The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has selected National Express Transit Corp. (National Express) to continue providing paratransit services as The Ride in the authority’s south service area.
The five-year base contract with two one-year options has a total value of more than $260 million. National Express has operated this service since it acquired the business in 2012.
In the past year, National Express transported nearly 600,000 ADA-eligible passengers on behalf of the MBTA, and this number is expected to gradually increase over the term of the new contract. THE RIDE is the critical paratransit service provided by the MBTA to ensure equal access to those with disabilities who are not able to use public transportation.
National Express was selected over several other proposers, including local, national and international competition, in a competitive bidding process for the South Service Area. The contract was approved at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) board of directors meeting in Boston on April 9. The South Service Area serves more than 20 municipalities, towns and other areas in addition to the city of Boston.
Dean Finch, group chief executive of National Express, said: “I am extremely pleased that we have been able to secure this significant contract through the quality of our proposal, but also through our reputation as a paratransit service provider that continually strives to achieve excellence. We look forward to continuing to serve the people of the Boston area.”
