Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 92 Part 3.djvu/123

 PUBLIC LAW 95-599—NOV. 6, 1978

92 STAT. 2755

a INTERCITY BUS SERVICE

"SEC. 22. (a) The Secretary is authorized to make grants for the initiation, improvement, or continuation of intercity bus service for residents of rural areas and residents of urban places designated by the Bureau of the Census as having a population of five thousand or more which are not within an urbanized area as defined in section 12 of this Act, As used in this subsection and subsection (b) of this section, the term 'intercity bus service' means transportation provided to the public as a private bus operator authorized to transport passengers in interstate commerce by the Interstate Commerce Commission or in intrastate commerce by a State regulatory commission or comparable State agency (1) between one urban place as designated under this subsection and another such urban place, (2) between an urban place designated in accordance with this subsection and an urbanized area, or (3) between one urbanized area and another urbanized area, through rural areas or urban places, or both. Such term does not include local service. "(b) Grants for the initiation, improvement, or continuation of intercity bus service under subsection (a) of this section shall be made only to States and local public bodies and agencies thereof, only for payment of operating expenses incurred in furnishing such intercity bus service, and shall not exceed 50 per centum of the net cost of such an operating expense project. The remainder of such cost shall be provided in cash from sources other than Federal funds and other than revenues from the operation of such intercity bus service. Such grants shall be subject to such other terms, conditions, and requirements as the Secretary may deem necessary to promote the initiation, improvement, or continuation of privately owned and operated intercity bus service. To the maximum extent feasible assistance shall be distributed by the Secretary only for privately owned intercity bus companies to subsidize deficit operations considering the profitability of the route as a whole. The determination of profitability shall include all income generated by the route and only direct costs of the operation of the route. In making any such grant, preference shall be given to a private bus operator who lawfully has provided intercity bus service to a rural area or urban place during the one-year period preceding the date of application for such a grant over routes or within the general area for which financial assistance is to be provided, over any other operator to provide such service in such area or place. " (c) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsections (a) and (b) of this section not to exceed $30,000,000 per fiscal year for each of the fiscal years ending September 30, 1979, September 30, 1980, September 30, 1981, and September 30, 1982. "(d) The Secretary shall, in cooperation with States, local public bodies, and intercity bus carriers, make an evaluation of the needs of the intercity bus industry for public subsidy of expenses incurred in the provision of intercity bus service as it serves local transportation needs in areas other than urbanized areas. The Secretary shall. not later than September 30, 1979, report to Congress the results of this evaluation together with his recommendations for necessary

Grants, 49 USC 1618.

legislation.

to Congress.

Definition,

Appropriation authorization, Evaluation,

Report and legislative recommendations

"(e) The provisions of section 13(c) and 3(e)(4) of this Act shall 49 USC 1602, apply in carrying out projects under this section.". 1609.

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