Longtime UA Transportation Partner Plans Tuscaloosa Closure, Cutting 88 Jobs

TUSCALOOSA, AL — First Transit Inc., a transportation company with longstanding ties to the University of Alabama's transportation system, has filed notice of plans to close its operation in Tuscaloosa.

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The move will reportedly impact 88 employees.

According to Alabama Department of Workforce's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) records, the company filed its notice Monday, Oct. 19, with the closure scheduled to begin Dec. 18, 2026.

The filing identifies the action as a closure rather than a temporary layoff. However, it does not establish whether the affected employees will be offered positions with another transportation provider or whether the closure will result in changes to bus service.

First Transit has maintained a presence in Tuscaloosa for nearly two decades, providing transportation services primarily for the University of Alabama.

In an August 2016 announcement, the company said UA had extended its nine-year partnership with First Transit to manage, staff and operate the Crimson Ride campus transportation system.

At the time, the company reported employing 75 drivers, supervisors, technicians and managers who operated a fleet of 51 university-owned buses.

First Transit's relationship with UA dates back to at least 2007, according to the company's announcement.

The latest closure notice comes as university purchasing records identify Transdev as the contracted vendor for UA's campus transit system.

The university's approved contract vendor database lists Transdev under a campus transit system contract scheduled to expire July 31, 2027.

It remains unclear whether the December closure is related to a change in university transportation contracts, a restructuring of existing operations or another business decision.

In March 2023, Transdev announced that it had completed its acquisition of First Transit, bringing the two transportation companies under common ownership.

The acquisition expanded Transdev's public transportation operations across the United States and Canada but it is unclear how the move impacted First Transit.

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