By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Butler County commissioners arranged Monday for a private company to provide transportation for the next year for about 5,000 low-income residents.

Eco-Van, whose vehicles run on natural gas, will fill the gap that will be created when Butler County's public transit system goes out of business later this month.

Commissioners approved a one-year $1 million contract with EcoVan, a Cincinnati company that is moving to Hamilton.

EcoVan's bid of $1.15 per mile was far below the $1.99-per-mile bid of Universal Transit Systems, which would have cost the county $1.7 million for a year's service.

The Butler County Regional Transit Authority, also known as The Blast, has been providing transportation for the clients of the Butler County Department of Job and Family Services.

But the transit authority, doomed by the defeat of a county transit tax initiative on the November ballot, will end all bus services by the end of this year. Its service to Job and Family Services clients will end Dec. 20.

Most of the people who will be served by EcoVan need transportation for medical purposes, said Jerome Kearns, assistant director of Job and Family Services.

Others need transportation to work and school.

We worked tirelessly to ensure that there is no gap in service when the Blast buses stop running," Mr. Kearns said.

Commissioner Mike Fox said EcoVan's low bid proves a point that he and fellow Commissioner Chuck Furmon have made for the past two years: Competitive bidding with private transit companies results in lower costs.

Medicaid will reimburse Butler for about 70 percent of its $1 million contract, Mr. Kearns said.

Mr. Fox stressed that the services provided by EcoVan will not completely fill the void left by the transit authority's demise.The transit authority also served many people not on Medicaid or public assistance.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com