Fla.’s PSTA adds paratransit contractors

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) board of directors approved a new, multi-year contract with two proven private sector service providers, for the county’s ambulatory and wheelchair parallel transit service known as DART.

Parallel transit services are federally mandated and provide transportation for those who cannot use regular fixed route bus service.

The PSTA board awarded the five-year contract for wheelchair service to Care Ride Transportation and the five-year deal for ambulatory service to Gulfcoast Yellow Cab. The total value of the two contracts is just less than $21 million over five years.

Both contracts take effect on Dec. 1, 2011, and since both providers are currently part of PSTA’s DART program, there should be very little change, if any, for riders.