First Transit Awarded $1.4 Million Maintenance Contract for Brownsville Metro Despite Pitiful Record~Advisory Board Looks for Answers

Norma H. Zamora, Director of Brownsville Metro,
Included in a $225,000 Management Contract with
First Transit along with Assistant Director Andrew
Munoz.

If you lined up the large city buses for Brownsville Metro's 19 routes and told the drivers to drive to El Paso, none of the buses would reach their destination, based on bus maintenance/breakdowns records released at the Brownsville Metro Advisory Board meeting June 4, 2014.  

Brownsville Metro buses currently average 825 miles between major breakdowns.  The distance between Brownsville and El Paso is 829.6 miles.

The previous contract between First Transit and the City of Brownsville, called for the company to achieve at least 4,500 miles between major breakdowns.  First Transit has failed miserably during the four years they've been in contract with the City of Brownsville, achieving 769 miles between major breakdowns in 2010, 1433 in 2011, 1409 in 2012, 1017 in 2013, down to 825 so far in 2014.

Finance Director Lupe Granado

Despite those failures new Finance Director Lupe Granado strode up to the microphone at the October 15, 2013 City Commission meeting recommending First Transit get a new maintenance contract with the city worth $1,400,000.  Granado, while aware of the horrific problems with First Transit, made no mention of that to the City Commission, matter-of-factly recommending the contract's renewal.  That contract went into effect January 14, 2014. 

In a private conversation with Granado, I learned that the new contract calls for First Transit to demonstrate 8,000 revenue miles between major breakdowns, making the awarding of the contract even more bizarre.  Currently, First Transit's bus breakdowns are nearly 10 times that rate.  Granado also told me that achievement incentives had been removed from the contract because they were "not easily attainable." 

One major problem with this contract award, despite the firm's pitiful maintenance record, is that First Transit also holds the management contract for Brownsville Metro, a $225,000 annual contract providing a director and assistant director, Norma Zamora and Andrew Munoz, creating an obvious conflict of interest.  

The Brownsville Metro Advisory Board, meeting the third Wednesday of each month to "monitor the performance of the bus system through statistical reports, making suggestions as needed" according to the board's by-laws has been kept in the dark about the maintenance contract with First Transit.  

The board's angst over being kept out of the loop on maintenance issues despite the by-laws came to a head at the June 4, 2014 board meeting.

Board member Teresa Saldivar, after being told by Assistant Director Andrew Munoz that the board did not need access to contract details, said:  "Well, then why are we here?  We don't want to be just figureheads."

Board Chairman Daniel Lenz, when told that First Transit had assigned a "General Manager" to monitor maintenance issues, asked Munoz if that person could be present at board meetings.  Munoz did not respond to that request.

Another board member in a phone conversation stated: "Andrew told us that the new contract with First Transit would stipulate 10,000 miles between breakdowns.  Then, we learned later that wasn't the case." 

Brownsville Metro's ADA Paratransit

Assistant Director Munoz wondered if the board might benefit from a "retreat."  "We haven't done one of those in about four years, where board members actually ride the buses, even the paratransit for the disabled.  Perhaps, the board would even like a tour of the maintenance shop so everyone can get a feel for how things are done," offered Munoz.

But, it's doubtful that sort of field trip will pacify this board.   They simply want answers and to be included in the flow of information.  Director Norma Zamora, a chronic absentee at Brownsville Metro Advisory Board meetings, was observed in the building at meeting time, but did not attend.  Zamora frequently yields to Munoz to provide the board with the everyday details, but, so far, Munoz has not been totally forthcoming or transparent.  It may be more important to Munoz and Zamora to protect the two contracts with the city then do what's in the best interest of Brownsville Metro, in other words a clear conflict of interest.

The City of Brownsville's Finance and Purchasing Departments have also been lax in issuing maintenance contracts to extremely low performers.  Having a contract that requires 8,000 miles between breakdowns is irrelevant if the City of Brownsville allows First Transit to consistently perform at a much lower level, 800 to 1000 miles between breakdowns.  Many of Brownsville's most vulnerable citizens who depend on Brownsville Metro daily are the real losers.