The purpose of this part is to prescribe requirements and procedures necessary for compliance with the National Transit Database Reporting System and Uniform System of Accounts, as mandated by 49 U.S.C. 5335, and to set forth the procedures for addressing a reporting entity's failure to comply with these requirements.

This part applies to all applicants for, and any person that receives benefits directly from, a grant under 49 U.S.C. 5307 or 5311.

(a) Except as otherwise provided, terms defined in 49 U.S.C. 5302 et seq. apply to this part.

(b) Except as otherwise provided, terms defined in the current editions of the National Transit Database Reporting Manuals and the NTD Uniform System of Accounts are used in this part as so defined.

(c) For purposes of this part:

Administrator means the Federal Transit Administrator or the Administrator's designee.

Applicant means an entity seeking Federal financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. chapter 53.

Assistance means Federal financial assistance for the planning, acquisition, construction, or operation of public transportation services.

Beneficiary means any entity that receives benefits from assistance under 49 U.S.C. 5307 or 5311.

Current edition of the National Transit Database Reporting Manuals and Uniform System of Accounts means the most recently issued editions of the reference documents.

Days mean calendar days.

Reference Document(s) means the current editions of the National Transit Database Reporting Manuals and Uniform System of Accounts. These documents are subject to periodic revision. Beneficiaries and applicants are responsible for using the current editions of the reference documents.

Reporting entity means an entity required to provide reports as set forth in the reference documents.

State Department of Transportation means the Department of Transportation of a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Transit agency means an entity providing public transportation as defined in 49 U.S.C. 5302.

(a) National Transit Database Reporting System. Each applicant for and beneficiary of Federal financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. chapter 53 must comply with the applicable requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5335, as set forth in the reference documents.

(b) Copies. Copies of reference documents are available from the National Transit Database Web site located at http://www.ntdprogram.gov. These reference documents are subject to periodic revision. Revisions of reference documents will be posted on the National Transit Database Web site and a notice of any significant changes to the reporting requirements specified in these reference documents will be published in the Federal Register.

Failure to report data in accordance with this part may result in the noncompliant reporting entity being ineligible to receive any funding under 49 U.S.C. chapter 53, directly or indirectly, until such time as a report is filed in accordance with this part.

(a) Late reports. Each reporting entity shall ensure that FTA receives its report by the due dates prescribed in the reference documents. A reporting entity may request a 30 day extension to submit its report. FTA will treat a failure to submit the required report by the due date or the extension date as failure to report data under § 630.5.

(b) Incomplete reports. FTA will treat an NTD submission that does not contain all of the required data; or does not contain the required certifications, where applicable; or that is not in substantial conformance with the definitions, procedures, and format requirements set out in the reference documents as a failure to report data under § 630.5, unless the reporting entity has exhausted all possibilities for obtaining this information.

FTA will review each NTD submission to verify the reasonableness of the data submitted. If any of the data do not appear reasonable, FTA will notify the reporting entity of this fact in writing, and request written justification from the reporting entity to either document the accuracy of the questioned data, or to revise the questioned data with a more accurate submission. Failure of a reporting entity to make a good-faith written response to this request will be treated as a failure to report data under § 630.5.

FTA may enter a zero, or adjust any questionable data item(s), in any reporting entity's NTD submission that is used in computing the Section 5307 apportionment. These adjustments may be made if any data appears to be inaccurate, have not been collected and reported in accordance with FTA reference documents, or if there is not adequate documentation and a reliable recordkeeping system.

Before taking final action under §§ 630.5 or 630.8, FTA will transmit a written request to the reporting entity to provide the necessary information within a specified reasonable period of time. FTA will advise the reporting entity of its final decision.

Waivers of one or more sections of the reporting requirements may be granted at the discretion of the Administrator on a written showing that the party seeking the waiver cannot furnish the required data without unreasonable expense and inconvenience. Each waiver will be for a specified period of time.

Errors in the data used in making the Section 5307 apportionment may be discovered after any particular year's apportionment is completed. If so, FTA shall make adjustments to correct these errors in a subsequent year's apportionment to the extent feasible.