(1) Each Community Transportation Coordinator shall be responsible for the short-range operational planning, administration, monitoring, coordination, arrangement, and delivery of transportation disadvantaged services originating within their designated service area on a full-time basis. Local management personnel with day-to-day decision making authority must be physically located in each designated service area, unless otherwise authorized by the Commission.
    (2) Where cost effective and efficient, the Community Transportation Coordinator shall subcontract or broker transportation services to Transportation Operators. The Coordinating Board is authorized to recommend approval or disapproval of such contracts to the Community Transportation Coordinator, providing the basis for its recommendation. Within 30 days of its receipt of the Coordinating Board’s recommendation, the Community Transportation Coordinator shall accept or reject the recommendation, providing written reasons for its rejection. All Transportation Operator contracts shall be reviewed annually by the Community Transportation Coordinator and the Coordinating Board as to the effectiveness and efficiency of the Transportation Operator or the renewal of any Coordination Contracts previously approved. Each Community Transportation Coordinator will ensure the terms set forth for monitoring said Transportation Operators and Coordination Contractors are in compliance with standards pursuant to Fl. Admin. Code R. 41-2.006
    (3) Pursuant to the conditions set forth in the Memorandum of Agreement, the Community Transportation Coordinator shall develop, implement, and monitor an approved Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan. This plan shall be approved by the Coordinating Board and forwarded to the Commission for review and final disposition.
    (4) Each Community Transportation Coordinator shall submit a report on operational statistics by September 15, each year to the Commission. A copy should also be provided to the Metropolitan Planning Organization or Designated Official Planning Agency.
    (5) The Community Transportation Coordinator shall maximize the utilization of school bus and public transit services in accordance with Florida Statutes § 427.0158 Any utilization data shall be included in operational statistics provided to the coordinated system.
    (6) In cooperation with the local Coordinating Board, the Community Transportation Coordinator shall review all applications for local government, federal and state transportation disadvantaged funds submitted from or planned for use in their designated service area. If funds are recommended for approval, the Community Transportation Coordinator, in cooperation with the Coordinating Board, will develop and implement cost-effective coordination strategies for their use and integration into the coordinated system.
    (7) Funding to support the Community Transportation Coordinator’s functions associated with documented coordination activities may be obtained from a coordination fee as part of each trip arranged, from subsidies received or both and upon approval by the Coordinating Board.
    (8) Each Community Transportation Coordinator shall be aware of all of the transportation disadvantaged resources available or planned in their designated service area in order to plan, coordinate, and implement the most cost effective transportation disadvantaged transportation system possible under the conditions that exist in the designated service area.
    (9) Contractual administration of Community Transportation Coordinators shall be accomplished through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Commission and the Community Transportation Coordinator in accordance with the procedures of the Commission. Transportation services purchased from or arranged by the Community Transportation Coordinator will be billed to purchasing agencies by the Community Transportation Coordinator at the rates identified in the approved Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan or Coordination Contract and recognize any special conditions as specified by the purchasing agency. Payment for services will be made directly to the Community Transportation Coordinator unless otherwise agreed upon, in writing, by the purchaser and the Community Transportation Coordinator. Other contractual arrangements shall be followed as specified in this rule chapter.
Rulemaking Authority Florida Statutes § 427.013(9). Law Implemented Florida Statutes § 427.0155. History-New 5-2-90, Amended 6-17-92, 6-15-93, 7-11-95, 5-1-96, 10-1-96, 3-10-98.