Bill > HB1980

This bill allows certain private employer transportation services, defined as regularly scheduled, fixed-route services for employees that are clearly marked with the employer's name or logo, to use public transportation facilities like transit-only lanes. Specifically, in counties with over 2 million people, local authorities can authorize two-year pilot programs for these private services to use transit-only lanes that also provide access to businesses, provided that the public transportation provider, in consultation with local authorities and transit employee unions, establishes performance measures to ensure the lanes remain efficient, reliable, and safe for public transit. These pilot programs, which must begin before 2035, will also involve developing recommendations for vehicle markings and program monitoring, and any revenue generated from fee-for-use permits will cover administrative costs and be used for the maintenance and improvement of the transit-only lanes. The bill also clarifies that if established performance measures are not met, permits can be revoked, and that the development and reporting of these metrics is a shared responsibility between local authorities and transit agencies.