Staff Report #3
September 10, 2019
To All Members of the Accessible Public Transit Service Advisory Committee
Re: Contract Award – Primary Service Provider – Specialized Service
Recommendation
That the report be NOTED and FILED.
Background
At the August 28, 2019 meeting, the Commission accepted the bid from Voyago (formerly operating as Voyageur Transportation Services) to operate as the primary service provider for the delivery of the specialized transit service for the five year period (August 2020 to July 2025), with an option to extend the contract for a period of two years.
The current primary service contract for specialized transit service expires on July 31, 2020, noting the two year extension was exercised resulting in a seven year term. A request for proposal for a new contract was issued and processed in accordance with the Commission policy and procedures. The request for proposal was advertised on the Ontario Public Transit Association Website consistent with past practice. The timing of the issuance and award is critical in order to provide sufficient lead time (eleven months in advance of the expiration of the existing contract) for the successful bidder to acquire new vehicles and complete other start-up requirements that may be necessary to begin service effective August 2020.
Given the continued demand for the specialized service from both existing and new riders (registrant base has now exceeded 10,000) the vehicle specified in the request for proposal was required to accommodate four wheelchairs and ten ambulatory seats (consistent with current fleet capacity). In addition, the requirement to have on-board audio/video surveillance on every vehicle was included as a requirement as was the requirement to equip each vehicle with an on-board tablet which interacts with the scheduling system and provides drivers with their trip assignments.
Recommended by:
Christopher Murphy, Supervisor, LCTB
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager