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    1. Alt. Mobility
    2. Water Transportation

    New Orleans RTA releases RFP solicitation for ferry transit service operations and signs operation and maintenance service contract

    Sept. 20, 2019
    RTA oversees the transit system and Transdev provides operations and maintenance services.
    Related To: New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA)

    The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has signed a three-year operations and maintenance contract with Transdev Services Inc. (Transdev) and has also released a Request for Proposals (RFP) solicitation for the ferry transit service operations and maintenance contract.

    The $78.8 million per year contract between RTA and Transdev was ratified Aug. 30, 2019. Transdev was selected to operate and maintain transit service by means of fixed route transit bus services, streetcar transit service, ferry service, complementary paratransit service provided in accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and special services operating out of facilities owned and provided by RTA.

    “This is a pivotal moment in history for the RTA. Never before have we seen a management structure that allowed us to allocate government resources to work so directly and efficiently for the residents of the greater New Orleans area,” said Flozell Daniels. Jr., chair, RTA Board of Commissioners. “We have aligned the priorities of our transportation system with the priorities of the local residents. I am honored to serve at a time when the RTA is positioned precisely to meet the needs of our everyday riders.”

    RTA CEO Alex Wiggins added, “The shift of RTA’s management structure to public control will increase transparency, improve accountability and will allow the RTA to better meet the transportation needs of our community. Meeting the needs of residents of the greater New Orleans area is paramount priority of the RTA and the new management structure will allow us to provide world-class customer service for riders.”

    The new contract, effective Sept. 1, shifts control of the transit system from private to public control, an industry standard that will put the New Orleans community first. RTA will now have direct administrative and management oversight of the authority, while continuing to contract out the day-to-day maintenance and operations functions of the system to Transdev. This change to the RTA management structure is the direct result of the management study initiated by the RTA Board of Commissioners.

    Contract Highlights:

    • New emphasis on customer service: Every single employee will receive a minimum of 10 hours of customer focused training.

    • On-time performance requirements will increase to 90 percent after six months, then to 95 percent by year three: Transdev will pay a financial penalty if on-time performance lapses. Current on-time performance hovers in the 75 percent range.

    • A host of new Key Performance Indicators that will monitor system performance: As an example, RTA will focus heavily on safety, vehicle maintenance and crash prevention.

    • Added bus service in Algiers and east New Orleans; Expanded weekend ferry service hours.

    • Lastly, the negotiations team achieved tremendous value. Transdev’s original proposal topped $95 million annually. The final annual cost agreed to by RTA was just over $78.8 million.

    Several key performance indicators, within the terms of the agreement, will ensure safe, customer friendly, clean and reliable transportation for transit riders. In addition, proper maintenance of the vehicles is required, and the expectation is to have more service miles between a vehicle experiencing a break-down or service interruption.

    RFP for ferry transit service operations

    RTA is now seeking to solicit competitive sealed proposals from qualified proposers for the provision of Ferry Service Operations and Maintenance (O&M). RTA is seeking to engage a qualified firm, or joint venture of firms, to provide the day‐to‐day ferry related O&M services.

    RTA is launching this RFP to select a proposer with a proven record of accomplishment, expertise and experience in waterborne transportation management and operations. The selected proposer will be responsible for the operation of passenger and vehicular ferry services on the Mississippi River between Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes, as well as maintenance of associated and immovable assets.   RFP Highlights:

    · Objective of procurement:  Operation and Maintenance of RTA’s passenger and vehicular ferry services, including maintenance of associated movable and immovable assets.

    · Period of implementation: Three years plus two one-year optional extensions at RTA’s sole discretion.

    · Deadline for proposal submissions: Oct. 7, 2019: (Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM.)

     A non‐mandatory Pre‐proposal Conference will be held on Sept. 23, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. CDT at RTA Headquarters, 2817 Canal St., New Orleans, La.  Prospective proposers will also be offered a tour of the ferry assets on that day, following the Pre-proposal Conference.