SB3618 EngrossedLRB097 19381 HEP 65295 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Transportation Law of the
5Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding
6Section 2705-355 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 2705/2705-355 new)
8    Sec. 2705-355. Amtrak Illinois bus program.
9    (a) The purpose of this amendatory Act of the 97th General
10Assembly is to create a pilot program for intercity bus service
11that generates enough ticket revenue to cover all of its costs
12and to generate more ridership and revenue for the Amtrak
13Illinois rail service. This bus service shall be known as the
14Amtrak Illinois bus program.
15    (b) The Department shall issue a concession to an intercity
16bus operator for a period of 2 years. The concessionaire shall
17participate in the Amtrak Thruways program.
18    (c) The Department shall require Amtrak, as a condition of
19receiving State funds for intercity rail service, to enroll the
20concessionaire in the Amtrak Thruways program and sell and
21issue tickets for the bus service of the concessionaire. The
22Department shall further require Amtrak, as a condition of
23receiving State funds for intercity rail service, to account

 

 

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1for the ticket revenue of all rail passengers who also
2purchased a bus ticket from the concessionaire for the same
3trip. This revenue of rail tickets sold to individuals who also
4purchased a bus ticket from the concessionaire on the same trip
5shall be distributed to the concessionaire from Amtrak on a
6monthly basis for the duration of the concession. Any
7additional revenue collected by Amtrak due to higher ticket
8prices sold to non-bus passengers shall remain with Amtrak and
9may be used to reduce the annual operating subsidy for rail
10service due from the State. No Amtrak revenues may be
11redirected to the bus operator.
12    (d) The concessionaire shall affix large signage that reads
13"Amtrak Illinois" on all bus vehicles used by the
14concessionaire to transport passengers. The Department shall
15require Amtrak, as a condition of receiving State funds for
16intercity rail service, to allow the concessionaire to use the
17Amtrak Illinois trademark and logo as part of their signage.
18    (e) The Department shall market Amtrak Illinois bus service
19in the same manner as the Department markets Amtrak Illinois
20rail service.
21    (f) The concession shall be for at least one of the
22following routes: Champaign, Normal, Peoria, Galesburg, and
23the Quad Cities; and Champaign, Decatur, Springfield, and
24Quincy, with any intermediate stops of the concessionaire's
25choosing. These routes shall be timed to connect with Amtrak
26service in Champaign, Normal, Galesburg, and Springfield as

 

 

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1much as possible. Preference shall be granted for
2concessionaire proposals that include the most frequencies on
3the routes. The Department may grant a concession for one or
4both of these routes as part of the pilot program.
5    (g) The concessionaire shall be encouraged to pick up and
6drop off bus passengers that do not also purchase a rail
7ticket.
8    (h) The Department shall issue a Request for Proposals from
9potential concessionaires by November 1, 2012 and shall select
10the concessionaire by February 1, 2013. The Request for
11Proposals shall contain a statement that the only revenue
12available to cover operating costs of the concessionaire will
13be from the farebox and any other sources generated by the
14concessionaire. The State shall have no cost responsibility for
15the service. Service shall begin by April 1, 2013 to coincide
16with the issuance of the Amtrak timetable in the spring of
172013.
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19becoming law.