{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/33.2-1526.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/33.2-1526.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/33.2-1526.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/33.2-1526.3.html"}],"law_id":69870,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69870,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.3","catch_line":"Transit Ridership Incentive Program","history":"2020, cc. 1230, 1275; 2022, cc. 719, 745; 2023, cc. 759, 797.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Board shall establish the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (the Program) to promote improved transit service in urbanized areas of the Commonwealth with a population in excess of 100,000 and to reduce barriers to transit use for low-income individuals.B\n\nThe goal of the Program shall be to encourage the identification and establishment of routes of regional significance, the development and implementation of a regional subsidy allocation model, implementation of integrated fare collection, establishment of bus-only lanes on routes of regional significance, and other actions and service determined by the Board to improve transit service.C\n\nThe Board shall establish guidelines for the implementation of the Program and review such guidelines, at a minimum, every five years. The funds in the Program shall be awarded such that on a five-year rolling average, the amount of funds awarded to each urbanized area shall be equal to a ratio of the population within the Commonwealth of such urbanized area compared to the total population within the Commonwealth of all eligible urbanized areas. The Board may through an affirmative vote of a majority of the members vote to waive this requirement for a period not to exceed two years when they find there is a need that justifies such waiver.D\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board shall use an amount not to exceed 25 percent of the funds available to support the establishment of programs to reduce the impact of fares on low-income individuals, including reduced-fare programs and elimination of fares. The restrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds used pursuant to this subsection, nor shall the funds used pursuant to this subsection be used to calculate the rolling average described in subsection C.E\n\nThe Board shall use at least 25 percent of the funds available to support regional transit initiatives. The Board shall use its discretion in allocating the remaining funds available as authorized pursuant to this section and based on the programs and initiatives submitted during the application process.F\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board shall use an amount not to exceed 30 percent of the funds available to support local, regional, and state entities in improving the accessibility of transit bus passenger facilities and improving crime prevention and public safety for transit passengers, operators, and employees. The Board shall develop guidelines for applications, including relevant criteria and any requirement for matching funds, including any private grants and donations, for grants to any local, regional, or state public entity that supports a transit system. The restrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds used pursuant to this subsection, nor shall the funds used pursuant to this subsection be used to calculate the rolling average described in subsection C.G\n\nThe Board shall report annually to the Governor and the General Assembly on the projects and services funded by the Program. The report shall, at a minimum, include an analysis of the performance of the funded projects, the performance of the identified routes of regional significance, transit ridership, efforts funded pursuant to subsection D, and any other information the Board determines to be appropriate.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":252463,"text":"The Board shall establish the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (the Program) to promote improved transit service in urbanized areas of the Commonwealth with a population in excess of 100,000 and to reduce barriers to transit use for low-income individuals.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":252464,"text":"The goal of the Program shall be to encourage the identification and establishment of routes of regional significance, the development and implementation of a regional subsidy allocation model, implementation of integrated fare collection, establishment of bus-only lanes on routes of regional significance, and other actions and service determined by the Board to improve transit service.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":252465,"text":"The Board shall establish guidelines for the implementation of the Program and review such guidelines, at a minimum, every five years. The funds in the Program shall be awarded such that on a five-year rolling average, the amount of funds awarded to each urbanized area shall be equal to a ratio of the population within the Commonwealth of such urbanized area compared to the total population within the Commonwealth of all eligible urbanized areas. The Board may through an affirmative vote of a majority of the members vote to waive this requirement for a period not to exceed two years when they find there is a need that justifies such waiver.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":252466,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board shall use an amount not to exceed 25 percent of the funds available to support the establishment of programs to reduce the impact of fares on low-income individuals, including reduced-fare programs and elimination of fares. The restrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds used pursuant to this subsection, nor shall the funds used pursuant to this subsection be used to calculate the rolling average described in subsection C.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":252467,"text":"The Board shall use at least 25 percent of the funds available to support regional transit initiatives. The Board shall use its discretion in allocating the remaining funds available as authorized pursuant to this section and based on the programs and initiatives submitted during the application process.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":252468,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board shall use an amount not to exceed 30 percent of the funds available to support local, regional, and state entities in improving the accessibility of transit bus passenger facilities and improving crime prevention and public safety for transit passengers, operators, and employees. The Board shall develop guidelines for applications, including relevant criteria and any requirement for matching funds, including any private grants and donations, for grants to any local, regional, or state public entity that supports a transit system. The restrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds used pursuant to this subsection, nor shall the funds used pursuant to this subsection be used to calculate the rolling average described in subsection C.