(a) Except as otherwise provided, terms defined in 49 U.S.C. chapter 53 are used in this part as so defined.

(b) For purposes of this part—

Administrator means the Federal Transit Administrator or his or her designee.

Adequate transportation means transportation for students and school personnel which the Administrator determines conforms to applicable safety laws; is on time; poses a minimum of discipline problems; is not subject to fluctuating rates; and is operated efficiently and in harmony with state educational goals and programs.

Assistance means Federal financial assistance for the purchase of buses and the construction or operation of facilities and equipment for use in providing public transportation services under 49 U.S.C. chapter 53, but does not include research, development and demonstration projects.

Incidental means the transportation of school students, personnel and equipment in charter bus operations during off peak hours which does not interfere with regularly scheduled service to the public.

Interested party means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or public or private organization that has a financial interest which is adversely affected by the act or acts of a recipient with respect to school bus operations.

Reasonable Rates means rates found by the Administrator to be fair and equitable taking into consideration the conditions in the local surrounding area.

Recipient means a recipient of assistance under 49 U.S.C. chapter 53.

School bus operations means transportation by bus exclusively for school students, personnel and equipment in Type I and Type II school vehicles as defined in Highway Safety Program Guideline No. 17.

Tripper service means regularly scheduled public transportation service which is open to the public, and which is designed or modified to accommodate the needs of school students and personnel, using various fare collections or subsidy systems. Buses used in tripper service must be clearly marked as open to the public and may not carry designations such as “school bus” or “school special.” These buses may stop only at a recipient or operator's regular service stop. All routes traveled by tripper buses must be within a recipient's or operator's regular route service as indicated in their published route schedules.