A Millville-based transportation company has settled claims that it breached contracts with regional transit authorities by not providing agreed-upon services to disabled residents, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday.
Traveler’s Transit reached a settlement with the Attorney General’s Office that includes paying state agencies $1.045 million in restitution for knowingly making false billing claims for services it did not provide, the Attorney General’s Office said in a press release.
The transportation company also agreed to implement and pay for a three-year compliance monitoring program that must include additional staff training, updating of its policies and procedures and completing periodic audits, the attorney general’s office said.
Traveler’s Transit could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.
Traveler’s Transit has contracts with regional transit authorities in Worcester and Bristol Counties, the Attorney General’s Office said. As part of these contracts, the transportation company provides services — including wheelchair and group transportation — to disabled residents who receive services through state agencies.
In violation of its contracts, Traveler’s Transit illegally eliminated and combined agreed-upon routes and failed to provide required onboard passenger safety monitors on some routes, the Attorney General’s Office said. The transportation company is also accused of knowingly submitting false billing claims to state agencies for services it didn’t provide.
Traveler’s Transit’s alleged conduct was in violation of various state and federal laws, the Attorney General’s Office said. The allegations were first uncovered through a federal whistleblower lawsuit filed in Massachusetts.
“When companies violate our laws and defraud crucial state programs, taxpayer-funded resources are wasted, and the integrity of our public programs are put at risk,” Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in the press release.
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