American Logistics Company (ALC), a national passenger transportation management company, today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) to operate the agency's Dial-A-Ride paratransit services program for seniors over the age of 65 and disabled residents living in the Antelope Valley. ALC was selected due to its innovative Coordinated Transportation Model, and AVTA expects to save $5 million over the potential life of the contract, when compared to the agency's previous Dial-a-Ride contract.
"Transit agencies across the United States are starting to discover the benefits afforded by our Coordinated Transportation Model, in terms of helping them build and maintain sustainable and cost-effective paratransit programs," said Craig Puckett, president, American Logistics Company. "In choosing ALC's innovative model, AVTA is demonstrating its commitment to ensuring that the transportation needs of elderly and disabled residents living throughout the Antelope Valley will be met for years to come."
ALC's Coordinated Transportation Model demonstrates the company's ability to provide paratransit solutions that yield significant cost savings with unyielding customer service. Through the use of proprietary trip optimization technology (ParaMax) and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), ALC is able to deliver on its promise of reduced costs and improved service. In most cases ALC can reduce the cost of paratransit programs by 20 to 30 percent, regardless of the size of the paratransit program. ALC's ParaMax technology reduces transportation costs by analyzing all trip reservations, to "right size the route" and "right size the fleet."
"The entire AVTA board and staff are looking forward to our new working partnership with ALC," said Norm Hickling, chairman, AVTA board of directors and deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich. "We believe the transition of the current Dial-a-Ride service to the ALC Coordinated Transportation Model will be beneficial for our senior and disabled riders of the Antelope Valley, as well as our local businesses. ALC's methods encourage excellent customer service because its drivers must meet specific standards, and are motivated to meet these standards to ensure a steady income."
ALC was one of several transportation service providers vying for the AVTA Dial-a-Ride Paratransit Service contract during a competitive bidding process that began in August 2011 and culminated in a final decision by the AVTA board of directors to contract with ALC in October 2011.
In commenting on why ALC was chosen to operate AVTA's Dial-a-Ride program, Julie Austin, executive director of AVTA said, "ALC is providing transportation services for the 21st century. They have an excellent reputation for providing outstanding customer service, being on time and offering faster travel times. We are confident that they will hit the ground running with our Dial-a-Ride program, and we are looking forward to an exceptional experience with ALC."
ALC will begin operating AVTA's Dial-a-Ride Paratransit Service on January 1, 2012.
