Firm retains O.C. bus pact for disabled
A transportation firm in jeopardy of losing its contract to provide service to Orange County’s disabled has improved its on-time record and will be kept on.
Since April, Veolia Transportation has significantly improved scheduling and pickup times, said Erin Rogers, the Orange County Transportation Authority’s manager of transportation services.
“The service quality and on-time performance has improved, and our customers are beginning to gain confidence again in the service,” Rogers told OCTA board members Monday.
Veolia, which serves 4,500 riders daily, was fined $1.3 million by OCTA for failing to pick up people on time.
The firm took over a $30-million annual contract in June 2006 from Laidlaw but was the subject of numerous complaints from disabled riders who had missed appointments or were stranded.
In March, board members instructed Rogers to have a contingency plan ready in case they decided to replace Veolia.
The Illinois company hired more drivers, revised schedules and introduced a new dispatching system. In April, the company raised its on-time pickup rate to 94%, meeting its contract standard.
“This has been a major turnaround for us,” said Veolia President Michael D. Griffus. “Look at the recent complaints. We had 43 last month, and with 4,500 riders a day, that puts the improvements into perspective.”
The improvements prompted board members to stay with Veolia. But the company was warned there would be oversight.
“This is the way they should have performed starting with the contract a year ago,” OCTA Chairwoman Carolyn Cavecche said. “We will continue over the next three months with heavy monitoring.”
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