PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Expand Fiscally Responsible Transportation through Increased ZOOM Bus Service
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §1961, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1995, c. 504, Pt. C, §1, is further amended to read:
 
2. Cooperation with the Department of Transportation.   The Department of Transportation must be provided each year theat least 3% of operating revenues and any operating surplus of the Maine Turnpike Authority. The Maine Turnpike Authority may issue bonds or other obligations to pay for Department of Transportation projects. These amounts are considered necessary for use by the department for construction, reconstruction, operation and maintenance of all roads on the state highway system, which serve and benefit users of the turnpike by providing direct and indirect access to and from the turnpike as part of the integrated highway system. Due to the utilization of the state highway system by users of the turnpike, the turnpike and its users have received and will continue to receive a benefit from, or have caused and will continue to cause, or both, the State acting by and through the Department of Transportation to incur costs for the construction, operation and maintenance of the state highway system, which provides direct and indirect access to and from the turnpike to areas in the State for which the State may properly be and should be compensated from the tolls to be collected. The Maine Turnpike Authority should be maintained to carry out the purposes of this chapter in cooperation with the Department of Transportation.
Sec. 2. 23 MRSA §1961, sub-§6, as amended by PL 1995, c. 613, §1 and affected by §7, is further amended to read:
 
6. Appropriation.   On or before January 31st of each year, the authority shall present to each regular session of the Legislature for its approval a budget for the operating expenses of the authority for the calendar year that begins after the adjournment of that regular session and shall present to each regular session of the Legislature for informational purposes a statement of the revenues necessary for capital expenditures and reserves, and to meet the requirements of any resolution authorizing bonds of the authority during that calendar year, including debt service and the maintenance of reserves for debt service and reserve maintenance. The authority may only pay operating expenses in accordance with allocations approved by the Legislature or as necessary to satisfy the requirements of any resolution authorizing bonds of the authority. TheOperating revenues and any operating surplus under subsection 2 must be transferred to the Department of Transportation and expended in accordance with allocations approved by the Legislature.
Sec. 3. Maine Turnpike Authority; ZOOM bus service to Lewiston and Auburn. Before June 1, 2012, the Maine Turnpike Authority shall expand ZOOM bus service by adding a route between downtown Portland, Portland’s North Deering neighborhood and downtown Lewiston and downtown Auburn by way of Maine Turnpike Exit 80, outer Lisbon Street, East Avenue, Campus Avenue, Main Street, Washington Street and Maine Turnpike Exit 75. The new route must include at least 16 daily weekday round trips and limited weekend service.
Sec. 4. Maine Turnpike Authority; ZOOM bus service between Portland and points in York County. Before June 1, 2012, the Maine Turnpike Authority shall increase service hours and trip frequency on the existing ZOOM Biddeford-Saco bus route by extending the route to serve park and ride facilities in Kennebunk and Wells and adding at least 25 daily weekday round trips between points in Portland and points in Biddeford and Saco in order to provide improved intermodal connections at the Saco Transportation Center, accelerate economic development in the Biddeford and Saco mill districts and relieve congestion on the busiest segment of the Maine Turnpike.
Sec. 5. Maine Turnpike Authority; ZOOM bus service to Augusta. Before June 1, 2012, the Maine Turnpike Authority shall provide ZOOM bus service between Portland and Augusta with intermediate stops at park and ride facilities in Gray, Auburn, Lewiston and Sabattus, including 4 daily round trips during weekday morning and afternoon commuter hours.
Sec. 6. Maine Turnpike Authority; ZOOM bus fleet; Internet service. Before June 1, 2012, the Maine Turnpike Authority shall install wireless Internet service in the entire ZOOM bus fleet to increase the productivity of commuting workers and attract new riders.
 
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Maine Turnpike Authority to transfer at least 3% of the authority’s operating revenues to the Department of Transportation.
This bill also directs the authority to provide new ZOOM commuter bus service between Portland and Lewiston and Auburn, expand ZOOM bus service between Portland and points in York County and provide new ZOOM bus service between Portland and Augusta. This bill also directs the authority to install wireless Internet service in the entire ZOOM bus fleet.