Veolia awarded contract extension for South Florida RTA's Tri-Rail service

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority's (SFRTA) board last week approved the three remaining option years for Veolia Transportation's contract to provide commuter-rail service for Tri-Rail.

SFRTA originally awarded the Tri-Rail contract to Veolia in 2007. The board's recent action extends it through June 2017, SFRTA and Veolia officials said in a joint press release.

Daily ridership has been increasing, and topped 4 million for the past two years, according to the authority. Veolia has been working with SFRTA to improve on-time performance and service, said General Manager Steve McClarty.

Tri-Rail serves a 72-mile corridor that runs parallel to Interstate 95 between West Palm Beach and Miami.