March 13, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Hager, Julian, Zelenko, Stahl, Ehardt, Lipsey, Minore, Hart, LaSata, Clack, Huizenga and Gleason and referred to the Committee on Transportation.
A bill to amend 2002 PA 561, entitled
"An act to make appropriations for the state transportation department
and certain transportation purposes for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2004; to provide for the imposition of fees; to provide for
reports; to create certain funds and programs; to prescribe requirements
for certain railroad and bus facilities; to prescribe certain powers and
duties of certain state departments and officials and local units of
government; and to provide for the expenditure of the appropriations,"
by amending section 711.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 711. (1) From the funds appropriated in part 1 from
2 the comprehensive transportation fund for rail passenger service,
3 the department shall negotiate with a rail carrier to provide
4 rail service between Grand Rapids and Chicago and between Port
5 Huron and Chicago on a 7-day basis, consistent with the other
6 provisions of this section.
7 (2) The department shall work with the rail carrier, local
8 communities, and the federal government to increase marketing efforts to
1 promote awareness of rail passenger service, to increase ridership, to
2 reduce operating subsidies in conjunction with the federal phaseout of
3 operating subsidies, to maximize the revenue of the rail passenger lines
4 in Michigan, and to improve on-time performance. The department shall
5 submit a report to both the house and senate appropriations committees
6 and the house and senate fiscal agencies by January 1, 2003, that
7 provides a 5-year history on services, ridership, and subsidies.
8 (3) Future state support for the service between Grand Rapids and
9 Chicago and Port Huron and Chicago is dependent on the department's
10 ability to provide a plan and a contract for services that increase
11 ridership and revenue, reduce operating costs, and improve on-time
12 performance. The department shall include a section in the report
13 required in subsection (2) detailing efforts to reduce the dependence on
14 state operating subsidies and projected operating expenses for the next 2
15 years, and recommending service alternatives, for the Grand Rapids to
16 Chicago service and the Port Huron to Chicago service.
17 (4) Any state subsidy shall only provide for the direct operating
18 costs in Michigan.
and shall not exceed $5,700,000.00 for the service
19 between Port Huron and
Chicago and Grand Rapids and Chicago.
20 (5) The rail carrier shall, as a condition to receiving a state
21 operating subsidy, establish a system to monitor, collect, and resolve
22 customer complaints and shall make the information available to the
23 department, the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on
24 transportation, and to the house and senate fiscal agencies.
25 (6) If the chosen rail carrier is Amtrak, the department shall
26 require Amtrak to provide information to the department to identify
27 direct and indirect operating costs prior to receiving any state
1 funding. Any state subsidy shall only provide for the direct operating
2 costs in Michigan.