As contract negotiations begin between the Capital Area Transit System and CEO-select William “Bill” Deville, the incoming CEO says his initial priority is to replace buses in the transit system’s aging fleet and redesign routes.
“We’ve got about 56 buses that come on the road everyday for service. We have over 40 buses that are 12 years old or older. We’ve got to take those 40 buses off the road,” Deville says. “As you can guess, those 40 buses that are 12 years old or older are the cause of our performance problems.”
Deville says the plan is to replace the buses within the next three to six months, adding the transit system is working with the Federal Transit Administration and state Department of Transportation and Development to replace the buses.
Deville says it will take innovative financing techniques, combined with the CATS property tax revenue, to do so. The transit system needs at least $20 million to replace the buses, he says. CATS is already set to get four new buses this month and eight more new buses by December.
The CATS Board of Commissioners authorized hiring Deville, who has been serving as interim CEO since Bob Mirabito resigned in April, at its meeting Tuesday evening. CATS Board President Jim Brandt says he hopes to have a final contract proposal ready for the CATS board to consider voting on at its next meeting on Oct. 18. Negotiations are expected to take several days.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any issue with contract negotiations,” Brandt says. “I think we have a good solid understanding of what’s ahead of us.”
Deville is currently being paid $150,000 a year under a contract that became month-to-month after the first four months. His predecessor, Mirabito, earned a compensation package worth $175,000 annually, plus benefits, making him one of the highest paid employees in city-parish government.
Deville was one of 173 applicants to apply to be CATS CEO, and he had the overwhelming support of the search committee, Brandt says.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the board unanimously voted to eliminate the low-performing Red Stick Trolley route. The recommendation will be forwarded to the Metro Council for final approval.
Brandt says eliminating the route is not a reduction of services, as resources dedicated for it—about $600,000 a year—would be reallocated to more heavily used roues to increase service frequency for customers.
—Alexandria Burris
