Earlier last month, McDonald Transit, a division of RATP Dev North America, was selected as the interim managing body of Capital Area Transit (CAT) for the city of Harrisburg, Pa. and the surrounding Cumberland and Dauphin counties. The CAT board of directors selected McDonald Transit through a national competitive process. Contract services have started and cover an initial period of six months.

Partnering with CAT, McDonald Transit has appointed Tony Johnson, an industry veteran and former interim president of the Fort Worth Transit Authority to serve as CAT’s GM.

Under the terms of the contract, McDonald Transit will directly supervise CAT’s daily operations and vehicle maintenance for the Fixed Route Bus Division and the Shared Ride/Paratransit Division. McDonald Transit will also provide recruiting and training for bus and maintenance service staff, support the Public Transit Authority’s state safety oversight requirements, and will oversee labor relations, service planning and organizational restructuring.

“We maintain numerous, long-standing management contracts in cities across the U.S., and will leverage this extensive knowledge, as well as international experience, to help restructure the organization, improve services, and be responsive to the regional communities CAT serves,” said Blaine Rigler, President of McDonald Transit and VP of RATP Dev Bus Division. 

With a combined population of over 503,000 residents, Cumberland and Dauphin Counties are examples of well-established and historical counties with a transit system that connects residents, visitors and employees to natural parks, historical sites, jobs, and recreational activities in the 43 collective townships.