SECTION 31.49. Transportation Needs of Clients of Health and Human Service Agencies and Coordination of Services

(a) Purpose. This section describes requirements for addressing the transportation needs of clients of health and human service agencies and for the coordination of services between recipients of state and federal public transportation grant funds and other transportation operators.

(b) Planning for client transportation.

(1) The department will consider and will encourage metropolitan planning organizations to consider the transportation needs of persons who are clients of health and human services agencies in the planning processes performed under Chapter 16, Subchapter B, of this title (relating to Transportation Planning).

(2) An applicant for state or federal financial assistance under this chapter must submit evidence of coordination efforts to the department. This evidence must include a certification that, whenever possible, and to the maximum extent feasible, the existing network of transportation providers, and in particular the fixed route components of public transportation systems, will be used to meet the client transportation requirements of the state's social service agencies and their clients.

(3) The department will encourage, to the maximum extent possible, state health and human services agencies to base their transportation funding decisions on the recommendations that result from the:

(A) planning processes described under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and

(B) evidence of coordination efforts submitted under paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(c) Standards. Contractors shall at all times coordinate the provision of public transportation services with other transportation operators, both public and private, in the local area. Contractors shall furnish the department copies of any coordination agreements or other documents that demonstrate a good faith effort to reduce duplication of effort while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of transit services to the public. The department may suggest coordination efforts and may direct state and federal grant funding towards that end.

Source Note: The provisions of this §31.49 adopted to be effective August 11, 1994, 19 TexReg 5880; amended to be effective March 26, 1998, 23 TexReg 3044; amended to be effective April 17, 2003, 28 TexReg 3080; amended to be effective November 21, 2013, 38 TexReg 8253