In a unanimous vote the City of Modesto City Council awarded Veolia Transportation a five-year contract to operate the Modesto Area Express – local public transportation and commuter service between Modesto and the Bay area in northern California.
The new contract, which goes into effect on September 29, 2012, includes operations for the city’s 54 vehicles. Veolia will employ 100 local workers in order to maintain service that is safe and reliable.
“On behalf of Veolia I want to thank the Modesto’s City Council for this opportunity,” said Ron Bushman, Veolia’s regional vice president. “The unanimous vote is something we are very proud of and we intend to deliver top-notch service as promised.”
Under the new contract Veolia will introduce the SmartDrive system. It uses sophisticated video, audio and ECO-connected data sensors in the vehicle that provide real-time information to bus operators.