Transit agencies everywhere are losing so much money because of the decisions to contract everything out. When all that's left in an agency are the management decision makers basing everything on whatever metrics, there's no one on the inside to bark at them for any of the stupid decisions that are being made.
Go with a low bid, have a shitty job done, then have to pay lots more to get it fixed. Or... go with the high bid, but to get everything you want in it costs a pretty penny.