Chapter 23B. Transportation Advisory Councils.

Subchapter I. Transit Rider Advisory Council.

§ 50–2361.01. Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the term:

(1) "DDOT" means the District Department of Transportation.

(2) "Local transit" means intra-District streetcar and bus service.

(3) "MAAC" means the Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council.

(4) "TRAC" means the Transit Rider Advisory Council.

§ 50–2361.02. Transit Rider Advisory Council.

(a) There is established a Transit Rider Advisory Council.

(b) The TRAC shall be composed of 11 members appointed as follows:

(1) The Director of DDOT, or the Director’s designee;

(2) The Director of the Office of Planning, or the Director’s designee; and

(3)(A) Nine community representatives who are District residents who regularly use local transit and who do not receive a salary from, do business with, or lobby the District government, appointed as follows:

(i) Each Ward Councilmember shall appoint one community representative; and

(ii) The Chairperson of the Council committee with oversight over DDOT shall appoint one community representative.

(B) The community representatives shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, with initial staggered appointments of 3 community representatives appointed for one year, 3 community representatives appointed for 2 years, and 3 community representatives appointed for 3 years. The community representatives to serve the one-year term, the community representatives to serve the 2-year term, and the community representatives to serve the 3-year term shall be determined by lot at the first meeting of the TRAC.

(C) Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment to the position that became vacant. Community representatives who are appointed to fill vacancies that occur before the expiration of a community representative’s full term shall serve only the unexpired portion of the community representative’s term.

(c) A chairperson shall be elected from among the community representatives at the first meeting of the TRAC, for a term of 2 years, and every 2 years thereafter.

(d) The TRAC shall meet on a quarterly basis, and more often as needed, at times to be determined by the chairperson of the TRAC at the first meeting of the TRAC.

(e) DDOT shall provide the TRAC with an annual operating budget, which shall include funds to maintain a website where the TRAC shall provide a public listing of members, meeting notices, and meeting minutes.

§ 50–2361.03. Functions and operations of the TRAC.

(a) The purpose of the TRAC shall be to serve as the advisory body to the Mayor, the Council, and DDOT on matters pertaining to operating, improving, and expanding local transit.

(b)(1) Before the notice of a proposed fare or service adjustment is published in the District of Columbia Register, pursuant to sections § 50-921.35(a-1) or § 50-921.76(a-1), DDOT shall submit the proposed fare or service adjustment, to the TRAC.

(2) The TRAC may hold public hearings on the proposed fare or service adjustment.

(3) Before the expiration of the public comment period on the proposed fare or service adjustment, the TRAC shall submit comments to DDOT on the proposed fare or service adjustment, including proposed modifications to the proposal, if any.

(4) If DDOT does not incorporate the TRAC’s suggested modifications in its final fare or service adjustment, DDOT shall provide the TRAC with a detailed written explanation as to why the proposed modifications were not incorporated into the final fare or service adjustment.

(5) For the purposes of this subsection, the term "fare or service adjustment" shall mean a change in the fare, the creation of a new route, or a significant change to an existing route or schedule of the DC Circulator or DC Streetcar.

(c)(1) Before finalizing a strategic or long-term plan to expand and improve local transit service, DDOT shall submit a draft of the proposed plan to the TRAC.

(2) The TRAC may hold public hearings on the proposed planning plan.

(3) Within 45 days, the TRAC shall submit comments to DDOT on the proposed plan, including proposed modifications to the plan, if any.

(4) If DDOT does not incorporate the TRAC’s suggested modifications into the final plan, the agency shall provide the TRAC with a detailed written explanation as to why the proposed modifications were not incorporated into the final plan.

Subchapter II. Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council.

§ 50–2361.31. Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council.

(a) There is established a Multimodal Accessibility Advisory Council.

(b) The MAAC shall be composed of 9 members appointed as follows:

(1) The Director of DDOT, or the Director’s designee;

(2) The Director of the Office of Disability Rights, or the Director’s designee;

(3) The Director of the Office of Human Rights, or the Director’s designee;

(4)(A) Six community representatives, who are District residents and who represent the disability advocacy community, appointed by the Mayor.

(B) The community representatives shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, with initial staggered appointments of 2 community representatives appointed for one year, 2 community representatives appointed for 2 years, and 2 community representatives appointed for 3 years. The community representatives to serve the one-year term, the community representatives to serve the 2-year term, and the community representatives to serve the 3-year term shall be determined by lot at the first meeting of the MAAC.

(c) A chairperson shall be elected from among the 6 community representatives at the first meeting of the MAAC, for a term of 2 years, and every 2 years thereafter.

(d) The MAAC shall meet on a quarterly basis, and more often as needed, at times to be determined by the chairperson of the MAAC at the first meeting of the MAAC.

(e) DDOT shall provide the MAAC with reasonable and accessible accommodations for holding meetings and an annual operating budget, which shall include funds to maintain a website where the MAAC shall provide a public listing of members, meeting notices, and meeting minutes.

(f) The purpose of the MAAC shall be to serve as the advisory body to the Mayor, the Council, and District agencies on making local transit and public space in the District more accessible to persons with disabilities.

§ 50–2361.32. Discussion of advisory council recommendations.

(a) At least once every 6 months, the Director of DDOT, or the Director’s designee, shall meet separately with the chairperson of the Bicycle Advisory Council, the Pedestrian Advisory Council, the TRAC, and the MAAC to discuss recommendations provided by the advisory councils to DDOT.

(b) Following each meeting held pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, DDOT shall make publicly available all recommendations discussed between DDOT and the advisory councils, DDOT’s decision in response to the recommendations, and an explanation of the decision made by DDOT.