27-1-106. Mass transit — Findings — Powers and duties.

27-1-106. Mass transit — Findings — Powers and duties. (a) The General Assembly finds that: (1) Transportation is a critical problem for the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and others without access to the use of a private automobile; (2) Public transportation in the rural and small urban areas in Arkansas is lacking; (3) Public transportation in many instances is no longer a profitable undertaking for private enterprise acting alone; (4) Public subsidy of public transportation, whether privately or publicly operated, is often necessary to provide needed transportation services; (5) The variety of federal, state, and local activities in providing public transportation services requires coordination for optimal utilization of and maximum benefit from public resources; (6) Communities require technical assistance in addressing their public transportation needs; and (7) It is in the best interest of the people of Arkansas to develop programs providing solutions for the above concerns. (b) To this end, the Arkansas Department of Transportation shall: (1) Coordinate research into the problems of mass transit and reasonable solutions; and (2) Realize the economies of organized coordinated transport service in order to eliminate the substantial waste in uncoordinated and often duplicated efforts which are particularly troublesome in view of the limited fiscal resources of the smaller urbanized areas and urban places peculiar to the Arkansas demographic situation. (c) The department is authorized to exercise those powers necessary for the state to qualify for urban mass transportation administration funds and any other public transit funds or other transportation assistance pursuant to the provisions of any federal or state act. (d) The department is authorized to provide financial assistance within the limits of the funds appropriated for this purpose for capital or operating assistance to urban mass transportation systems within the state as provided for in relevant federal or state legislation. (e) The department may cooperate with other states in connection with the improving, initiating, maintaining, planning, or preserving of any public transit program within this state. In carrying out the authority conferred by this subsection, the department may enter into general contractual arrangements with other states. (f) The department may contract with any domestic or foreign person, firm, corporation, agency, or government to improve, initiate, maintain, plan, or preserve any public transit service within this state.