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E","next_prefix":"G"},"6":{"id":252469,"text":"The Board shall report annually to the Governor and the General Assembly on the projects and services funded by the Program. The report shall, at a minimum, include an analysis of the performance of the funded projects, the performance of the identified routes of regional significance, transit ridership, efforts funded pursuant to subsection D, and any other information the Board determines to be appropriate.","type":"section","prefixes":["G"],"prefix":"G","entire_prefix":"G","prefix_anchor":"G","level":1,"prior_prefix":"F"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13148,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transportation Trust Fund","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13147,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","permalink":{"id":206595,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13148,"identifier":"5","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5","url":"\/33.2\/III\/15\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13147,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transportation Funding","identifier":"15","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13146,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","permalink":{"id":206485,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13147,"identifier":"15","token":"33.2\/III\/15","url":"\/33.2\/III\/15\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13146,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transportation Funding and Development","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12806,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:21","permalink":{"id":206483,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13146,"identifier":"III","token":"33.2\/III","url":"\/33.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12806,"edition_id":1,"name":"Highways and Other Surface Transportation Systems","identifier":"33.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 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Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526","metadata":false},{"id":56022,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.1","catch_line":"Use of the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.1\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.1","metadata":false},{"id":86224,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.2","catch_line":"Commonwealth Transit Capital Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.2\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.2","metadata":false},{"id":69870,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.3","catch_line":"Transit Ridership Incentive Program","url":"\/33.2-1526.3\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.3","metadata":false},{"id":75211,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.4","catch_line":"Commonwealth Rail Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.4\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.4","metadata":false},{"id":76515,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.5","catch_line":"Commonwealth Port Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.5\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.5","metadata":false},{"id":54172,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.6","catch_line":"Commonwealth Aviation Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.6\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.6","metadata":false},{"id":57624,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.7","catch_line":"Commonwealth Space Flight Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.7\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.7","metadata":false},{"id":64458,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1527","catch_line":"Priority Transportation Fund","url":"\/33.2-1527\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1527","metadata":false},{"id":63983,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1528","catch_line":"Concession Payments Account","url":"\/33.2-1528\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1528","metadata":false},{"id":54474,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1529","catch_line":"Toll Facilities Revolving Account","url":"\/33.2-1529\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1529","metadata":false},{"id":65952,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1529.1","catch_line":"Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund","url":"\/33.2-1529.1\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1529.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":86224,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.2","catch_line":"Commonwealth Transit Capital Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.2\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.2","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":75211,"structure_id":13148,"section_number":"33.2-1526.4","catch_line":"Commonwealth Rail Fund","url":"\/33.2-1526.4\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.4","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/33.2-1526.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 1230<\/a> and 1275<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2022, chapters 719<\/a> and 745<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 759<\/a> and 797<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":206621,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69870,"identifier":"33.2-1526.3","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.3","url":"\/33.2-1526.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/33.2-1526.3\/","token":"33.2\/III\/15\/5\/33.2-1526.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Transit Ridership Incentive Program","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 33.2-1526.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Board<\/span> shall establish the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (the Program) to promote improved transit service in urbanized areas of the Commonwealth with a population in excess of 100,000 and to reduce barriers to transit use for low-income individuals. