MV Transportation, Inc. marks successful Accessible Transit start-up in Vancouver, British Columbia

(Vancouver, BC – January 19, 2009) The New Year has ushered in a new international contract for MV Transportation, Inc. On January 1, MVT Canadian Bus, a subsidiary of MV, began operating the HandyDART accessible transit (paratransit) service in the Metro Vancouver region under a contract with TransLink (South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority).

According to John Siragusa, MV's Vice President of Operations, the only challenge to the start-up was an extreme snow storm, the largest Vancouver had seen in 46 years. Through the efforts of more than 500 dedicated transit professionals, the snow delays were kept to a minimum and drivers were paired to ensure the safety of riders in the weather.

HandyDART is an accessible transit system that covers all of Metro Vancouver, an area covering more than 1100 square miles – arguably the largest area covered by a single transportation agency in Canada. TransLink selected MVT to operate the HandyDART service in August 2008, based on the company's overall experience and ability to design a service that specifically catered to the region's needs. Under the new contract, MVT is responsible for all services, and will open a new maintenance facility in the northern region of the service area.

MVT will increase the hours of dispatch services, implement an enhanced system to communicate more effectively with clients to ensure a minimum of uncertainty around schedules and pick-up times, and use a customized scheduling system to provide more trips. Also, MVT will introduce real time monitoring of schedules and drivers and a more comprehensive training program for new drivers. By April, MVT will provide a centralized call center to serve the entire region for reservations, dispatch and scheduling.

Prior to selecting MVT, HandyDART was operated by seven different contractors, and vehicle maintenance was performed by various subcontractors. MVT has retained most of the staff, including drivers and maintenance personnel, who were employed by the previous service providers.

"We are looking forward to a long and successful relationship with TransLink, the HandyDART passengers and the Vancouver community," said Kevin Klika, MV's Chief Operating Officer. "We are excited to have this opportunity to bring our unique approach to paratransit to British Columbia; an approach that will bring to fruition service improvements passengers of the region have been looking forward to for some time."

MVT is the Canadian subsidiary of MV Transportation Inc. of Fairfield California. MV Transportation Inc. currently has 185 passenger transportation contracts across the US and Canada, and has established a reputation for strong customer service, innovative operations and on-time performance. They currently provide paratransit for people with disabilities in many locations across the United States, including Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; New York, NY, and Orlando, FL.

Contacts:

In the U.S.
Nikki Frenney, VP of Communications
Phone and fax: 707-863-8739
Email: nfrenney@mvtransit.com
Website: www.mvtransit.com

In Canada
Don Johnson, MVT Canadian Bus
Phone: (604) 575-6623
Email : djohnson@mvtransit.com