Claims may be filed under this article with the transportation planning agency by counties and cities for the following purposes and by transit districts for the purposes specified in subdivisions (c) to (f), inclusive:
(a)
Local streets and roads, and projects which are provided for use by pedestrians and bicycles.
(b)
Passenger rail service operations and capital improvements.
(c)
Payment to any entity which is under contract with a county, city, or transit district for public transportation or for transportation services for any group, as determined by the transportation planning agency, requiring special transportation assistance.
If the county, city, or transit district is being served by an operator, the contract entered into by the county, city, or transit district shall specify the level of service to be provided, the operating plan to implement that service, and how that service is to be coordinated with the public transportation service provided by the operator. Prior to approving any claim filed under this section, the transportation planning agency, or the county transportation commission in a county with such a commission, shall make a finding
that the transportation services contracted for under subdivision (c) are responding to a transportation need not otherwise being met within the community or jurisdiction of the claimant and that, where appropriate, the services are coordinated with the existing transportation service.
(d)
Payments to counties, cities, and transit districts for their administrative and planning cost with respect to transportation services under subdivision (c).
(e)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a claimant for funds pursuant to subdivision (c) may also receive payments for capital expenditures to acquire vehicles and related equipment, bus shelters, bus benches, and communication equipment for the transportation services.
(f)
Acquisition or lease of vans and related equipment for a farmworker vanpool program for
purposes of farmworker transportation to and from work, provided the farmworker vanpool program shall use vans or related equipment for a commuter vanpool as defined by Section 37.3 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the regional transportation planning agency conforms with the planning requirements of Section 5306 of Title 49 of the United States Code and Part 613 (commencing with Section 613.100) of Chapter VI of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.