Maine Revised Statutes
Chapter 163: TRANSPORTATION
30-A §3502. Formation; powers

§3502. Formation; powers
1. Formation. By vote of its legislative body, any municipality may by itself, or in cooperation with one or more other municipalities, form a transit district for the purposes provided in this chapter.
A. Municipalities not in the same geographic public transportation region must gain approval from the Department of Transportation before forming a transit district under this section. [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
B. With the consent of the Department of Transportation and of the municipal officers of any municipality not included in a transit district, a transit district may provide transportation services within that municipality. [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10 (AMD).]
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
2. General powers; area of service. The district formed under subsection 1 is a body politic and corporate, and may sue, be sued, plead and be impleaded, adopt a name, adopt and alter a common seal and do all things necessary to furnish motor vehicle mass transportation within that district, including charter service, for public purposes in the interest of the health, safety, comfort and convenience of the inhabitants of the municipality or municipalities comprising the district.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
3. Incidental rights. All incidental powers, rights and privileges necessary to accomplish the main objective set forth in this chapter are granted to a district created. Such a district is subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission only to the extent provided in this chapter.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
4. Prohibition. Except for the following items, a transit district may not sell, rent or lease goods or services to any entity other than the State, a municipality, quasi-municipal corporation or transit district, unless those goods or services are essential to the purchaser and are not available from another source:
A. Advertising space on vehicles owned by the transit district; [PL 1989, c. 726, §2 (NEW).]
B. Existing vacant office or storage space owned by the transit district; and [PL 1989, c. 726, §2 (NEW).]
C. Used equipment not originally purchased for resale. [PL 1989, c. 726, §2 (NEW).]
Transit districts subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Commission under Title 35‑A, Part 5, are exempt from this subsection.
[PL 1989, c. 726, §2 (NEW).]
5. Penalty. Any transit district violating subsection 4, is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000, payable to the State, and recoverable in a civil action.
[PL 1989, c. 726, §2 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C8,10 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 726, §2 (AMD).