BILL REQ. #:  H-2026.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/25/11.   

     AN ACT Relating to allowing certain private transportation providers to use certain public transportation facilities; amending RCW 46.61.165, 47.04.290, and 47.52.025; adding a new section to chapter 47.04 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 46.61.165 and 1999 c 206 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state department of transportation and the local authorities are authorized to reserve all or any portion of any highway under their respective jurisdictions, including any designated lane or ramp, for the exclusive or preferential use of (a) public transportation vehicles ((or)), (b) private motor vehicles carrying no fewer than a specified number of passengers, or (c) the following private transportation provider vehicles if the vehicle has the capacity to carry eight or more passengers, regardless of the number of passengers in the vehicle, and if such use does not interfere with the safety of public transportation operations: (i) Auto transportation company vehicles regulated under chapter 81.68 RCW; (ii) passenger charter carrier vehicles regulated under chapter 81.70 RCW, except marked or unmarked stretch limousines and stretch sport utility vehicles as defined under department of licensing rules; (iii) private nonprofit transportation provider vehicles regulated under chapter 81.66 RCW; and (iv) private employer transportation service vehicles, when such limitation will increase the efficient utilization of the highway or will aid in the conservation of energy resources.
     (2) Regulations authorizing such exclusive or preferential use of a highway facility may be declared to be effective at all times or at specified times of day or on specified days. Violation of a restriction of highway usage prescribed by the appropriate authority under this section is a traffic infraction.
     (3) For the purposes of this section, "private employer transportation service" means regularly scheduled, fixed-route transportation service that is offered by an employer for the benefit of its employees.

Sec. 2   RCW 47.04.290 and 2008 c 257 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Any local transit agency that has received state funding for a park and ride lot shall make reasonable accommodation for use of that lot by: Auto transportation companies regulated under chapter 81.68 RCW ((and)); passenger charter carriers regulated under chapter 81.70 RCW, except marked or unmarked stretch limousines and stretch sport utility vehicles as defined under department of licensing rules; private, nonprofit transportation providers regulated under chapter 81.66 RCW((, that intend to provide or already provide regularly scheduled service at that lot)); and private employer transportation service vehicles. The accommodation must be in the form of an agreement between the applicable local transit agency and the private ((transit)) transportation provider ((regulated under chapter 81.68 or 81.66 RCW)). The transit agency may require that the agreement include provisions to recover actual costs and fair market value for the use of the lot and its related facilities and to provide adequate insurance and indemnification of the transit agency, and other reasonable provisions to ensure that the private ((transit)) transportation provider's use does not unduly burden the transit agency. If the agreement includes provisions to recover actual costs, the private transportation provider is responsible to remit the full actual costs of park and ride lot use to the appropriate transit agency. No accommodation is required, and any agreement may be terminated, if the park and ride lot is at or exceeds ninety percent capacity during off-peak hours.
     (2) A local transit agency described under subsection (1) of this section may enter into a cooperative agreement with a taxicab company regulated under chapter 81.72 RCW in order to accommodate the taxicab company at the agency's park and ride lot, provided the taxicab company must agree to provide service with reasonable availability, subject to schedule coordination provisions as agreed to by the parties.
     (3) For the purposes of this section, "private employer transportation service" means regularly scheduled, fixed-route transportation service that is offered by an employer for the benefit of its employees.
     (4) For the purposes of this section, "private transportation provider" means:
     (a) A company regulated under chapter 81.68 RCW; chapter 81.70 RCW, except marked or unmarked stretch limousines and stretch sport utility vehicles as defined under department of licensing rules; and chapter 81.66 RCW; and
     (b) Private employer transportation service vehicles.

Sec. 3   RCW 47.52.025 and 1974 ex.s. c 133 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Highway authorities of the state, counties, and incorporated cities and towns, in addition to the specific powers granted in this chapter, shall also have, and may exercise, relative to limited access facilities, any and all additional authority, now or hereafter vested in them relative to highways or streets within their respective jurisdictions, and may regulate, restrict, or prohibit the use of such limited access facilities by various classes of vehicles or traffic. Such highway authorities may reserve any limited access facility or portions thereof, including designated lanes or ramps for the exclusive or preferential use of (a) public transportation vehicles, (b) privately owned buses, ((or)) (c) private motor vehicles carrying not less than a specified number of passengers, or (d) the following private transportation provider vehicles if the vehicle has the capacity to carry eight or more passengers, regardless of the number of passengers in the vehicle, and if such use does not interfere with the safety of public transportation operations: (i) Auto transportation company vehicles regulated under chapter 81.68 RCW; (ii) passenger charter carrier vehicles regulated under chapter 81.70 RCW, except marked or unmarked stretch limousines and stretch sport utility vehicles as defined under department of licensing rules; (iii) private nonprofit transportation provider vehicles regulated under chapter 81.66 RCW; and (iv) private employer transportation service vehicles, when such limitation will increase the efficient utilization of the highway facility or will aid in the conservation of energy resources. Regulations authorizing such exclusive or preferential use of a highway facility may be declared to be effective at all time or at specified times of day or on specified days.
     (2) For the purposes of this section, "private employer transportation service" means regularly scheduled, fixed-route transportation service that is offered by an employer for the benefit of its employees.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 47.04 RCW to read as follows:
     When designing portions of a highway that are intended to be used as portions reserved for the exclusive or preferential use of public transportation vehicles, state and local jurisdictions shall consider whether the design will safely accommodate private transportation provider vehicles that are authorized to use the reserved portions under RCW 46.61.165 and 47.52.025.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the agencies directly affected, and this finding does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act in its application to the agencies concerned. Rules adopted under this act must meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state.