New operator set for Putnam Transit

Putnam Transit, the county’s bus system, recently terminated a longstanding partnership with its former bus operator First Transit. Texas-based MV Transportation Inc., the nation’s largest private provider of paratransit services, is poised to be the new contractor.

The county’s Department of Planning, Development and Public Transportation plans to close the deal with MV Transportation by April 1.

First Transit, which is a division of FirstGroup America, a U.S. subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based FirstGroup, notified the state Department of Labor Tuesday that 65 jobs will be eliminated by March 31. The next operator of Putnam Transit plans to interview and rehire the displaced First Transit workers to run the daily operations for the county transportation facility at 841 Fair St. in Carmel.

“MV will set up a transition center at our county transportation facility,” said Vincent Tamagna, chairman of the county’s Transportation Task Force. “They”™ll have computers and facilitate the job application process for the current First Transit employees who want to become MV employees.”

The county’s 32-year-old bus system will be completely revamped with changes in services and new technology that raise the efficiency level and frequency of certain bus routes to popular destinations, including the shopping district and seasonal tourist spots such as Thunder Ridge Ski Area and Cold Spring, Tamagna said.

The Putnam County Transportation Task Force met with County Executive MaryEllen Odell last June to discuss ways to save money and build out an advisory board to oversee the revamping process.

“We established a county transportation advisory council, so that we never get through another 31 years without doing something about our transportation system,” Tamagna said. “We”™re coordinating with regional lines and providing connection points. We’re also establishing commuter shuttles. We already established a successful veterans shuttles, so we can transport people from VA facilities in Castle Point to Montrose. Now we’re looking at redesigning the routes.”

First Transit employees were given more than 60 days notice regarding its contract loss, said Stephanie Creech, FirstGroup America communications manager. Notices were mailed Jan. 24 and hand-delivered Jan. 27. The company plans to work with the Department of Labor to determine what benefits and services are available for its workers.

The employees at First Transit are represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30.