Authority: Titles 33.1 and 58.1, Code of Virginia.
A.1. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall allocate all monies in the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund, as provided in § 58.1-638, Code of Virginia. The total appropriation for the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund is $132,111,311 the first year and $134,905,155 the second year from the Transportation Trust Fund.
2. Included in Human Service Transportation is $800,000 the first year and $800,000 the second year from the Commonwealth Mass Transit Trust Fund. These allocations are designated for “paratransit” capital projects for the elderly and disabled.
3. In accordance with paragraph A.1., $96,513,815 the first year and $98,567,289 the second year is the estimated allocation to statewide Formula Assistance as provided in § 58.1-638, Code of Virginia. The allocation of Formula Assistance to each recipient shall be limited to the recipient's maximum eligibility as defined in § 58.1-638, Code of Virginia. When the initial allocation to a recipient is greater than the recipient's eligibility to receive Formula Assistance, the Commonwealth Transportation Board may transfer the surplus funds to the statewide Capital Assistance program for distribution under that program. The Commonwealth Transportation Board may hold harmless from a reduction in state formula assistance any transit system that maintains service levels from the previous year.
4. In accordance with Paragraph A.1., $32,827,828 the first year and $33,526,289 the second year from the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund is the estimated allocation to statewide Capital Assistance.
5. From the amounts appropriated in this Item from the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund, $1,969,670 the first year and $2,011,577 the second year is the estimated allocation to statewide Special Programs as provided in § 58.1-638, Code of Virginia.
6. Not included in this appropriation is an amount estimated at $27,440,643 the first year and $22,726,687 the second year allocated to transit agencies from federal sources for the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Minimum Guarantee program.
B. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall operate a program entitled the Transportation Efficiency Improvement Fund (TEIF). The purpose of the TEIF program is to reduce traffic congestion by supporting transportation demand management programs designed to reduce the use of single occupant vehicles. Using transportation revenues generally available to the Board, funds shall be apportioned as determined by the Board to designated transportation projects in addition to funds allocated pursuant to § 33.1-23.1, Code of Virginia. Total TEIF program funding shall not exceed $4,000,000 the first year and $4,000,000 the second year. Eligible applicants for grants shall include state and local governing bodies, transportation district commissions, planning district commissions, metropolitan planning organizations, public service corporations, and transportation management associations whose applications are approved by an eligible public recipient or whose Board includes elected representatives from member jurisdictions. The department shall develop model guidelines to promote teleworking in Virginia in the first year. These guidelines shall include model policies that could be adopted by private sector firms across the Commonwealth, a listing of the types of job functions that do and do not lend themselves to teleworking, and model personnel policies setting out agreements companies may enter into with employees who propose to telework on either a full- or part-time basis. The department shall work in conjunction with the Secretary of Technology and his staff to develop these guidelines and disseminate them to state agencies and to private-sector companies in the Commonwealth with 100 or more employees. Dissemination of the model guidelines shall be conducted on an electronic basis.
C. Funds from a stable and reliable source, as required in Public Law 96-184, as amended, are to be provided to Metro Rail from payments authorized and allocated in this program and pursuant to § 58.1-1720, Code of Virginia.
D. Funds appropriated to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and allocated to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to be allocated to its member jurisdictions are held in trust by the Commission for those jurisdictions until released by specific authorization from the governing bodies of the jurisdictions for the purpose for which funds were appropriated.
E. The unutilized appropriation of $10,000,000 from the general fund in Item 482 B.1. of Chapter 951 of the Acts of Assembly of 2005, for a bus rapid transit system in Virginia Beach shall be used to supplement the Mass Transit Trust Fund Capital Assistance program in the first year. Up to $6,100,000 shall be provided for the purchase by Hampton Roads Transit of hybrid-electric buses to serve the City of Norfolk. The remainder shall be disbursed in accordance with § 58.1-638 A. 4. f., Code of Virginia.
F. The Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall work with local transit systems to implement by June 30, 2008, a streamlined universal access system for riders eligible for Para-Transit services.