At that meeting, the RTC board discussed the possibility of a new service provider for Access, an RTC transit service that gives rides to persons who cannot drive or ride the bus. MV Transportation has been the company behind the Access driver’s seat for more than five years, gaining the trust of the area’s most vulnerable passengers. However, First Transit wants the contract and is willing to provide it for about $3 million less than MV Transportation.
MV Transportation wants to continue to be the provider for Access and filed a protest when RTC staff announced they wanted to go with First Transit.
The board was set to vote on the issue at its April 16 meeting but the decision was put off for two weeks. A final decision will be reached by the board on April 30 at a 9 a.m. meeting to be held in the RTC boardroom at 2050 Villanova Drive.
“What a lot of people don’t understand is the relationship with the driver,” said Bob Blanchet, speaking to the board on April 16 under public comment. “You don’t know the business of the bond with these drivers. They (the riders) know they are going to get from point A to point B safely with these drivers.”
If First Transit gets the contract, they have the right to hire, or rehire, those they feel are qualified, according to First Transit spokesman Tim Stokes.
“It is our practice to employ experienced drivers who live and work in the community. They know the area, passengers and the routes, which is a tremendous asset,” Stokes said when asked about the riders’ fears about replacing their trusted drivers. “All prospective hires must pass our rigorous background checks and driving tests prior to transporting any passengers.”
Stokes could not comment on any changes in health benefits if any current drivers were rehired.
According to RTC director of public transportation David Jickling, Access employs about 62 drivers.
“MV is second to none,” said George Mayes, a pastor at Bethel AME church in Sparks and a man who is legally blind. “They are very cordial and kind. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that a lot of training and trust has been invested in these people.”
According to a presentation by Lea Rogers, RTC’s paratransit administrator, the commission is required by federal law to advertise for new RTC Access contractors every seven years using a competitive negotiation process. MV Transportation’s contract expires June 30.
If First Transit were to get the contract, the RTC would pay the contractor about $30.47 million over seven years. MV Transportation says it can do the job for a price tag of more than $33.53 million over the course of that same seven years.
Some, however, on the RTC side of the negotiations, seemed impressed by First Transit’s offer.
“The way they spoke and handled themselves at the meetings was impressive,” said Arthur Gutmann, a member of the Public Transportation Advisory Committee and an Access rider. “They analyzed, they tried to be fair and they did the best they could. MV may have lost it but First Transit really won it.”
First Transit is a subsidiary of First Group America and is based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. MV Transportation is based out of Fairfield, Calif.
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