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Definitions - 74 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 1503

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     § 1503.  Definitions.
        The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
     shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
     context clearly indicates otherwise:
        "Access to jobs project."  A project relating to the
     development and maintenance of transportation services designed
     to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income
     individuals to and from jobs and activities related to their
     employment as defined under 49 U.S.C. § 5316 (relating to job
     access and reverse commute formula grants).
        "Americans with Disabilities Act."  The Americans with
     Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327).
        "Asset maintenance costs."  All vehicle maintenance expenses,
     nonvehicle maintenance and materials expenses and the cost of
     supplies used in the operation of local transportation
     organizations and transportation companies.
        "Award recipient."  A recipient of financial assistance under
     this chapter.
        "Base operating allocation."  The total amount of State
     operating assistance, reimbursement in lieu of fares for senior
     passengers and other assistance which was used for operating
     assistance as determined by the department in fiscal year 2005-
     2006.
        "Capital expenditures."  All costs of capital projects,
     including, but not limited to, the costs of acquisition,
     construction, installation, start-up of operations, improvements
     and all work and materials incident thereto.
        "Capital project."  A system or component of a system for the
     provision of public passenger transportation. The term includes
     vehicles; infrastructure power; passenger amenities; storage and
     maintenance buildings; parking facilities; the land on which any
     capital project is situated and the land needed to support it,
     whether owned in whole or in part; overhaul of vehicles; debt
     service; and the cost of issuance of bonds, notes and other
     evidences of indebtedness which a local transportation
     organization or transportation company is permitted to issue
     under any law of this Commonwealth.
        "Commonwealth capital bonds."  Evidence of debt incurred by
     the Commonwealth under the act of February 9, 1999 (P.L.1,
     No.1), known as the Capital Facilities Debt Enabling Act.
        "Community transportation service" or "shared ride service."
     Door-to-door demand transportation that is available to the
     general public on a nonexclusive basis, operates on a nonfixed
     route basis and charges a fare to all riders. The term does not
     include exclusive ride taxi service, charter and sightseeing
     service, nonpublic transportation, school bus and limousine
     service.
        "Community transportation system."  A person that provides
     community transportation service and contracts with the
     Department of Transportation to receive revenue replacement
     funds.
        "Department."  The Department of Transportation of the
     Commonwealth.
        "Financial assistance."  Grants or other types of financial
     support provided by the Department of Transportation under this
     chapter.
        "Fixed guideway system."  A fixed-route public transportation
     service that uses and occupies a separate right-of-way or rail
     line for the exclusive use of public transportation and other
     high-occupancy vehicles or uses a fixed catenary system and a
     right-of-way usable by other forms of transportation. The term
     includes light rail, commuter rail, automated guideway transit,
     people movers, ferry boat service and fixed guideway facilities
     for buses such as bus rapid transit and high-occupancy vehicles.
        "Fixed-route public transportation service."  Regularly
     scheduled general public transportation that is provided
     according to published schedules along designated routes, with
     specified stopping points for the taking on and discharging of
     passengers, including public bus and commuter rail systems and
     other department-approved service. The term does not include
     exclusive ride taxi service, charter or sightseeing service,
     nonpublic transportation, school bus and limousine service.
        "Fund."  The Public Transportation Trust Fund established
     under section 1506 (relating to fund).
        "Intercity bus service."  Passenger bus service of 35 miles
     or more in length that is provided with an over-the-road bus and
     operated between two noncontiguous urbanized areas, between an
     urbanized area located in one county and rural communities
     located in another county, or between rural communities located
     in different counties and contains all of the following
     elements:
            (1)  Service that is operated for a fare on a regularly
        scheduled fixed-route basis.
            (2)  Service that is offered to and utilized by the
        general public without preconditions of advance reservation
        or membership in a particular organization.
        "Intercity passenger rail service."  Passenger railroad
     service that connects two or more urbanized areas and is
     determined by the Department of Transportation to qualify as
     intercity service rather than commuter rail service.
        "Job access and reverse commute project."  A project funded
     by the Federal Transit Administration under Federal law.
        "Local transportation organization."  Any of the following:
            (1)  A political subdivision or a public transportation
        authority, port authority or redevelopment authority,
        organized under the laws of this Commonwealth or pursuant to
        an interstate compact or otherwise empowered to render,
        contract for the rendering or assist in the rendering of
        transportation service in a limited area in this
        Commonwealth, even though it may also render or assist in
        rendering transportation service in adjacent states.
            (2)  A nonprofit association that directly or indirectly
        provides public transportation service.
            (3)  A nonprofit association of public transportation
        providers operating within this Commonwealth.
        "Materials and supplies."  Those categories of expenses as
     specified in Uniform System of Accounts expense object class
     504, National Transit Database operating expenses form F 30,
     National Transit Database, Final Rule, Federal Transit
     Administration, dated January 15, 1993, or any successor.
        "New fixed guideway system."  A newly constructed fixed
     guideway system in a corridor or alignment where no such system
     previously existed.
