Federal Public Transportation Act

Summary

Federal Public Transportation Act - Title I: Public Transportation - Amends the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 to revise the discretionary grant and loan program under such Act. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make such grants or loans to States and local public bodies and agencies for: (1) the construction or extension of fixed guideway systems; (2) major bus fleet expansions; (3) the acquisition, construction, and improvement of certain mass transportation facilities and equipment where emergency circumstances exist; (4) the introduction of new technology into public transportation; and (5) for financing the costs incurred in connection with projects for the acquisition of land and the costs of preparing such land for urban development purposes to enhance any mass transportation project approved under such Act. Requires that applicants for such funds possess the legal, technical, and financial capacity to carry out the proposed project and that they have continuing control over the use of the facilities and equipment involved. Requires the Governor of the State involved together with the appropriate local officials to designate a single recipient to receive and dispense the funds granted under this Act for the construction or extension of fixed guideway systems. Authorizes the Secretary to announce an intention to obligate funds for a mass transportation project through the issuance of a letter of intent to the applicant. Stipulates that such a letter shall not be deemed as a commitment but as an intention to obligate funds from future appropriation Acts. Eliminates the present provision which earmarks a specified amount of the funds made available under such Act for areas other than urbanized areas. Authorizes appropriations in specified amounts for each of the fiscal years 1979 through 1983 to carry out the discretionary grant and loan program under such Act. Authorizes appropriations in specified amounts for each of the fiscal years 1979 through 1982 to carry out the urban mass transit program and for other grant programs under such Act. Revises the apportionment formula for the mass transit grant program for urbanized areas. Stipulates that funding under the new formula shall be based on population, population density, commuter rail train miles, the number of fixed guideway system route miles, and bus replacement costs and bus seat miles. Stipulates that funds made available for areas with a population of 200,000 or over shall be received and dispensed by a recipient as designated by the Governor of the State and the local officials involved. Stipulates that with respect to areas with a population of less than 200,000, such funds shall be made available to the Governor of the State involved to be distributed in a fair and equitable manner. Stipulates that any apportioned funds which remain unobligated three years following the fiscal year for which they were apportioned shall be added to the amount available for apportionment in the next fiscal year. Limits the total amount of a Federal grant for operating assistance projects to one-third of the total eligible operating expenses incurred in the operation of the services which are assisted under this Act. Authorizes the use of up to 50 percent of the amount apportioned to urbanized areas of 200,000 or more population for urban highway projects. Removes specified restrictions regarding the availability of fellowships for public transportation training programs. Prohibits the use of funds under such Act for the acquisition of mass transportation assets by one public body from another in the same geographic area. Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, or age in any project or activity funded under such Act. Authorizes the Secretary to convert mass transportation equipment and facilities loans under such Act to capital grants under specified conditions. Title II: Planning and Reorganization - Directs the Secretary to prepare a plan to consolidate the Urban Mass Transportation Administration and the Federal Highway Administration into one surface transportation agency within the Department of Transportation. Establishes a single fund to provide financial assistance to State and local authorities for transportation planning purposes. Directs the Secretary to cooperate with State and local officials in the development of statewide and urbanized area transportation plans and programs.

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Documents

2 official files

• Indefinitely postponed in Senate

  summary · EN · 28 September 1978

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 26 January 1978

  Open at official source

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