article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``University Transit Rider Innovation Program Act of 2015'' or ``UTRIP Act''. SEC. 2. FORMULA GRANTS TO INCREASE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RIDERSHIP BY COLLEGE STUDENTS. (a) In General.--Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by inserting after section 5307 the following: ``Sec. 5308. Formula grants to increase ridership by college students ``(a) Definitions.--In this section-- ``(1) the term `covered student' means an undergraduate or graduate student attending an institution of higher education; ``(2) the term `eligible entity' means-- ``(A) a recipient or subrecipient that provides covered students a discounted fare for public transportation that meets the requirements under subsection (d)(1); or ``(B) a recipient that allocates amounts provided to the recipient under a grant under this section to a subrecipient described in subparagraph (A); ``(3) the term `institution of higher education' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); ``(4) the term `large urbanized area' means an urbanized area with a population of not less than 200,000 individuals, as determined by the Bureau of the Census; ``(5) the term `recipient' means a designated recipient, a local governmental authority, or a State; ``(6) the term `small urbanized area' means an urbanized area with a population of less than 200,000 individuals, as determined by the Bureau of the Census; and ``(7) the term `subrecipient' means a State or local governmental authority, a private nonprofit organization, or an operator of public transportation services, including a private operator of public transportation services. ``(b) General Authority.-- ``(1) Grants.--The Secretary may make grants under this section to recipients that are eligible entities to increase the use of public transportation by covered students in accordance with subsection (c). ``(2) Subrecipients.--A recipient that receives a grant under this section may allocate the amounts provided under the grant to subrecipients that are eligible entities to increase the use of public transportation by covered students in accordance with subsection (c). ``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity may use amounts provided under a grant under this section to-- ``(1) offset decreased revenue resulting from providing discounted fares to covered students; ``(2) provide general operating assistance to public transportation services and routes designed to better serve institutions of higher education; or ``(3) pay for capital costs associated with expanding and maintaining public transportation services and routes designed to serve institutions of higher education. ``(d) Discounted Fare.-- ``(1) In general.--In order to qualify as an eligible entity described in subsection (a)(2)(A), a recipient or subrecipient shall provide to covered students a discounted fare for public transportation that is-- ``(A) not more than 75 percent of the fare; and ``(B) applicable to both monthly and single-ride fares. ``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to prohibit a recipient or subrecipient that, as of the date of enactment of the University Transit Rider Innovation Program Act of 2015, provides a discounted fare to covered students that meets the requirements under paragraph (1), including a discounted fare that is lower than 75 percent of the fare, from qualifying as an eligible entity described in subsection (a)(2)(A). ``(e) Apportionment and Transfers.-- ``(1) Formula.--The Secretary shall apportion amounts made available to carry out this section as follows: ``(A) Large urbanized areas.--Sixty percent of the funds shall be apportioned among designated recipients for large urbanized areas in the ratio that-- ``(i) the number of full-time equivalent covered students in each such urbanized area; bears to ``(ii) the number of full-time equivalent covered students in all such urbanized areas. ``(B) Small urbanized areas.--Twenty percent of the funds shall be apportioned among the States in the ratio that-- ``(i) the number of full-time equivalent covered students in small urbanized areas in each State; bears to ``(ii) the number of full-time equivalent covered students in small urbanized areas in all States. ``(C) Rural areas.--Twenty percent of the funds shall be apportioned among the States in the ratio that-- ``(i) the number of full-time equivalent covered students in rural areas in each State; bears to ``(ii) the number of full-time equivalent covered students in rural areas in all States. ``(2) Areas served by projects.-- ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B)-- ``(i) funds apportioned under paragraph (1)(A) shall be used to serve covered students or institutions of higher education in large urbanized areas; ``(ii) funds apportioned under paragraph (1)(B) shall be used to serve covered students or institutions of higher education in small urbanized areas; and ``(iii) funds apportioned under paragraph (1)(C) shall be used to serve covered students or institutions of higher education in rural areas. ``(B) Exceptions.--A State may use funds apportioned to the State under subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1)-- ``(i) to serve covered students or institutions of higher education in an area other than an area specified in subparagraph (A)(ii) or (A)(iii), as the case may be, if the Governor of the State certifies that all of the objectives of this section are being met in the area specified in subparagraph (A)(ii) or (A)(iii); or ``(ii) to serve covered students or institutions of higher education anywhere in the State, if the State has established a statewide program for meeting the objectives of this section. ``(C) Consultation.--A recipient may transfer an amount under subparagraph (B) only after consulting with responsible local officials, publicly owned operators of public transportation, and nonprofit providers in the area for which the amount was originally apportioned.''; and (2) in section 5338(a)-- (A) in paragraph (1)-- (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$9,347,604,639'' and inserting ``$9,597,604,639''; (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``$9,534,706,043'' and inserting ``$9,784,706,043''; (iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``$9,733,353,407'' and inserting ``$9,983,353,407''; (iv) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``$9,939,380,030'' and inserting ``$10,189,380,030''; and (v) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``$10,150,348,462'' and inserting ``$10,400,348,462''; and (B) in paragraph (2)-- (i) in subparagraph (M), by striking ``and'' at the end; (ii) in subparagraph (N), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: ``(M) $250,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 shall be available to carry out section 5308.''. (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.-- (1) Table of sections.--The table of sections for chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 5308 and inserting the following: ``5308. Formula grants to increase ridership by college students.''. (2) Obligation ceiling.--Section 3018 of the Federal Public Transportation Act of 2015 (title III of Public Law 114-94) is amended-- (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$9,347,604,639'' and inserting ``$9,597,604,639''; (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$9,733,706,043'' and inserting ``$9,983,706,043''; (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``$9,733,353,407'' and inserting ``$9,983,353,407''; (D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``$9,939,380,030'' and inserting ``$10,189,380,030''; and (E) in paragraph (5), by striking ``$10,150,348,462'' and inserting ``$10,400,348,462''.
summary: University Transit Rider Innovation Program Act of 2015 or the UTRIP Act This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) to make grants to designated recipients, local or state governmental authorities, private nonprofit organizations, or operators of public transportation services (recipients) to increase the use of public transportation by undergraduate or graduate students attending an institution of higher education (covered students). A recipient may use amounts provided under a grant to: offset decreased revenue resulting from providing discounted fares to covered students, provide general operating assistance to public transportation services and routes designed to better serve institutions of higher education, or pay for capital costs associated with expanding and maintaining public transportation services and routes designed to serve such institutions. To be eligible for a grant, a recipient must provide to covered students a discounted fare for public transportation that is: (1) not more than 75% of the fare, and (2) applicable to both monthly and single-ride fares. DOT shall apportion amounts made available to carry out this Act to large urbanized areas, small urbanized areas, and rural areas based on the relative numbers of full-time equivalent covered students in such areas, according to a specified formula, with specified exceptions.