Article 3. Transportation Systems of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 12. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 3.

The commission shall coordinate the operation of all public transportation services within the county so as to achieve efficient operation thereof and shall resolve all jurisdictional disputes between public transit operators.

It is the intent of the Legislature that, if, at the time the commission commences operation, an application to the federal government has been submitted, or substantial progress has been made in preparation of such an application, for funds to start the necessary work toward the construction of a transit guideway project, the commission shall give top priority to supporting such an effort so that the flow of federal funds shall not be impeded.

(a) All plans proposed for the design, construction, and implementation of public mass transit systems or projects, including exclusive public mass transit guideway systems or projects, and federal-aid and state highway projects, shall be submitted to the commission for approval. No such plan shall be approved unless it conforms to the appropriate adopted regional transportation plan pursuant to Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 65080) of Title 7 of the Government Code.
  (b) The commission shall have no approval authority over the projects, plans, and programs determined by the Department of Transportation to be necessary for the safety and maintenance of the state highway system. Such projects, plans, and programs shall be developed by the department and, to the extent feasible, be coordinated with the planning of the commission. Plans and programs involving significant rebuilding or rehabilitation of the state highway system, as determined by the department and the commission, shall be developed jointly by the department and the commission.
  (c) As used in this section, "plan" means a project description and not the detailed project plans, specifications, and estimates.

Any plan for a transit system proposed to serve more than one county shall also be submitted for approval by the multicounty designated transportation planning agency. Action regarding such approval shall be taken within 60 working days after such a plan is submitted by the commission to the multicounty designated transportation planning agency.

The commission shall designate the operator of any approved transit guideway system. Except as specified in Section 130254.5, the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission shall designate the Southern California Rapid Transit District as the transit guideway operator in Los Angeles County. The Orange County Transportation Commission shall designate the Orange County Transit District as the transit guideway operator in Orange County.

The City of Los Angeles may design, construct, and operate a point-to-point transportation system on or between property under the jurisdiction and control of its Department of Airports. Once constructed and in operation, any such transportation system shall be coordinated with motor vehicle traffic operation and transit services by the county transportation commission having jurisdiction in the county in which the transportation system is located. With the prior approval of the county transportation commission having such jurisdiction, the City of Los Angeles may submit applications for federal highway or transit funds or state highway or transit funds to construct or operate a point-to-point transportation system on or between property under the jurisdiction and control of its Department of Airports. This requirement shall not apply to any grant of such funds awarded prior to January 1, 1978.

(a) If a commuter or urban rail transit system is proposed to serve two or more counties, the commissions in those counties shall form a joint powers entity to conduct plan refinement studies, design, select the technology, determine the cost, locate the routes and access points, and supervise the construction, operation, and management of the system.
  (b) The joint powers entity shall designate the operator of the system.
  (c) If state funds are to be used for the operation of the system, at least four months prior to implementing service on the system, the joint powers entity shall submit its plan for the operation to the Legislature.

The commission shall require all planning for guideway and rapid transit systems be coordinated with the Department of Transportation and the multicounty designated transportation planning agency.

The commission may enter into an agreement with the Department of Transportation for the department to provide those services which are within the capabilities of the department to effectively perform in connection with the development and construction of any approved exclusive public mass transit guideway system or rapid transit system. The commission shall retain final authority to decide those matters for which it is responsible by law pertaining to the planning, design, construction, and operation of any exclusive public mass transit guideway system or rapid transit system. The department shall perform such services agreed upon in accordance with the law and regulations that are applicable to the commission and the department.

If the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission is authorized to construct a transit guideway system, the commission shall closely coordinate the planning, design, and construction of the system with the Southern California Rapid Transit District, which shall serve as the designated operator of the system pursuant to Section 130254.

(a) Not later than February 1, 1978, the commissions in Riverside County and San Bernardino County shall, and the commissions in Los Angeles County and Orange County may, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, the multicounty designated transportation planning agency, public transit operators, the county, and the cities involved, establish local transportation zones and adopt guidelines for their establishment and operation.
  (b) It is particularly important that the county, cities, and other local public entities be involved in establishing local transportation zones.
  (c) In adopting the guidelines, the commission shall take into account, among other things, the geographical shape of proposed local transportation zones, economies of scale of transit systems, and established and projected subregional patterns of travel.
  (d) The guidelines shall provide for a method of governing each local transportation zone; shall provide for the establishment of multicounty local transportation zones; and shall authorize each board, under specified conditions, to provide transit services itself, through joint powers agreement or any other cooperative arrangement, or by contract with a public transit operator or a private common carrier.

The Orange County Transportation Commission may establish local transportation zones only in those areas where the commission determines that the Orange County Transit District cannot otherwise provide adequate and responsive local transportation services in a cost-effective manner.

The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission may establish local transportation zones only in those areas where the commission determines by eight affirmative votes of the voting members, or designated alternates, that the Southern California Rapid Transit District or the included municipal operator cannot otherwise provide adequate and responsive local transportation services in a cost-effective manner.

The commission shall require full cooperation and coordination between the regional operator, the municipal operators, and the local transportation zones in such matters as schedules, routes, and exchange of transfers. The commission shall ensure that regional operators, the municipal operators, and local transportation zones do not compete or unnecessarily duplicate services, but assist each other to provide the maximum level of transit service to the general public at the lowest possible cost.

The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission shall not reduce, by order or by reducing funding, the size of the service areas under the jurisdiction of presently existing included municipal operators (as defined in Section 99207), the level of services they provide, or the scope of their operations, without first consulting with the municipal operators and securing the approval of the municipalities within which they operate.