SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5367

BYSenate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Nelson and Bender; by request of Legislative Transportation Committee)

Increasing public transportation reporting requirements.

Senate Committee on Transportation

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 24, 1988; January 31, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5367 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Nelson, Vice Chairman; Bender, Benitz, DeJarnatt, Hansen, Murray, Sellar, Thorsness.

Senate Staff:Gene Baxstrom (786-7303)

                  February 24, 1989

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 24, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The 21 public transportation systems operating in the state of Washington are under the jurisdiction of local boards or city councils.  These systems have minimal reporting requirements to the state of Washington except for compliance with municipal audit requirements.  Concern has been expressed because of the state contribution toward funding these systems, roughly $180 million of motor vehicle excise tax funds for the 1987-89 biennium, there should be an accountability by these systems to the state.

There is no state requirement that public transportation systems prepare long range financial or program objectives.  Systems are required to prepare a transportation improvement program by the federal Urban Mass Transportation Administration.  That information is not necessarily coordinated with local and state roadway and transportation system development plans.

State law requires that many public agencies, which are responsible for providing transportation facilities, such as cities, counties, the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Improvement Board, prepare comprehensive six-year road programs.

Public transportation systems in Washington have reported certain financial and operating statistics to the Department of Transportation.  The department has compiled these statistics into annual transit statistical summaries, which are distributed to interested parties.  While these statistical compilations have been useful, they have failed to adequately represent statistical performance over time, and in light of community service requirements and objectives.

A Joint Subcommittee on Public Transportation of the House and Senate Transportation Committees reviewed public transportation planning and reporting requirements and recommended certain expanded reporting requirements.

SUMMARY:

Public transportation systems operating within Washington State must prepare and annually update a six-year transit development and financial program.  This program is to be completed by April 1 of each year and submitted to the State Department of Transportation, the Transportation Improvement Board, cities, counties, and regional planning councils where the public transportation system is located.

The Department of Transportation is to develop an annual report summarizing the status of public transportation in this state.  The report shall describe individual public transportation systems and include a statewide summary of public transportation issues and data.  Issues to be addressed in this report include system equipment and facilities, including vehicle replacement standards, services and service standards, revenues and expenses, policy issues and system improvement objectives, and specific operating indicators intended to evaluate the operating efficiency of the public transportation system.  It is also to address transit systems vehicle replacement standards.

To assist the department with report preparation, each public transportation system is required to file the necessary information by April 1 every year.

Copies of the report are to be submitted to the Legislative Transportation Committee and to the governing authorities of the public transportation systems by September 1 of each year.  A preliminary report is to be submitted by December 1, 1989.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested January 23, 1989

Senate Committee - Testified: FOR:  Les White, Steve Lindstrom, Washington State Transit Association