The city of Greensboro, North Carolina, awarded a $20 million per-year contract for operations of its public transportation systems to a subsidiary of Paris, France-based Groupe Keolis S.A.S.

Keolis Transit America Inc. will take over the Greensboro Transit Authority’s bus system and paratransit services. The contract spans three-and-a-half years, with two additional one-year options to renew, according to a press release.

Keolis will also oversee safety management and training, bus maintenance and repair, fare collection and customer service support in both English and Spanish.

The company is not expected to provide the actual vehicles used in the system. Starting November 2018, the GTA will begin replacing its current 43-bus fleet with zero-emission electric buses manufactured by Burlingame, California-based Proterra Inc.

The city will have 14 electric Proterra buses operating by March 2019, and it hopes to eventually convert to a fully-electric bus fleet. Keolis will help facilitate the transition and implement its technology for issues such as collision avoidance and driver scheduling.

No estimated cost has been given for the proposed transition.

“Keolis and the GTA both believe in the power that sustainable public transit can yield for communities,” said Steve Shaw, CEO of Keolis Transit America. “We are excited to serve this vibrant city with strong economic growth and truly believe our partnership with the GTA will make a positive impact.”

The bus system covers 21 fixed routes in Greensboro, including five college campus routes. The paratransit service, which provides special transportation for people with disabilities, and bus service deliver over 4 million passenger trips per year combined.

By awarding the contract to Keolis, the city moved on from its longtime contractor Transdev, which is also based in Paris.

After negotiations for a long-term extension of the partnership stretched for over a year and were sidetracked by multiple conflicts of interest between Transdev personnel and city officials, Keolis was chosen on the basis of cost bid, proposed staffing levels and operating methods.

Bruce Adams, Greensboro’s public transportation manager, said Keolis was chosen for its proven track record in operations and maintenance services.

“Operating the largest public transit system in the Triad, we are continually looking to enhance our services to meet the growing public transportation needs in Greensboro,” Adams said.

Keolis Transit America is one of 300 subsidiaries owned by Groupe Keolis worldwide. Last year, Keolis partnered with AAA to launch the nation’s first self-driving public shuttle in Las Vegas.

Its subsidiaries manage public transit in 16 countries, and the company reported revenue for 2017 of approximately $6.26 billion.