Sen. Michael W. Frerichs

Filed: 2/23/2012

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 3618

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 3618 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
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

 

 

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1participate in the Amtrak Thruways program.
2    (c) The Department shall require Amtrak, as a condition of
3receiving State funds for intercity rail service, to enroll the
4concessionaire in the Amtrak Thruways program and sell and
5issue tickets for the bus service of the concessionaire. The
6Department shall further require Amtrak, as a condition of
7receiving State funds for intercity rail service, to account
8for the ticket revenue of all rail passengers who also
9purchased a bus ticket from the concessionaire for the same
10trip. This revenue of rail tickets sold to individuals who also
11purchased a bus ticket from the concessionaire on the same trip
12shall be distributed to the concessionaire from Amtrak on a
13monthly basis for the duration of the concession. Any
14additional revenue collected by Amtrak due to higher ticket
15prices sold to non-bus passengers shall remain with Amtrak and
16may be used to reduce the annual operating subsidy for rail
17service due from the State.
18    (d) The concessionaire shall affix large signage that reads
19"Amtrak Illinois" on all bus vehicles used by the
20concessionaire to transport passengers. The Department shall
21require Amtrak, as a condition of receiving State funds for
22intercity rail service, to allow the concessionaire to use the
23Amtrak Illinois trademark and logo as part of their signage.
24    (e) The Department shall market Amtrak Illinois bus service
25in the same manner as the Department markets Amtrak Illinois
26rail service.

 

 

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1    (f) The concession shall be for at least one of the
2following routes: Champaign, Normal, Peoria, Galesburg, and
3the Quad Cities; and Champaign, Decatur, Springfield, and
4Quincy, with any intermediate stops of the concessionaire's
5choosing. These routes shall be timed to connect with Amtrak
6service in Champaign, Normal, Galesburg, and Springfield as
7much as possible. Preference shall be granted for
8concessionaire proposals that include the most frequencies on
9the routes. The Department may grant a concession for one or
10both of these routes as part of the pilot program.
11    (g) The concessionaire shall be encouraged to pick up and
12drop off bus passengers that do not also purchase a rail
13ticket.
14    (h) The Department shall issue a Request for Proposals from
15potential concessionaires by November 1, 2012 and shall select
16the concessionaire by February 1, 2013. Service shall begin by
17April 1, 2013 to coincide with the issuance of the Amtrak
18timetable in the spring of 2013.
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20becoming law.".