Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority (StanRTA) officials have expressed concerns regarding staff vacancies and the service quality provided by Transdev, the private company operating public buses across Stanislaus County.
On July 7, StanRTA sent a letter to Transdev, a major national public transportation operator, detailing several issues. These include significant staffing shortages, prolonged management vacancies, persistent problems with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, and an increase in missed bus trips.
StanRTA officials also pointed out several vacant leadership roles at Transdev, such as General Manager and safety and training manager.
"These vacancies have impaired Transdev’s ability to provide consistent oversight of staffing, service reliability, training, corrective action implementation, and communication with StanRTA," the letter stated.
Transdev responded on July 20 with a corrective action plan that included intensive recruitment efforts and the temporary deployment of staff from other locations nationwide.
"Transdev has made meaningful progress, but the concerns have not been fully resolved," said StanRTA CEO Adam Barth.
The Modesto Bee interviewed seven current and former Transdev employees for this report. Five of them requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation from Transdev.
StanRTA's Access to Incident Information
Records obtained by The Bee via a public records request to StanRTA reveal that Transdev has been involved in 585 preventable incidents since it began its contract in Stanislaus County in 2022. Three of these incidents were classified as "critical."
Critical incidents encompass situations requiring emergency transportation from the scene, bus fires, and assaults on operators.
When asked for comment on a critical incident logged on February 3 of this year, a Transdev spokesperson stated the company "did not have a comment to provide."
Barth explained that StanRTA does not have direct access to Transdev's internal records but collects information through its own dispatch log database.
"StanRTA has some information regarding each incident, but Transdev maintains the underlying WebRisk records and more detailed investigative information," Barth said.
StanRTA can review incidents using the cameras installed on buses. However, current and former employees report that these cameras are frequently non-operational.
Sonya Severo, a spokesperson for the City of Modesto, acknowledged awareness of eight non-operational cameras, noting that each bus is equipped with a minimum of eight cameras.
Oversight Includes Riding the S-Line
Barth stated that StanRTA ensures rider safety through contract compliance and on-site oversight.
"StanRTA’s contract compliance agent regularly rides the service and provides direct, on-the-ground oversight of service delivery, safety conditions and customer experience," Barth said. "StanRTA staff, including me, also ride the system and report safety or service concerns they observe."
Furthermore, Barth mentioned that StanRTA's compliance agent and director of operations both have prior experience in safety departments and attend safety meetings. This allows them to independently assess and, when necessary, question Transdev's training protocols.
"But Transdev remains responsible for the day-to-day training, supervision and safety of its employees," Barth added.
Ongoing Problems
Transdev has lacked a permanent safety manager since Darryl Jardine, the previous manager, departed in June. Christine Lopes is serving as the acting safety manager as of July 13, having been brought in from Las Vegas. Barth indicated that Transdev is actively recruiting for a permanent replacement.
Danette Duran, a former employee, asserted that even when Jardine was in place, Transdev was not adhering to industry standards in Stanislaus County.
"You’re driving people," Duran said. "The extent of [safety concern to riders] is barely touched at the Modesto location."
The Federal Transit Administration provides a list of requirements for public transit system training. When questioned about Transdev's adherence to industry standards in its safety training, Transdev's spokesperson declined to comment.
From 2022 to 2024, Transdev utilized a modified version of standard training known as LLLC. The Smith System, a more comprehensive and industry-standard training program, was implemented starting in 2025, according to an individual familiar with Transdev's practices.
Duran, who worked for Transdev for five years before being terminated for alleged attendance issues, believes her dismissal was retaliatory for speaking out.
Duran was initially fired after Transdev claimed she was involved in too many accidents. This decision was reversed when she presented a commendation letter from the safety manager acknowledging her safe driving record.
Transdev has had six interim and permanent General Managers since commencing its contract with StanRTA three and a half years ago and is currently seeking a seventh.
Rob Stephens, Transdev's Interim GM at the time, was reassigned the day after The Bee published an article detailing bus drivers' exhaustion with mandatory overtime.
Maintenance Responsibilities
The city of Modesto is responsible for the maintenance of the buses, many of which require frequent repairs. A fleet of 140 StanRTA buses is maintained by thirty employees. One driver shared a recent photograph showing duct tape holding a panel near exterior cameras and a deteriorating driver's seat.
Another fixed-route driver reported that the mirrors on the buses sometimes vibrate excessively, making them difficult to use.
"Buses feel like an alignment is needed when applying the brakes," the driver said. "It makes loud sounds or the bus jumps like we are doing a hard brake and we are not."
Barth noted that the buses in daily service range from 13 to two years old, with some rarely used "contingency fleet" buses exceeding 20 years in age.
Chad Reed, the new Modesto Public Works Director, stated that the buses are well-maintained.
"The buses are inspected daily and we get a write-up based on what the inspector observes, and the bus wouldn’t get released for anything that was a safety hazard to the driver or the passenger," Reed said.
Drivers interviewed by The Bee mentioned frequently observing check-engine lights or other alerts. However, bus issues are often intermittent, and maintenance workers return buses to service if they cannot replicate the alerts.
"For the most part, that’s true," Reed responded. "But even if the light code doesn’t come back on, they’d still plug the diagnostic equipment and run a systems check to see if it threw some kind of fault code."
Some buses experience difficulties with their air conditioning during warmer months, with the AC units failing or being unable to cope with high temperatures, according to current and former employees.
"Because of the shortage of buses, we just grin and bear it," one bus driver commented.
Reed asserted that buses are not put into service if the AC is not functioning and are removed from service when it fails.
"The capacity in which they blow varies depending on the ambient temperature outside," he explained. "If it’s 110 outside, you’re not going to get a super cool bus."
A paratransit driver reported that a change in the rider prioritization system within their "Ecolane" software has led to longer wait times for passengers with disabilities. This results in them waiting longer in hot conditions, potentially increasing health risks, and could cause them to miss critical appointments such as dialysis.
On August 21 and August 25, Transdev hosted "listening sessions" in response to criticism following The Bee's article published on July 16. Additionally, transit workers were invited to a complimentary employee appreciation luncheon on August 26.
Bus drivers indicated that shortly after The Bee's article on mandatory overtime, these mandatory schedules were significantly reduced. This reduction was partly due to the arrival of bus drivers from outside the area to provide backup and increase route coverage.
Riverbank Mayor Rachel Hernandez, a member of the StanRTA board, stated that Transdev's contract with StanRTA is nearing its end, and ongoing issues will be a key factor in discussions regarding its renewal.
Transdev declined to comment on the turnover of General Managers or its safety management and training practices.
