Article 5. Transit Facilities And Service of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 10. >> Part 7. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 5.

The district may acquire, construct, own, operate, control or use rights-of-way, rail lines, buslines, stations, platforms, switches, yards, terminals and any and all other facilities necessary or convenient for transit service within or partly without the district underground, upon or above the ground and under, upon or over public streets or other public ways, or waterways, together with all physical structures necessary or convenient for the access of persons or vehicles thereto and may acquire any interest in or rights to the joint use of any or all of the foregoing; provided that:
  (a) Installations in state freeways shall be subject to the approval of the State Department of Public Works and installations in other state highways shall be subject to Article 2 (commencing with Section 670), Chapter 3, Division 1 of the Streets and Highways Code.
  (b) Installations in city streets, parks, or other property devoted to municipal use, shall be subject to the approval of the city council having jurisdiction thereof. The district may acquire, contract and negotiate for the services of any and all employees of any public or private agency or corporation operating transit facilities within the district.

The district may without limitation by any other provisions of this part requiring approval of indebtedness, accept contributions of money, rights-of-way, labor, materials, and any other property for the acquisition, construction, maintenance, and operation of transit facilities, and may without limitation by any other provisions of this part enter into any contracts and cooperation with and accept cooperation from the State, or any department, instrumentality, or agency thereof, or any public agency in the acquisition, construction, maintenance, and operation of, and in financing the acquisition, construction, maintenance, and operation of, any such transit facilities.

The district may lease or contract for the use of its transit facilities, or any portion thereof, to any operator, and may provide for subleases by such operator upon such terms and conditions as it deems in the public interest. The word "operator" as used in this section means any city or public agency or any person, firm or private corporation.

The district may construct and operate or acquire and operate works and facilities in, under, upon, over, across, or along any street or public highway or any stream, bay or watercourse, or over any of the lands which are the property of the State, to the same extent that such rights and privileges appertaining thereto are granted to municipalities within the State, and to install adequate bus stops, including the painting of curbs, subject to the governing body in charge of such streets, highways, stream, watercourse or lands.

The district may enter into agreements for the joint use of any property and rights by the district and any city, public agency or public utility operating transit facilities; may enter into agreements with any city, public agency or public utility operating any transit facilities, either wholly or partially within, or without, the district, for the joint use of any property of the district or of such city, public agency or public utility, or the establishment of through routes, joint fares, transfer of passengers or pooling arrangements.

The rates and charges for service furnished pursuant to this part shall be fixed by the board and shall be reasonable.

The district shall be subject to the provisions of Division 14.8 (commencing with Section 34500) of the Vehicle Code with respect to the operation of buses and to the rules and regulations prescribed by the Department of the California Highway Patrol pursuant to that chapter regulating the safe operation of buses.