized, fixed-route bus systems. The commissioner shall recover from the federal government any operating subsidy that the operator of a system under subdivision (1) of this subsection is eligible to receive for the operation of the system and deposit such subsidy in the General Fund.

(c) No fixed-route bus system operated by a transit district shall be eligible to receive funds from the state unless such transit district has developed a plan, approved by the Department of Transportation, to coordinate bus service with transit districts which provide bus service in adjacent towns. Such program shall be reviewed and approved or disapproved by the Department of Transportation annually.

(d) The Commissioner of Transportation shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, establishing requirements and standards for programs required pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-19, S. 1, 5; P.A. 86-262, S. 3, 5.)

History: P.A. 86-262 added Subsecs. (c) and (d), prohibiting transit districts from receiving state funds unless they coordinate bus service with transit districts which provide bus service in adjacent towns and requiring the commissioner of transportation to adopt regulations for such programs.