Oceanside, Calif.-based North County Transit District (NCTD) awarded MV Transportation Inc. (MV) a contract to operate and maintain its combined fixed-route, paratransit, and specialized transportation services.

Under the terms of the contract, which is for a seven-year base term with one three-year option, MV will be responsible for the operations of NCTD's BREEZE, FLEX, and LIFT services, serving an annual ridership of nearly eight million in 224 vehicles. The total contract value is more than $450 million should the option be exercised, and significantly expands MV's footprint in southern California and the state in which the company was founded 42 years ago. MV will take over operations on July 1, 2017.

"Our partnership with MV Transportation is aimed at increasing customer satisfaction and cost efficiency. It will improve our current services and support the implementation of new services that meet the unique challenges of our service area," said Matthew Tucker, NCTD's Executive Director. "We are also excited about the robust training, safety, and service management investments that were included in this contract to support contracted drivers and mechanics."