2004 ~ New Service Line Added: Local MEPS Transportation Services
By 2003 StarForce had been providing overland service to and from the Lansing MEPS for 3 years, and had earned the respect of the local MEPS staff. But our overland route work was not directly for the MEPS or MEPCOM. Our work was accomplished on behalf of the individual recruiting commands of the Army, Air Force and Marines (and later the Navy).
In 2003, the Lansing MEPS First Sergeant approached StarForce to see if we could help upgrade the way the MEPS managed the transportation of applicants and Recruits who were already at the MEPS, and needed transportation to and from medical appointments during the processing day, to and from the DoD hotel where they overnighted while processing, and to the airport when they shipped to Basic Training.
Prior to StarForce the MEPS had been using a mix of taxi cabs, local charter buses, or hotel buses -- none of which were regulated under the safety and compliance requirements of the Military Bus Agreement. Working with the First Sergeant, StarForce stationed a small fleet (25 passenger bus and 15 passenger van) permanently at the MEPS, and hired a team of three DOT/DoD regulated drivers dedicated exclusively to the MEPS daily transportation needs.
This eliminated entirely the hassle of arranging for taxis and third party charter coaches, it ensured that the MEPS applicants and recruits were always in the care and custody of a MEPS dedicated driver when being transported, and it ensured that all transportation while at the MEPS met the safety and compliance standards of the Military Bus Agreement, and federally regulated commercial drivers.
The success of the pilot project at the Lansing MEPS, was soon replicated at Troy (Detroit) MEPS, and then Buffalo, Syracuse, Kansas City, Shreveport, Louisville and Des Moines MEPS over the next two years. Today StarForce provides MEPS dedicated services to 32 of the nations 65 MEPS.
In 2003, the Lansing MEPS First Sergeant approached StarForce to see if we could help upgrade the way the MEPS managed the transportation of applicants and Recruits who were already at the MEPS, and needed transportation to and from medical appointments during the processing day, to and from the DoD hotel where they overnighted while processing, and to the airport when they shipped to Basic Training.
Prior to StarForce the MEPS had been using a mix of taxi cabs, local charter buses, or hotel buses -- none of which were regulated under the safety and compliance requirements of the Military Bus Agreement. Working with the First Sergeant, StarForce stationed a small fleet (25 passenger bus and 15 passenger van) permanently at the MEPS, and hired a team of three DOT/DoD regulated drivers dedicated exclusively to the MEPS daily transportation needs.
This eliminated entirely the hassle of arranging for taxis and third party charter coaches, it ensured that the MEPS applicants and recruits were always in the care and custody of a MEPS dedicated driver when being transported, and it ensured that all transportation while at the MEPS met the safety and compliance standards of the Military Bus Agreement, and federally regulated commercial drivers.
The success of the pilot project at the Lansing MEPS, was soon replicated at Troy (Detroit) MEPS, and then Buffalo, Syracuse, Kansas City, Shreveport, Louisville and Des Moines MEPS over the next two years. Today StarForce provides MEPS dedicated services to 32 of the nations 65 MEPS.