Funds which are available to the department for rail and bus operations may be used by the department for maintenance of capital facilities related to rail or bus services provided, or for minor capital improvement projects related to rail and bus services provided, if the department determines that this use of funds would improve the operation of a service. For the purposes of this section, a project shall be determined to be a “minor capital improvement project” on the same basis that a project is determined to be a “minor highway project” by the commission.