Calif.’s Victor Valley Transit Authority (VVTA) awarded Keolis Transit America (KTA) a contract to operate its bus service in San Bernardino County, with Keolis starting operations on Oct. 1.

The contract, worth approximately $130 million, gives Keolis responsibility to operate and maintain 127 buses, 91 of which run on natural gas, and seven of which are electric, for a period of five years, with the option to extend it for an additional five years. The buses will be parked and maintained in two depots, located in Hesperia and Barstow.

VVTA’s bus network, located in the Mojave Desert, features 30 lines and four main transit centers. It encompasses several Southern California cities such as Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia, Victorville, San Bernardino, and unincorporated San Bernardino areas in the High Desert, including Commuter Service to Fort Irwin, which are home to a combined total of 450,000 residents.

With this new contract, Keolis will carry an additional 1.7 million passengers per year and welcome 240 new employees to its workforce. Keolis will also offer VVTA a data-driven approach to performance management that includes transparent reporting and a proprietary Dispatch Control System for optimal driver scheduling and vehicle readiness.