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The goal of the Program shall be to encourage the identification and establishment of routes of regional significance, the development and implementation of a regional subsidy allocation model, implementation of integrated fare collection, establishment of bus-only lanes on routes of regional significance, and other actions and service determined by the Board<\/span> to improve transit service. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Board<\/span> shall establish guidelines for the implementation of the Program and review such guidelines, at a minimum, every five years. The funds in the Program shall be awarded such that on a five-year rolling average, the amount of funds awarded to each urbanized area shall be equal to a ratio of the population within the Commonwealth of such urbanized area compared to the total population within the Commonwealth of all eligible urbanized areas. The Board<\/span> may through an affirmative vote of a majority of the members vote to waive<\/span> this requirement for a period not to exceed two years when they find there is a need that justifies such waiver<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board<\/span> shall use an amount not to exceed 25 percent of the funds available to support the establishment of programs to reduce the impact of fares on low-income individuals, including reduced-fare programs and elimination of fares. The restrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds used pursuant to this subsection, nor shall the funds used pursuant to this subsection be used to calculate the rolling average described in subsection C. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> The Board<\/span> shall use at least 25 percent of the funds available to support regional transit initiatives. The Board<\/span> shall use its discretion in allocating the remaining funds available as authorized pursuant to this section and based on the programs and initiatives submitted during the application process. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board<\/span> shall use an amount not to exceed 30 percent of the funds available to support local, regional, and state entities in improving the accessibility of transit bus passenger facilities and improving crime<\/span> prevention and public safety for transit passengers, operators, and employees. The Board<\/span> shall develop guidelines for applications, including relevant criteria and any requirement for matching funds, including any private grants and donations, for grants to any local, regional, or state public entity that supports a transit system. The restrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds used pursuant to this subsection, nor shall the funds used pursuant to this subsection be used to calculate the rolling average described in subsection C. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

G.<\/span> The Board<\/span> shall report annually to the Governor and the General Assembly on the projects and services funded by the Program. The report shall, at a minimum, include an analysis of the performance of the funded projects, the performance of the identified routes of regional significance, transit ridership, efforts funded pursuant to subsection D, and any other information the Board<\/span> determines to be appropriate. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nTRANSIT RIDERSHIP INCENTIVE PROGRAM (\u00a7 33.2-1526.3)\n\nA. The Board shall establish the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (the\nProgram) to promote improved transit service in urbanized areas of the\nCommonwealth with a population in excess of 100,000 and to reduce barriers to\ntransit use for low-income individuals.\n\nB. The goal of the Program shall be to encourage the identification and\nestablishment of routes of regional significance, the development and\nimplementation of a regional subsidy allocation model, implementation of\nintegrated fare collection, establishment of bus-only lanes on routes of\nregional significance, and other actions and service determined by the Board to\nimprove transit service.\n\nC. The Board shall establish guidelines for the implementation of the Program\nand review such guidelines, at a minimum, every five years. The funds in the\nProgram shall be awarded such that on a five-year rolling average, the amount of\nfunds awarded to each urbanized area shall be equal to a ratio of the population\nwithin the Commonwealth of such urbanized area compared to the total population\nwithin the Commonwealth of all eligible urbanized areas. The Board may through\nan affirmative vote of a majority of the members vote to waive this requirement\nfor a period not to exceed two years when they find there is a need that\njustifies such waiver.\n\nD. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board shall use an amount\nnot to exceed 25 percent of the funds available to support the establishment of\nprograms to reduce the impact of fares on low-income individuals, including\nreduced-fare programs and elimination of fares. The restrictions in subsection A\nshall not apply to funds used pursuant to this subsection, nor shall the funds\nused pursuant to this subsection be used to calculate the rolling average\ndescribed in subsection C.\n\nE. The Board shall use at least 25 percent of the funds available to support\nregional transit initiatives. The Board shall use its discretion in allocating\nthe remaining funds available as authorized pursuant to this section and based\non the programs and initiatives submitted during the application process.\n\nF. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board shall use an amount\nnot to exceed 30 percent of the funds available to support local, regional, and\nstate entities in improving the accessibility of transit bus passenger\nfacilities and improving crime prevention and public safety for transit\npassengers, operators, and employees. The Board shall develop guidelines for\napplications, including relevant criteria and any requirement for matching\nfunds, including any private grants and donations, for grants to any local,\nregional, or state public entity that supports a transit system. The\nrestrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds used pursuant to this\nsubsection, nor shall the funds used pursuant to this subsection be used to\ncalculate the rolling average described in subsection C.\n\nG. The Board shall report annually to the Governor and the General Assembly on\nthe projects and services funded by the Program. The report shall, at a minimum,\ninclude an analysis of the performance of the funded projects, the performance\nof the identified routes of regional significance, transit ridership, efforts\nfunded pursuant to subsection D, and any other information the Board determines\nto be appropriate.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, cc. 1230, 1275; 2022, cc. 719, 745; 2023, cc. 759, 797.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}