San Francisco re-ups SAIC unit for 511

Science Applications International Corp. has won a four-year, $11 million contract to continue development, operations and maintenance of the San Francisco Bay Area 511 Regional Transit Information System.

Under the contract, bd Systems Inc. of Torrance, Calif., will evaluate and offer advice and development services to help expand and enhance the system to support a growing number of users in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Federal Communications Commission designated 511 as the national travel information number in July 2000. San Francisco's 511 system is a free phone and Internet service that offers real-time, regional transportation information, such as traffic conditions, incidents and driving times, as well as public transportation schedules, routes and fares.

The 511 system, which even offers information on bicycling, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and consolidates information for more than 30 Bay Area transit services.

Created by the California legislature in 1970, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. The commission manages the 511 contract.

SAIC, which has more than 43,000 employees and had annual revenue of $7.8 billion in fiscal 2006, ranks No. 3 on Washington Technology's 2006 Top 100 list of the largest federal IT contractors.