Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Transit

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

 

FROM:

Robert A. Nugent, Public Transit Administrator

 

CC:

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

 

Date:

 

November 7, 2011

RE:

Agenda Item: T-Lift Paratransit Vehicle Replacement

 

 

Please place the following item on the agenda for the November 15, 2011 City Commission meeting:

 

Background:

The Transit Department currently provides complementary paratransit service as mandated under the American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990. This service is operated under the name T-Lift and provides a valuable means of transportation to those that qualify under the specific guidelines of the act. The department maintains fourteen (14) vehicles for this service of which eleven (11) vehicles are currently being used during peak service with three (3) buses as spares. 

 

The Transit Department’s Capital Replacement Plan calls for the replacement of three of these vehicles annually. This plan was developed taking into account that both the manufacturer and the Federal Transit Administration define the useful life of paratransit vehicles as five years or 100,000 miles.

 

In order to maintain the replacement schedule staff has identified three (3) paratransit vehicles that have exceeded the service life requirements of both age and miles. Specific information pertaining to the paratransit fleet is provided in the following table:

 

ID

Mfg.

Year

Model

Acquired

Mileage*

% Life

743

Ford/El Dorado

2007

Aerotech E450

5/1/2007

120,982

121%

744

Ford/El Dorado

2007

Aerotech E450

5/1/2007

101,021

101%

745

Ford/El Dorado

2007

Aerotech E450

5/1/2007

111,041

111%

746

Ford/El Dorado

2007

Aerotech E450

5/9/2007

113,163

113%

747

Ford/El Dorado

2007

Aerotech E450

5/9/2007

111,748

112%

748

Ford/El Dorado

2007

Aerotech E450

5/9/2007

101,804

102%

749

Ford/El Dorado

2008

Aerotech 220 E450

4/25/2008

84,006

84%

750

Ford/El Dorado

2008

Aerotech 220 E450

4/25/2008

84,379

84%

751

Ford/El Dorado

2008

Aerotech 220 E450

4/25/2008

84,191

84%

752

Ford/El Dorado

2010

Aerotech 220 E450

9/28/2010

2,078

2%

753

Ford/El Dorado

2010

Aerotech 220 E450

9/28/2010

2,905

3%

754

Ford/El Dorado

2010

Aerotech 220 E450

9/28/2010

3,633

4%

755

Ford/El Dorado

2010

Aerotech 220 E450

9/28/2010

3,358

3%

756

Ford/El Dorado

2010

Aerotech 220 E450

9/28/2010

1,570

2%

 

* Mileage as of 1/1/2011

 

 

 

 

The vehicles that we are proposing to replace at this time are bus numbers 743, 746 and 747. Once taken out of revenue service these vehicles will be either converted to road supervisor vehicles or will be auctioned off and the proceeds used to support future operations or capital needs.

 

In order to expedite our efforts to acquire replacement vehicles staff decided to utilize the current Kansas Department of Transportation Vehicle Bid Contract. The contract was awarded to Kansas Truck Equipment, Co. in Wichita, Kansas.

 

The vehicles that will be acquired are 2010 El Dorado Aerotech 220. These buses will have fiberglass/composite bodies built on a Ford E-450 chassis and be powered by a gasoline engine. The maximum capacity of the buses would be twenty (20) passengers.

 

Funding and Cost:

Funding for the purchase of these vehicles will come from the State of Kansas Comprehensive Transportation Program. Each vehicle will cost $55,000. The total estimated cost to purchase three (3) will be $165,000. There is no local match required for these funds.

 

Action Request:

Authorize staff to acquire three (3) paratransit vehicles (T-Lift) as replacements for three (3) existing paratransit vehicles which have surpassed both the manufacturer and Federal Transit Administration useful life requirements. These vehicles would be purchased off of the existing Kansas Department of Transportation state bid vehicle contract. The cost per vehicle is $55,000 and a total cost of $165,000 from Kansas Truck Equipment, Co. in Wichita, Kansas.