20260910 - ICB Operators

Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority (SRTA), in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Bureau of Public Transportation, is soliciting proposals to operate subsidized intercity bus routes under the 2027-2028 Pennsylvania Intercity Bus Program, with proposals due November 30, 2026 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time via PennBid.net. Eligibility is limited to private for-profit carriers, nonprofit organizations, local public transportation operators, and public bodies legally authorized to provide intercity passenger transportation. Commuter, charter, and tour bus services are ineligible.

The solicitation seeks turnkey operations, including vehicle provision and maintenance, driver staffing, schedule adherence, accessibility compliance, and customer service, across eleven priority corridors: Pittsburgh-Harrisburg, Pittsburgh-State College, Williamsport-Easton, Pittsburgh-Erie, State College-Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport-Philadelphia, Pittsburgh-Bradford, Williamsport-South York, Philadelphia-Scranton, Harrisburg-Scranton, and Harrisburg-Reading-Philadelphia. Service must operate at a minimum of two one-way trips daily, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks annually, beginning April 1, 2027. Vehicles must be no more than seven years old with fewer than 250,000 miles at service commencement and must meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Proposers must maintain $2,000,000 general liability and $2,000,000 automobile liability coverage, demonstrate financial stability, and comply with Section 5311(f), FTA, FMCSA, and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requirements.

The total program allocation is $5.95 million for the 2027-2028 contract period, representing the maximum funding available rather than a guaranteed award or expenditure amount. The initial term is two years with three optional one-year renewals. Compensation combines fixed and variable costs, with invoices due by the fifteenth of each month following service and payment within forty-five days unless disputed. The pricing sheet requires operating cost, route-generated revenue, and fee-for-service figures per revenue mile to two decimal places, with fee for service calculated as operating cost minus route-generated revenue per revenue mile, plus justifications for principal assumptions. SRTA may award one or multiple contracts for individual routes or combinations and may reject any or all proposals.

Evaluation themes include reliable year-round service, network connectivity, local transit coordination, accessible and customer-focused operations, fleet quality, efficient use of public funds, performance accountability, and continuous service improvement. Question responses were published November 2, 2026. Proposal review runs December 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, followed by contract negotiations from January 16 through February 28, 2027, with possible interviews.