        "New Freedom Program."  A public transportation program
     designed to provide funds to recipients for new public
     transportation services and public transportation alternatives
     beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of
     1990 (Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327) that assist individuals
     with disabilities with transportation, including transportation
     to and from jobs and employment support services administered
     under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. § 5317 (relating to New
     Freedom Program).
        "New start."  The term shall have the same meaning given it
     in 49 CFR § 611.5 (relating to definitions).
        "Nonurbanized area."  An area within this Commonwealth that
     does not fall within an area classified as "urbanized" by the
     United States Bureau of the Census of the United States
     Department of Commerce in the most recent Census of Population.
        "Nonvehicle maintenance expenses."  The categories of costs
     associated with the inspection, maintenance and repair of
     assets, other than vehicles, as specified in Uniform System of
     Accounts, expense function 042, National Transit Database
     operating expenses form F 30, National Transit Database, Final
     Rule, Federal Transit Administration, dated January 15, 1993, or
     any successor.
        "Operating expenses."  Total expenses required to continue
     service to the public and to permit needed improvements in
     service which are not self-supporting and otherwise for any
     purpose in furtherance of public passenger transportation,
     including all State asset maintenance costs. The term does not
     include expenditures for capital projects unless specific
     approval is provided by the Department of Transportation.
        "Operating revenue."  The total revenue earned by a local
     transportation organization or a transportation company through
     its transit operations. The term includes all of the following:
            (1)  Passenger fares.
            (2)  Reimbursements provided in lieu of fares for senior
        passengers.
            (3)  Charter, school bus and advertising revenue.
            (4)  Other miscellaneous revenue such as public and
        private route guarantee funds.
        "Paratransit service."  Transit service operating on a
     nonfixed-route basis in order to provide complementary
     transportation service to persons who are functionally unable to
     use fixed-route public transportation service as required by the
     Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336, 104
     Stat. 327).
        "Passengers."  The total of all originating passengers plus
     transfer passengers carried on fixed-route public transportation
     service and paratransit service with respect to the most recent
     fiscal year as reported in the most recent Public Passenger
     Transportation Performance Report.
        "Public passenger transportation."  Transportation within an
     area that includes a municipality or other built-up place that
     is appropriate in the judgment of the Department of
     Transportation to serve commuters or others in the locality,
     taking into consideration the local patterns and trends of
     growth by bus or rail or other conveyance, either publicly or
     privately owned, serving the general public. The term does not
     include school buses or charter or sightseeing services.
        "Public Passenger Transportation Performance Report."  An
     annual report completed by the Department of Transportation
     which shall include all of the following:
            (1)  Each local transportation organization's passengers,
        revenue vehicle miles, revenue vehicle hours and senior
        passengers statistics for the most recently available fiscal
        year.
            (2)  Any other statistical information that the
        Department of Transportation deems necessary.
        "Revenue replacement funds."  Payments made to local
     transportation organizations and transportation companies to
     offset or partially offset fares.
        "Revenue vehicle hours."  The total amount of time calculated
     in hours during which vehicles are in service and available for
     public use in fixed-route public transportation service or
     paratransit service with respect to the most recent fiscal year
     as reported in the most recent Public Passenger Transportation
     Performance Report. The term does not include deadhead hours.
        "Revenue vehicle miles."  The total amount of distance
     calculated in miles during which vehicles are in service and
     available for public use in fixed-route public transportation
     service or paratransit service with respect to the most recent
     fiscal year as reported in the most recent Public Passenger
     Transportation Performance Report. The term does not include
     deadhead miles.
        "Reverse commute project."  A public transportation project
     designed to transport residents of urbanized and nonurbanized
     areas to suburban employment opportunities as defined under 49
     U.S.C. § 5316 (relating to job access and reverse commute
     formula grants).
        "Secretary."  The Secretary of Transportation of the
     Commonwealth.
        "Senior citizen."  A person who is at least 65 years of age.
        "Senior passenger."  A senior citizen who rides on fixed-
     route service.
        "Senior passengers."  The number of senior passengers
     transported by a local transportation organization with respect
     to the most recent fiscal year as reported in the most recent
     Public Passenger Transportation Performance Report.
        "Tax Reform Code."  The act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2),
     known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971.
        "Transportation company."  A person that renders public
     passenger transportation service.
        "Urbanized area."  A portion of this Commonwealth classified
     as urbanized by the United States Bureau of the Census of the
     United States Department of Commerce in the most recent Census
     of Population.
        "Vehicle maintenance expenses."  The categories of costs
     associated with the inspection, maintenance and repair of
     vehicles as specified in Uniform System of Accounts, Expense
     Function 041, National Transit Database operating expenses form
     F 30, National Transit Database, Final Rule, Federal Transit
     Administration, dated January 15, 1993, or any successor.
        "Welfare-to-work."  Any Federal or State program designed to
     move individuals from dependency on public welfare programs to
     self-sufficiency through paid work.

Last modified: November 27, 2007