1408                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                       [CH. 869

obligations of any operating contract which the transferor agency
may have entered into.

Article XII

Coordination of Private and Public Facilities
317-55. Declaration of Policy—

It is hereby declared that the interest of the public in efficient
and economical transit service and in the financial well-being of the
Authority and of the private transit companies requires that the
public and private segments of the regional transit system be oper-
ated, to the fullest extent possible, as a coordinated system without
unnecessary duplicating service.

317-56. Implementation of Policy—

In order to carry out the legislative policy set forth in Section
317-55 of this Article XII—

(a)    The Authority—

(1)    except as herein provided, shall not, directly or through a
Contractor, perform transit service by bus or similar motor vehicles;

(2)    shall, in cooperation with the private carriers and WMATC,
coordinate to the fullest extent practicable, the schedules for service
performed by its facilities with the schedules for service performed
by private carriers; and

(3)    shall enter into agreements with the private carriers to estab-
lish and maintain, subject to approval by WMATC, through routes
and joint fares and provide for the division thereof, or, in the absence
of such agreements, establish and maintain through routes and joint
fares in accordance with orders issued by WMATC directed to the
private carriers when the terms and conditions for such through
service and joint fares are acceptable to it.

(b)    The WMATC, upon application, complaint, or upon its own
motion, shall—

(1)    direct private carriers to coordinate their schedules for
service with the schedules for service performed by facilities owned
OR CONTROLLED by the Authority;

(2)    direct private carriers to improve or extend any existing
services or provide additional service over additional routes;

(3)    authorize a private carrier, pursuant to agreement between
said carrier and the Authority, to establish and maintain through
routes and joint fares for transportation to be rendered with facilities
owned OR CONTROLLED by the Authority if, after hearing held
upon reasonable notice, WMATC finds that such through routes and
joint fares are required by the public interest; and

(4) in the absence of such an agreement with the Authority,
direct a private carrier to establish and maintain through routes
and joint fares with the Authority, if, after hearing held upon
reasonable notice, WMATC finds that such through service and joint
fares are required by the public interest; provided, however, that
no such order, rule or regulation of WMATC shall be construed