The boards of directors for AC Transit and the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) voted unanimously to award Veolia Transportation a five-year contract to operate the East Bay Paratransit brokerage as the prime contractor.

Veolia has managed paratransit in the area for 18 years.

East Bay Paratransit is one of the largest fully centralized brokerages in the country, providing ADA compliant paratransit service for 750,000 riders annually. The brokerage was formed by fixed-route bus operator AC Transit and BART to provide paratransit services with a prime contractor managing day-to-day operations.

Under the new contract, which is effective July 1, 2013, Veolia will assume additional responsibilities including dispatching duties for a 200 vehicle fleet and employing a Developmental Disability Specialist in its Certification Department, who will bring expertise for eligibility determinations of applicants with cognitive disabilities. Other ongoing responsibilities include managing and operating a customer service and reservations call center, scheduling, accounting and reporting functions.