The Committee shall encourage the coordination of public and private transportation services, with priority given to services directed toward those populations who are currently not served or who are underserved by existing public transit.
The Committee shall seek innovative approaches to providing and funding local transportation services and offer their expertise to communities statewide. Specifically, the Committee shall:
(1) Coordinate a State process within federal guidelines to facilitate coordination of community-based transportation programs. This process should include: developing objectives for providing essential transportation services to the transportation disadvantaged; providing technical assistance to communities that are addressing transportation gaps that affect low-income populations; developing a process for requesting federal funds such as the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Grant program that is based on input from communities statewide; assisting communities in identifying funds from other available sources for projects that are not an eligible use of JARC funds; and developing a plan to identify and recruit potential stakeholders in future community transportation initiatives to the Committee.(2) Develop goals and objectives to reduce duplication of services and achieve coverage that is as complete as possible.(3) Serve as a clearinghouse for information about funding sources and innovations in serving the transportation disadvantaged.(4) Submit a report, not later than February 1, 2006, to the Governor and the General Assembly that outlines the progress made by the Committee in performing its duties set forth in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this Section and makes recommendations for statutory and regulatory changes to promote coordination.Added by P.A. 093-0185, § 20, eff. 7/11/2003.