In late April 2022, County Connection was presented with the Outstanding Paratransit Program Award by the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT) at its spring conference in Newport Beach, CA. CalACT is a statewide transit association representing small, rural, and specialized transportation providers.
The Outstanding Paratransit Program Award recognizes paratransit programs that have demonstrated achievement in efficiency, effectiveness, and customer service. County Connection LINK was recognized as a paratransit program that stood out as such by providing essential and innovative services during the pandemic.
Through its contracted operator Transdev, County Connection LINK serves more than 1,700 ADA-eligible customers with close to 70,000 annual trips within a service area of roughly 200 square miles covering over 480,000 residents. The success of the agency’s LINK paratransit program stems from the staff’s dedication to the paratransit community as well as the Contra Costa County community as a whole. During the pandemic, County Connection LINK has been involved in transporting ADA-eligible riders throughout Contra Costa County through the One Seat Regional Ride Program, delivering meals to disadvantaged elderly residents in partnership with Meals on Wheels, and transporting COVID-19 positive residents to medical services. These operational and financial partnerships reflect the goals and policies set forth by the agency’s leadership and ensure that LINK paratransit customers are served safely, reliably, and efficiently.