Opinion ID: 2994923
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Transit Express’s Complaints

Text: Complaint Transit Express is a Wisconsin based, transportation service company that is not eligible to apply for or receive sub-grants from WisDOT under the Section 5310 program because it is a for-profit enterprise. On February 9, 1997, Transit Express filed an administrative complaint with WisDOT complaining that it had been unlawfully excluded from participating as a service provider for non-profit organizations that had received Section 5310 program funds from WisDOT funds during the fiscal 1997 grant cycle for a host of reasons./2 In its administrative complaint to WisDOT, Transit Express specifically claimed that: (1) Goodwill had contracted with Elder Care Lines, Inc. (Elder Care Lines) for transportation services under the Federal Section 5310 program despite the existence of several improper conflicts of interest;/3 (2) Goodwill, the Center for Independence, Curative Services, and the Jewish Center all required what Transit Express felt were excessive amounts of insurance coverage, which, in turn, barred Transit Express from participating in the 5310 Program; (3) the Section 5310 fund-recipients neglected to provide Transit Express with the selection criteria used to evaluate bids; and (4) the Center for Independence improperly selected Elder Care Lines to provide transportation services. On July 23, 1997, WisDOT denied the administrative complaint filed by Transit Express.
On September 10, 1997, Transit Express filed a petition for administrative review with the FTA challenging WisDOT’s disposition of its state complaint. On November 13, 1998, Joel Ettinger, the Regional Administrator of Region V of the FTA,/4 issued a decision denying the petition for administrative review, stating: Before FTA gets to the merits of the allegations raised by Transit, a decision must be made as to whether FTA has jurisdiction over this dispute and, if so, on what legal authority should FTA make a decision. Transit has argued that FTA should review this issue because it is a matter of federal concern. Further, Transit believes that FTA Circular 4220.1D is applicable and that WisDOT has . . . failed to either establish its own protest procedures or to follow them.