ALEXANDRIA, Va. The United Motorcoach Association has filed a charter service complaint against the public transit agency in Janesville, Wis., and it has been notified by the Federal Transit Administration that its complaint against the transit agency in Rome, Ga., has merit.

The complaint against the Janesville Transit System centers on the annual charter service notice issued by that agency. It specifies that willing-and-able private operators responding to the notice must have two-door, transit-type buses with air conditioning and wheelchair lifts.

In its complaint filed with the Federal Transit Administration regional office in Chicago, UMA notes that federal rules prohibit transit agencies from specifying a certain type of bus when they issue a charter notice.

It appears from correspondence sent out by Janesville Transit that the agency has been disqualifying private operators from providing charter service because they did not have the transit-type buses specified by the agency.

UMA asked the FTA to withhold federal subsidies from the transit agency because the violations are repetitive.

Last month, Janesville Transit issued its latest charter service notice and once again it specified transit buses.

Private operators interested in responding to the new notice must do so by April 18. Reply letters should be sent to David J. Mumma, transit director, Janesville Transit System, 900 N. Parker Dr., Janesville, WI 53545.

Operators should ignore the requirement for transit buses.

In the Rome, Ga., complaint, the FTA gave UMA 30 days to reach a settlement with the City of Rome Transit Department. If UMA and the transit system fail to reach an agreement, then the FTA will conduct a formal review.

It is UMAs contention that Rome Transit violated the willing-and-able provision of the federal charter rules, and it has been skirting the regulations by setting up a sham contract with a small, private van service based in Rome.

The transit agency "runs" charter service arrangements through the private operator, paying it a $50 commission to facilitate the sham, UMA contends.