The Riverside Transit Agency Board of Directors on Sept. 25 authorized staff to award agreement S25090 to RCN Communications LLC to install Wi‑Fi routers on Dial‑A‑Ride vehicles in a contract totaling $227,390 with a 10% contingency of $22,739, for a project total of $250,129.

The contract was presented by Melissa Blankenship, director of contracts for the Riverside Transit Agency, who said the Dial‑A‑Ride fleet is the only revenue fleet segment that currently lacks passenger Wi‑Fi and real‑time video surveillance. "Currently, the Dial‑A‑Ride vehicles are the only vehicles in the revenue fleet that do not offer passenger wifi or real time video surveillance," Blankenship told the board, and staff recommended awarding to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder after a competitive IFB process.

Board members pressed staff on logistics and vendor presence. A District 2 board member asked whether RCN maintains a local office and whether installations would be performed by a subcontractor; Blankenship responded that a subcontractor would perform the installations and that "it'll only take them a couple hours to do one bus" and that much of the work would be scheduled "in the evening time, when buses are out of service." The work, she said, will have to be coordinated to avoid disrupting service.

Staff reported that the agency issued the IFB on July 2 and received five bids by July 31; after reviewing compliance and responsibility the low bid of $227,390 from RCN Communications LLC was determined to be responsive and responsible. Blankenship said the agency has worked with the vendor on prior projects and recommended a 10% contingency of $22,739 for unforeseen circumstances. She also said sufficient funds are included in the agency's board‑approved capital budget and noted the item had been recommended unanimously by the Board Administration and Operations Committee at its Sept. 3 meeting.

The board voted to approve the award; the motion passed unanimously.

Implementation details that staff provided: installations are expected to take a couple of hours per vehicle, will be scheduled primarily during off‑service hours, and will be completed by a subcontractor working under RCN. The contract covers hardware installation; ongoing cellular data plans and recurring operating costs for onboard Wi‑Fi were described by staff as separate budget items to be handled outside this one‑time installation contract.

The board did not direct additional work beyond authorizing the award and contingency. The agency will proceed with contract execution and scheduling of installations.