Thursday, December 19, 2002
NILES -- City officials are protesting a decision by the Federal Transit Authority requiring the city to rebid a countywide transit system.
Based on an objection by the Western Reserve Transit Authority, which operates a fixed-route bus system out of Youngstown, the FTA said the city must cancel the previous bid process and start again.
WRTA filed an objection saying Niles did not have bid protest procedures in place by the bid submission date.
Niles Mayor Ralph A. Infante, who is spearheading the drive for a demand-response bus system in Trumbull County, said Niles' law director has filed an appeal with the FTA, saying the procedures were in fact in place.
WRTA requested a bid package for the project, but instead only filed a letter of protest.
Community Busing Services was the sole bidder on the project.
The proposed service would operate in participating communities in Trumbull County, allowing passengers to call and request pickup and return.
Seven communities have already signed on and have agreed to pay $1 per resident.
WRTA primarily serves only Youngstown, Boardman and Liberty.