(a) There is a Maryland Senior Rides Program in the Administration.
(b) The purpose of the Program is to encourage regional providers to provide door–to–door transportation for low–income to moderate–income seniors.
(c) The Administration shall award grants to qualified Program applicants, as provided in § 7–1003 of this subtitle, for the operation of transportation services as specified in this section.
(d) To be eligible for a grant under § 7–1003 of this subtitle, a Program applicant shall:
(1) Provide door–to–door transportation for low–income to moderate–income seniors who have difficulty accessing or using other existing transportation systems;
(2) Use primarily volunteer drivers who drive their own vehicles;
(3) Use a dispatcher system to respond quickly to requests from low–income to moderate–income seniors for door–to–door transportation; and
(4) Define a geographic area for which door–to–door transportation is provided.
(e) A Program participant may provide door–to–door transportation to an eligible senior who does not reside in the geographic area defined by the Program participant under subsection (d)(4) of this section when applying to participate in the Program, so long as service is not diminished to an eligible senior who does reside in the defined geographic area.
(f) A Program participant shall expend a matching fund of at least 25% of the total capital or operating costs associated with providing door–to–door transportation for low–income to moderate–income seniors.
(g) The Administration may not award more than $500,000 in grants per year.
(h) A Program participant may charge reasonable fees for door–to–door transportation provided by the Program participant.
(i) Nothing in this section prohibits a Program participant from providing services in addition to those described in subsection (d) of this section.