Transportation Moguls Fueling Miami-Dade Political Campaigns In Line For $9 Million No-Bid Contract Extension

By Francisco Alvarado, FloridaBulldog.org

A private transportation company with politically astute owners and a troublesome track record could score a $9 million no-bid extension on an expired Miami-Dade contract to operate more than two dozen bus routes.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is seeking approval from county commissioners to waive competitive bidding and re-up with Limousines of South Florida for one year while the county’s Transportation and Public Works Department transitions to a new vendor, according to a May 3 memo. The county commission is set to vote on the contract extension on June 14.

Should Levine Cava’s request pass, it will mark the sixth time since 2017 that Miami-Dade elected officials have given Limousines of South Florida, or LSF, a no-bid renewal despite poor service complaints from disabled riders, lawsuits against the company by people allegedly injured by its drivers and warnings from the county’s transit union leaders that LSF is a dangerous operator. The company is currently operating bus routes even though its agreement terminated in February.