Protests, objections and hearings.

A. Any interested person or any member of the public may provide information to the department or express an objection to any application for a certificate, or for amendment, lease or transfer of a certificate, during the notice period for the application by filing a written objection in regard to the application. The department shall consider any objections filed in regard to determining whether to hold a hearing on the application. The department is not required to hold a hearing pursuant to any objection but may, in its discretion or on its own motion for any reason, hold a hearing on any application for a certificate or for an amendment, lease or transfer of a certificate. B. The department shall hold a hearing on an application whenever a protest is filed within the notice period or the traffic safety bureau of the department files a request for a hearing relative to an application within the notice period. The department shall allow a protesting carrier to proceed as an intervenor in the application proceeding. C. In any hearing held on an application: (1) the applicant has the burden of proving that the applicant meets the requirements of the Motor Carrier Act and the rules of the department for the application at issue, the burden of demonstrating with reasonable specificity the nature and scope of its proposed transportation service, the burden of proving any particular factual matters that the department or the traffic safety bureau of the department may identify and require, the burden of proving any additional allegations and matters of public interest that it may raise and, if the application pertains to ambulance service, the burden of proving that the ambulance service that currently exists in the territory sought in the application is inadequate and that the proposed service is directly responsive to a public need and demand for the service proposed; (2) a protesting carrier has the burden of proving all matters of fact pertaining to its full-service operation within its certificated full-service territory, the burden of proving the potential impairment or adverse impact on its existing full-service operation by the transportation service proposed by the applicant and the burden of proving all other allegations and matters of public interest that it may raise. The protesting carrier's proof should include, without limitation, a demonstration with reasonable specificity of the nature of the existing full service being provided, the volume of passengers transported, economic analysis related to expenses and revenues of the full-service operation and the anticipated economic, business or functional effect of the proposed service on the existing provision of, or rates for, full-service transportation within the full- service territory; (3) the department may allow other interested persons to intervene, either generally or on the basis of specific facts or issues. A permissive intervenor has the burden of proof for its position on all factual matters and legal issues that it alleges and on which it is permitted to intervene; and (4) all parties to a hearing may base their demonstration and proof on business data, experienced persons and mathematical calculations. Expert testimony shall not be required of any party but may be provided at the option of a party. D. The department shall not grant an application: (1) for a certificate for ambulance service, or for amendment, lease or transfer of such a certificate, if it finds after hearing that the existing ambulance service is provided on a reasonably continuous and adequate basis in the territory in which the new service is sought or that the holder of the certificate or lessee providing the existing ambulance service in such territory is willing and able to provide, and does subsequently provide, reasonably continuous and adequate service within such territory, as specified by department order; (2) for a new certificate for general taxicab service within the full-service territory of a protesting municipal taxicab service carrier; or (3) for a certificate for any passenger service other than those identified in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, or for amendment, lease or transfer of such a certificate, within a protesting full-service carrier's full-service territory, if it finds after hearing that the grant of the application presents a reasonable potential to impair, diminish or otherwise adversely affect the existing provision of full-service passenger service to the public in the full-service territory or if the application is otherwise contrary to the public interest in the full-service territory. In considering the potential effect on provision of transportation services to the public in regard to such an application, the department shall consider all evidence presented pertaining to such potential effect, including evidence of the effect that diversion of revenue or traffic may have on the provision of full-service passenger service to the community. Diversion of revenue or traffic from an existing motor carrier shall not, however, be sufficient grounds for denying the application without a showing that the diversion presents a reasonable potential to affect the provision of full-service passenger service to the community.