Modesto delays decision on dial-a-ride after Storer, current provider, raises concerns
Modesto has postponed awarding a new contract for dial a ride services after Modesto-based Storer Transportation — the current longtime service provider — raised concerns about the process.
The City Council was scheduled to consider awarding the contract to Illinois-based Transdev Services at its Tuesday meeting. Transdev and Storer were among the four companies that competed for the contract, with Transdev coming out on top in the city’s evaluation of the companies’ proposals.
The contract is for nine years and worth as much as $27.6 million.
The public was not allowed to attend Tuesday’s meeting, under the city’s new social distancing policies to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. The public could watch the meeting on cable or livestream and ask questions or make comments by email.
Storer Transportation said that was not appropriate for making an important decision, especially because Storer claims the city’s evaluation was flawed and city staff had provided council members with false and incomplete information.
City spokesman Thomas Reeves said Modesto postponed the decision to accommodate Storer’s request and to give its attorneys time to review legal opinions from Storer’s attorneys. But Reeves said there is no guarantee that some or all of the social distancing policies will be lifted by the time the contract is brought back to the City Council.
He said it’s possible that only Storer officials and their attorneys could make their case in person before council members. Reeves said the contract could be brought back to the council in May.
Modesto denies Storer’s claims that its evaluation of the companies’ proposals was flawed and that city staff has given council members false and incomplete information.
Storer has been Modesto’s dial a ride provider since 1981, giving door-to-door transportation to seniors and the disabled. Storer says it has an impeccable record during that time while providing 4 million rides.
Reeves said city officials have heard from many community members who support Storer and want the city to award the Modesto-based company the contract. But he said dial a ride is funded through the U.S. Federal Transit Administration, which he said does not allow a local government to make contracting decisions based solely on a company being local.
The City Council did vote Tuesday to extend Storer’s current contract by three months to Sept. 30 to give the city time to transition to a new contract.
