LA firm expected to run BlueGo bus system

By Kathryn Reed

The Tahoe Transportation District board at its special meeting June 17 is expected to award the operation of the BlueGo bus system to Tectrans Inc.

The 5-year-old Los Angeles-based company was one of six bidders to run the South Shore buses, which has routes into Carson City and the Carson Valley. Although it is a young company in some ways, it has changed names through the years and has employees who have been involved with transit for decades.

Interviews of the top three companies were June 9, with the committee recommending Tectrans.

“Tectrans, which has the highest combined score on the Understanding, Experience, Technical, and Proposal criteria had the best interview and also the lowest cost of the top three candidates,” according to the staff report.

Tectrans’ bid came in below the $2,902,633 the TTD board budgeted for transit operations for the 2011-12 fiscal year. The bid is $2,881,088.

The board is being asked at the 11:30am Friday meeting (128 Market St., Stateline) to approve a tentative contract with Tectrans, to have staff negotiate a final contract, and for the board to approve it July 8.

“They had the right balance of size, experience and corporate support to ensure this operation in Tahoe would not founder, but at same time had a really good feel for us as a small community,” said Angela Swanson, South Lake Tahoe’s rep to the TTD board.

Swanson also said Tectrans officials have had experience with Northstar-at-Tahoe’s bus operations, which was a bonus knowing the Tahoe area.

At the regular June 10 TTD board meeting it was agreed TRC would work month-to-month until another firm is hired.

TRC Consultants months ago said they would not be bidding on a long-term contract. TRC was originally hired by South Tahoe Area Transit Authority to run the buses after MV Transportation was fired by the now-bankrupt STATA board.