McDonald Transit, a division of RATP Dev, announced it has been awarded the contract to operate transit services for Lake County, Fla. The County Commission selected McDonald Transit through a national competitive process. Contract services will begin on March 6, 2017 and cover an initial period of three years with four additional one-year renewal options.

Under the terms of the contract, McDonald Transit will provide management of the operations and vehicle maintenance for Lake County’s LakeXpress, fixed-route service and the ADA complementary service, Lake County Connection. McDonald Transit will also provide recruiting and training for bus and maintenance service staff, will assist with the Federal Transit Administration’s National Transit Database (NTD) and Florida Department of Transportation reporting, and will oversee fare security functions and labor relations.

With a population of approximately 300,000 residents, Lake County is an example of a growing suburban County with a transit system that connects residents, visitors and employees to natural parks, forests, jobs and recreational activities in the 14 municipalities of Lake County, which are home to over 1,400 lakes.