HomeMy WebLinkAboutCHAPTER 94ACHAPTER 94A. FIRST TRANSIT FRANCHISE
Updated 2016 94A-1
94A. FIRST TRANSIT FRANCHISE
94A.01. Franchise Required. No person shall establish, maintain, and operate a
public regular route bus transit system and related services upon and along the streets of the
City unless such action occurs pursuant to and in compliance with the terms and conditions of
a franchise ordinance adopted by the Common Council.
94A.02. Franchise Granted. First Transit, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the
grantee, is granted a non-exclusive franchise or privilege to establish, maintain, and operate a
public regular route bus transit system and related services upon and along the streets of the
City for the period January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2021. (4272, 12/5/16)
94A.03. Routes and Schedules. Subject to the provisions of chapter 221 of the
Minnesota Statutes, the council shall by written resolution, establish all routes and schedules
to be followed and maintained by the grantee, and all changes, extensions or curtailments of
the same shall first be approved by the council by written resolution. Grantee shall have the
right to establish temporary routes over any of the streets of the city and run special buses to
circuses, fairs, exhibitions, picnics or other public gatherings, either within or without the city,
subject to the power of the police department to re-route such special buses when necessary
for proper traffic control. Grantee shall be authorized reasonable terminal space at the
terminal points of its scheduled routes and shall be permitted to park its buses in such space
or spaces for such reasonable time as is necessary to enable it to comply with established
schedules, any of the ordinances of the city to the contrary notwithstanding.
94A.04. Rates. The value to be charged the grantee for public bus
transportation shall be determined and established by the Minnesota Transportation
Regulation Board, or any successor agency of the State.
94A.05. Non-transferability. The grantee cannot sell, transfer or assign any or
all of the rights and privileges granted by this franchise without the prior consent of the
council evidenced by written resolution.
94A.06. Notice of Termination. No temporary suspension of service by the
grantee due to strikes, riots, weather conditions or any other reasonable cause shall
constitute a basis for a revocation or termination of this grant of franchise or privilege.
Grantee may not wholly discontinue or terminate its activities as a bus line under this
franchise without first giving to the council at least 30 days prior written notice of its intention
to do so.
94A.07. Buses. Subdivision 1. Licenses. On the first day of January of each
year during the term of this franchise, the grantee shall secure a license for each bus then
being operated by the grantee under the provisions of this chapter. The fee for each license
is $18.00. Each license shall expire on December 31 of the license year. Each additional
CHAPTER 94A. FIRST TRANSIT FRANCHISE
Updated 2016 94A-2
bus placed in service after January 1 of each year shall be licensed by transferring the
license of a bus retired from service or by purchasing a new license and paying therefor that
portion of the above specified license fee which the remainder of the license year bears to
the entire year.
Subd. 2. Condition. Each bus operated within the city under authority of this
franchise shall comply with the following provisions: (a) The name "Rochester Public Transit"
shall appear on the sides of the bus in prominent letters; (b) the route name shall be posted
on the front and right side of the bus in clear view of passengers waiting to board; and, (c) the
name of the driver and number of the bus shall be posted in clear view of boarding
passengers.
94A.08. Continuing Authority of Council. Nothing in this chapter shall be
construed as limiting or restricting the right of the council to reasonably regulate and control
the routing, parking, speed, safety of operation and equipment of the buses, and loading and
unloading of passengers by the buses of the grantee; or restricting or limiting the council in
the exercise of the general police powers with respect to the regulation of the use of the
public streets.
(4066, 5/21/12; 4272, 12/5/16)