On February 27, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko testified before the Judiciary Committee in support of HB 860 – Public Nuisance – Common Carriers – Damage to Public Infrastructure.
This bill enables counties to seek recourse against certain private transportation companies should they continuously damage public infrastructure. As the primary entities responsible for road maintenance in Maryland, counties support any commonsense measure aimed at enabling smoother operations while putting less pressure on public resources.
When common carriers, such as private bus or other transit companies, operate in a way that continuously damages this infrastructure, it is largely counties who are forced to pay for repairs. This not only presents a significant unplanned fiscal burden, but it also proves problematic for residents forced to contend with avoidable congestion due to emergency maintenance measures. By giving counties additional tools to encourage common carriers to operate in less destructive ways, the General Assembly would be implementing a low-cost policy which will save already stretched transportation dollars.
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