Global company to manage transit service
A company with global ties will take over management of the Yuma County Area Transit system on July 1.
The Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority awarded the three-year contract to RATP Dev USA in April. The contract is for $2.9 million a year, a 3.5 percent increase over what is paid to the current contractor, National Express, which has been transit operator since 2014.
The new contract, which includes a maintenance agreement, is for three years with seven one-year extensions. RATP Dev USA has appointed Elizabeth Williams to serve as YCAT’s new general manager. She will manage about 50 employees in Yuma.
YCIPTA is “very excited about the new partnership with RATP Dev USA and having them run the transit operations here in Yuma County, Ariz.,” said Shelly Kreger, transit director of YCIPTA. “We welcome RATP Dev USA to the Yuma County Area Transit family and look forward to many years of providing outstanding service to our community as a team.”
Under the terms of the contract, RATP Dev USA will directly supervise YCAT’s daily operations for the fixed route and paratransit operating services in Yuma County. Presently, YCAT operates 11 fixed-routes and a demand responsive service (a nonfixed route that requires advanced scheduling by the customer) throughout southwestern Yuma County.
The fixed-route system operates 37,000 revenue hours annually. The YCAT fleet consists of 24 buses, four trolleys and three minivans, in addition to various support vehicles.
“RATP Dev USA is thrilled to be working with YCIPTA to bring our expertise to the citizens of Yuma County,” said Blaine Rigler, president of RATP Dev USA. “Through our experience in operating fixed route and paratransit services across the country, we are confident that we will uphold excellent public transportation for the Yuma County
community.”
The YCIPTA board awarded the contract after a bidding process that drew three proposals, including RATP, First Transit and Hallcon Corp. RATP was chosen “because it was the overall best value in price and service,” Kreger told the Yuma Sun.
She said the board was impressed by the company’s experience, how many organizations it’s worked with, the many years they’ve been in business and its references.
But Kreger was really impressed with the people at the corporate level. “They seem honest and straightforward. They didn’t promise the moon, just said we’ll do a good job.”
Asked what she hopes this new contract brings, Kreger quipped, “A full 10 years! I’m looking forward to 10 years and bringing the service up to a superior quality.” To her, that means “safe, reliable and on time.”
RATP Dev stands for Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (English: Autonomous Operator of Parisian Transport) and Dev is a contraction of development.
According to its website, the company was founded in Paris nearly 120 years ago. It’s first metro line crossed the French capital and opened for the Paris World Fair on July 19, 1900, after 18 months of construction.
Today, RATP is one of the world’s largest providers of transit, offering a wide range of services, such as rail, tramway, cable car and bus, to urban networks in 14 countries.
To learn more about RATP Dev USA, visit www. ratpdevusa.com.
For more information on YCAT, go to www.ycat.org.