Passengers board a GRTC bus at the transfer plaza on 9th Street. Photo by Evelyn Rupert.
A new transit company is pulling into town to take over part of GRTC’s bus services, and more than 100 workers will need to try to hitch a ride with the new employer.
Keolis Transit America announced last month its plans to lay off 106 of its Richmond employees in November. The layoffs affect drivers, dispatchers and supervisors and stem from the end of Keolis and GRTC’s contract.
“Our contract for paratransit services for the city of Richmond was not renewed by the City,” Keolis spokesperson Christina Bird said. “Because we operate on a contract basis, we hire and lay off based on the contracts.”
Tim Barham, GRTC’s chief of transit operations, said its paratransit services run buses for people with disabilities. The city owns the 73 vehicles used for paratransit services.
Keolis has been responsible for managing the paratransit drivers, dispatchers, call center staff and management since 2011. With the Los Angeles-based company’s three-year contract set to run out this year, GRTC put out a call for new bids.
“There were no service deficiencies or problems with Keolis,” Barham said.
Dallas-based MV Transportation had the winning bid among the five placed and will take over the city’s paratransit services in December on a three-year contract.
Barham said MV Transportation will be in town this week meeting with GRTC and that incoming contractors will typically assess the staff of the previous contractor and decide which workers will stay on.
“We expect that 95 percent of our employees will be rehired by the next contractor,” Bird said. “They generally receive priority service for rehire.”
Passengers board a GRTC bus at the transfer plaza on 9th Street. Photo by Evelyn Rupert.
A new transit company is pulling into town to take over part of GRTC’s bus services, and more than 100 workers will need to try to hitch a ride with the new employer.
Keolis Transit America announced last month its plans to lay off 106 of its Richmond employees in November. The layoffs affect drivers, dispatchers and supervisors and stem from the end of Keolis and GRTC’s contract.
“Our contract for paratransit services for the city of Richmond was not renewed by the City,” Keolis spokesperson Christina Bird said. “Because we operate on a contract basis, we hire and lay off based on the contracts.”
Tim Barham, GRTC’s chief of transit operations, said its paratransit services run buses for people with disabilities. The city owns the 73 vehicles used for paratransit services.
Keolis has been responsible for managing the paratransit drivers, dispatchers, call center staff and management since 2011. With the Los Angeles-based company’s three-year contract set to run out this year, GRTC put out a call for new bids.
“There were no service deficiencies or problems with Keolis,” Barham said.
Dallas-based MV Transportation had the winning bid among the five placed and will take over the city’s paratransit services in December on a three-year contract.
Barham said MV Transportation will be in town this week meeting with GRTC and that incoming contractors will typically assess the staff of the previous contractor and decide which workers will stay on.
“We expect that 95 percent of our employees will be rehired by the next contractor,” Bird said. “They generally receive priority service for rehire.”