(

a) In allocating funds for operating purposes pursuant to Sections and 99314, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall apply the following eligibility standards to the operators within the region subject to its jurisdiction:

(1) An operator is not eligible for its full allocation under this

section unless the operator has been found to have made reasonable effort in implementing productivity improvements pursuant to

Section 99244. In determining whether a reasonable effort has been made, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall give consideration to whether the operator would qualify for funding under

Section 99314.6. The amount of funds allocated shall be reduced in an amount that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission deems proportionate to the failure of the operator to implement the recommended improvements. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall adopt rules and regulations, in cooperation with the affected operators, governing the allocation of any funds withheld under this paragraph, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an operator shall not receive any funds pursuant to

Section or unless it has complied with the applicable rules , regulations, and recommendations adopted by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission pursuant to Sections and 66516.5 of the Government Code.

(3) Funds withheld from allocation to an operator pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be retained by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for reallocation to that operator for two years following the year of ineligibility. With respect to the funds withheld from an operator pursuant to paragraph (1), the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall reallocate those funds to the operator if the operator complies with that paragraph within two years.

Funds not reallocated to the operator, and funds withheld pursuant to paragraph (2), shall be allocated to any eligible operator within the region subject to the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for the purpose of improving coordination among the operators, or to any operator whose increase in total operating cost per revenue vehicle hour is less than the increase in the Consumer Price Index. Funds allocated for these purposes are exempt from subdivision (a). (

b) For purposes of this section, “operating cost,” “revenue vehicle hour,” and “Consumer Price Index” have the same meaning as defined in

Section 99314.6.