Keolis wins a new contract in Las Vegas and

P r e s s
r e l e a se
Keolis wins a new contract in Las Vegas and
strengthens its position in North America
Paris, 25th February 2013
Keolis Transit America (KTA), Keolis’ subsidiary based in California, will operate, as from
the 7th July 2013, the majority of the bus network in Las Vegas.
Yesterday, the Regional Transportation
Commission (RTC) awarded the southern
fixed-route bus contract to Keolis Transit
America (KTA). The five-year contract,
extensible to ten years, is one of two
management contracts for the Southern
Nevada transit system. It will generate a total
turnover of 500 million US dollars.
The whole network was divided into 2 lots with
the objective of having 2 different operators
running the services.
Keolis won the most important of the two
packages
(approximately
30
million
passengers a year), which includes service
along the resort corridor of Las Vegas
Boulevard as well as the Deuce and SDX
express route.
KTA won this contract as a result of its
commitment, reliability and its capacity to
understand and adapt to the local authorities’
needs and to build strong partner relationships
with them.
The bus fleet counts 207 vehicles (55% of the
whole network) including double decker buses
and 50 BRTs (Bus Rapid Transit). These buses all use alternative energies (Gas and hybrid
vehicles). There are 15 fixed routes including 10 local routes and five express routes. Keolis will
be responsible for staffing, customer service, maintenance and general operations for the
system.
“We are obviously very pleased that Keolis has been selected to manage and operate this
essential component of the regional mass transit system in Southern Nevada,” said Michael
Griffus, Chief Executive Officer for Keolis Transit America. “We believe that this system has
great potential to grow and expand, and we look forward to partnering with the RTC to bring our
commitment to quality service, customer appreciation and transportation best practices.”
www.keolis.com
Keolis has selected transit administrator Dwight Brashear as general manager for Southern
Nevada operations. Dwight has more than 25 years of transit experience, starting first as a bus
operator, rising through the ranks to manage the San Diego Transit system. He also has served
as general manager and vice president for transit operations in other communities, including
Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Washington, DC. In 2005, while serving in Baton Rouge, Brashear
was selected by Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco to become the state transportation
coordinator for the evacuation of the New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina.
Dwight joined Keolis Transit America in 2010 as executive vice president of business
development.
A key milestone in North America
This is a major step for Keolis in the USA and fits the growth strategy the Group has in this
region, both in transit and rail activities.
“This new contract is the result of the successful integration of KTA in the Group,” comments
Bernard Tabary, CEO International. “This will boost our growth on the US market in key areas:
urban transportation, para-transit, shuttle services, and on-demand transportation. It shows that
we can become a major player on this market, where we currently have several ongoing
tenders”.
Keolis has been in Canada since 1999 and has had rail activities in Washington area since 2010
with the commuter service Virginia Railway Express. The creation of KTA at the start of 2012
(following the acquisition of Tectrans in November 2011) has opened new perspectives to the
Group by complementing Keolis’ existing rail activities with a local expertise in transit and paratransit transportation.
About Keolis
The Keolis Group develops tailor-made mobility solutions to suit individual local requirements. The Kolis
Group is a market leader in France and a major player on the public transport spectrum in Europe and
worldwide. Established in 13 countries, the Group generated revenue of 4.9 billion euros in 2012 and employs
52,600 people.
Contacts :
Keolis
Ségolène Deeley
International Communications
+33 1 71 18 01 46
segolene.deeley@keolis.com
www.keolis.com