RFP 22-024 NM - DTR Bustang Outrider Operator_Craig to Denver

Scope of Work:  To provide operating funding assistance for general public scheduled connecting rural intercity bus feeder service to existing unsubsidized intercity service providers. The rural intercity bus service will provide scheduled intercity connections to rural communities from Craig, Colorado to Denver, Colorado via U.S. 40 and I-70 with segments of unsubsidized intercity services and CDOT’s Bustang and Bustang Outrider services operating from Denver to all other points in Colorado and North America.  Service shall operate seven days a week.
CONTRACTOR shall complete the following terms of the grant award prior to service initiation:

1. Finalize service schedule, including all time points and submit to CDOT Bus Operations Manager for written approval. 

2. Describe fare collection and cash remittance security. Please describe all fare collection equipment and data collection as well as procedures to collect fares. If any passenger or fare collection data is to be transmitted by wireless means, describe all measures to be procured to secure passenger and fare data. Please also describe back up disaster recovery processes to ensure seamless transportation of the traveling public.

3. Develop communication protocols with transportation partners, including but not limited to Steamboat Springs Transit (SST), Winter Park Transit (The Lift), Montrose All Points public transportation, Idaho Springs Transit (Prospector), Greyhound Lines and the operators of CDOT’s Bustang and Bustang Outrider service.  To insure passenger transfers and other coordination activities are possible. 

4. Obtain Sponsored Membership in the National Bus Traffic Association as a Greyhound Lines, Inc sponsored carrier before service begins in order to interline successfully with other carriers. More information can be found at: http://www.bustraffic.org/ 

5. Obtain Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) authorization to enter into inter-lining agreements with Greyhound and other carriers connecting along the route.  Because the Contractor will be connecting with an interstate carrier, they will fall under FMCSA authority and will be assigned a U.S. DOT number designating interstate authority. CDOT’s vehicles provided for the service require the proposer to secure a $5,000,000 in comprehensive automobile liability policy per occurrence to be assigned a U.S.D.O T. operating authority.

6. Provide a written customer service plan and asset maintenance plan.

7. Develop a basic marketing plan including the following elements:

1. Promotion of Bustang Outrider branding identities (CDOT reserves the right at its sole discretion to change the branded name of an individual bus route).
2. Strategy for partnering with other well-known service and information resources in and around the communities from Craig to Denver.
3. Inventory of key information gatekeepers (those likely to have high interaction with intercity transportation user groups).
4. Inventory of organizations, agencies, or other entities who may be willing to pre-purchase ride passes on a routine basis.
5. Twelve-month marketing budget, including schedule of marketing activities and expenditures.
6. Provide how the service will offer bilingual support for service schedules and marketing materials.

9. Develop and print service materials in addition to posting this information on a website.  Provide schedule and route information and marketing materials to regional transportation partners.

10. Proposer shall develop a maintenance plan appropriate to the CDOT supplied Van Hool CX35 over the road motor coach(s).  The maintenance plan must include the following:

1. Following written approval from CDOT, the Contractor shall initiate service within 5 business days of receiving FMCSA Operating authority for the route and sustain service delivery throughout the remaining contract period.
2. The CONTRACTOR shall provide safe, clean, reliable, courteous, accessible and professional transit services at all times during the contract period.
3. CONTRACTOR shall meet both the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. CONTRACTOR shall provide their corporate Americans with Disabilities plan. All vehicles offering service for this project must be wheelchair lift equipped, and the Contractor will ensure that each operator completes a pre-trip inspection sheet that includes cycling the wheelchair lift before the daily pullout of all revenue vehicles.  Contractor is responsible for providing alternate transportation for a passenger when a lift fails.
4. The CONTRACTOR’S bus public address systems must be operational and utilized by the operator during revenue operation.
5. The CONTRACTOR shall arrange no less than two (2) project assessment meetings during the first Nine (9) months of service for the purpose of evaluating service performance and progress toward objectives.  At a minimum, representatives from local transportation providers and CDOT shall be invited to participate in the project assessment meetings.  At the project assessment meetings, the CONTRACTOR shall provide the following information:

1. Projected versus actual ridership, revenue, and expenses.
2.  ON TIME Performance monthly metrics both forecast and actual
3. Description of all completed, active, and planned marketing activities.

4. Submit invoices no later than 45 days after the reported service period has ended. Invoices must be accompanied by progress reports. Invoices must be submitted at least quarterly, and not more frequently than monthly.
5. Provide rider comment cards on buses and submit copies of comments received quarterly.
6. Conduct rider surveys on a bi-annual basis during the contract period. CDOT will provide the survey mechanism and analysis of the data and share the results with the CONTRACTOR.
7. The buses supplied for this route are equipped with restroom facilities.  The holding tank must be emptied after each trip in accordance with all local, state and federal regulations.  Please note that the holding tanks on the Van Hool CX35 are designed for over the road transit coaches and cannot be serviced at standard recreational vehicle waste dumps.  Waste must be disposed of in a facility designed for over the road transit coaches.  The use of an adapter to utilize a standard recreational vehicle waste dump is acceptable.  In the response to this RFP include a description of the procedures that will be used to service the waste holding tank on the buses supplied.