The department shall have the following powers, duties, and responsibilities:

(1) To collect and maintain data on the level of public transportation services and needs in the state and identify areas not being adequately served by existing public or private transportation services;

(2) To assess the regional and statewide effect of changes, improvement, and route abandonments in the state's public transportation system;

(3) To develop a six-year statewide transit plan and programs for public transportation in coordination with local plans and programs developed by municipalities, counties, transit authorities, and regional metropolitan transit authorities;

(4) To provide planning and technical assistance to agencies of the state, political subdivisions, or groups seeking to improve public transportation;

(5) To advise, consult, and cooperate with agencies of the state, the federal government, and other states, interstate agencies, political subdivisions, and groups concerned with public transportation;

(6) To cooperate with the Public Service Commission by providing periodic assessments to the commission when determining the effect of proposed regulatory decisions on public transportation;

(7) To administer federal and state programs providing financial assistance to public transportation, except those federal and state programs in which a municipality, county, transit authority, regional metropolitan transit authority, or other state agency is designated as the administrator;

(8) To develop and administer a safety oversight program to oversee rail transit systems operated by the state, an interstate agency, or any political subdivision; and

(9) To exercise all other powers necessary and proper for the discharge of its duties, including the adoption and promulgation of reasonable rules and regulations to carry out the Nebraska Public Transportation Act.