The Savannah, Ga.-based Chatham Area Transit (CAT) board of directors, by unanimous vote earlier this week, awarded Veolia Transportation a five-year delegated management contract in Savannah.

The contract also includes a five year option. Veolia has been operating this contract for CAT for the past 16 months as a management contract.

The move to a delegated management contract gives Veolia Transportation total responsibility for all aspects of CAT service, which includes 60 buses, two ferry boats, one streetcar and 26 paratransit vehicles. The ferry boats each carry 100 to 140 passengers and make daily trips between historic downtown Savannah and two major hotels on the waterfront. The streetcar operates along one route, also in historic downtown.

The CAT board of directors will continue to oversee Veolia, and will create a new position for a contract administrator who will be directly responsible for contract oversight.

Two hundred and eleven CAT employees will be hired as Veolia Transportation employees. The 13 ferry boat operators will remain CAT employees. The delegated management contract will begin July 1, 2010.