The San Mateo County Transit District Board of Directors on Oct. 1 voted to select First Transit Inc. as the new paratransit service provider for the Redi-Wheels program. Redi-Wheels provides paratransit services to customers with disabilities who cannot independently use SamTrans bus service.
The five-year base contract represents a total cost of $42,854,464 and includes five one-year options at an additional cost.
“As a member of the review panel and a Redi-Wheels customer, it was particularly important to me that the successful contractor demonstrate sensitivity to and awareness of the needs of the community they will be serving,” said Mike Levinson, San Mateo County Paratransit Coordinating Council chair. “I am hopeful that the new contractor will demonstrate the same level of sensitivity Redi-Wheels customers have traditionally experienced.”
This is the first contract between the District and First Transit. For the past 10 years, the District’s paratransit services have been provided by MV Transportation Inc.
Both MV and First Transit submitted bids for the new contract. The proposals were considered based on a broad mix of criteria that included experience and technical skills, staff and training, operating plans and cost.
The two transportation providers were brought in for panel interviews before a final determination was made. The panel included representatives from SamTrans Accessible Services and Bus Contracts Administration and the San Mateo County Paratransit Coordinating Council, a citizen’s panel that advises SamTrans on its Redi-Wheels service.
First Transit has committed to recognizing Amalgamated Transit Union 1574 as the bargaining unit for the employees who work on the Redi-Wheels contract and to retaining all qualified employees working under the previous contract who wish to continue their service to Redi-Wheels customers.
