HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-03-22 - AGENDA REPORTS - COMMUTER LOCAL DIAL A RIDE BUSESAgenda Item: 11
1. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: �1 A11�44-1)
DATE: March 22, 2022
SUBJECT: AWARD CONTRACTS TO MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES, GILLIG
CORPORATION, AND A-Z BUS SALES FOR THE PURCHASE AND
DELIVERY OF COMMUTER, LOCAL, AND DIAL -A -RIDE BUSES
DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood Services
PRESENTER: Adrian Aguilar
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a contract with Motor Coach Industries
for the purchase of two, 45-foot compressed natural gas (CNG) powered commuter buses, in
an amount not to exceed $1,775,851, or modify the award in the event issues of impossibility
of performance arise, subject to City Attorney approval.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute a contract with Gillig
Corporation for the purchase of four CNG local transit buses, in an amount not to exceed
$2,557,541, or modify the award in the event issues of impossibility of performance arise,
subject to City Attorney approval.
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute a contract with A-Z Bus
Sales for the purchase of two CNG cutaway dial -a -ride buses, in an amount not to exceed
$363,647, or modify the award in the event issues of impossibility of performance arise,
subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
Santa Clarita Transit has a fleet replacement program that meets the Federal Transit
Administration's (FTA) 12-year life cycle for commuter and transit vehicles, and 7-year life
cycle for dial -a -ride vehicles. The City of Santa Clarita (City) has two diesel powered commuter
buses, four local CNG buses, and two CNG dial -a -ride buses that have all reached the end of
their useful life and are scheduled to be replaced over the next 18 months. At the time of their
retirement from service the commuter and local buses will have operated over 550,000 miles,
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while the dial -a -ride vehicles will have operated over 350,000 miles.
The City's local transit fleet is composed of all CNG buses. This purchase will allow the City to
continue to improve fleet reliability, reduce emissions within the region, and improve the overall
fuel economy of the bus fleet. The buses proposed for purchase have new vehicle designs and
technology that will improve the customer experience. The recommended action would also
bring the City in alignment with the desired capital replacement schedule where approximately
one -twelfth of the transit fleet and one -seventh of the dial -a -ride fleet is scheduled for
replacement each fiscal year.
The City intends to purchase these vehicles through the CalACT/Morongo Basin Transit
Authority vehicle purchasing cooperative, which has existing contracts with Motor Coach
Industries, Gillig, and A-Z Bus Sales. Purchasing buses through this method expedites the
purchasing process and ensures competitive pricing.
Under this cooperative agreement, product specifications were identified and prices negotiated
based on the total projected participation of the cooperative members, rather than just the
vehicles scheduled to be purchased by the City.
As an added measure, staff conducted a price analysis to ensure the proposed pricing is within
industry standards and is the most advantageous to the City. The use of purchasing cooperatives
is common within the transit industry and is a practice accepted by the FTA.
If the recommended action is approved by the City Council, the City will be able to replace eight
aging buses that have reached the end of their useful life. It will also allow the City to take
advantage of recent developments in engine technology by replacing older, less -efficient diesel -
powered commuter buses with clean -burning CNG vehicles.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Direct staff to issue a Request for Proposal for the procurement of CNG powered commuter,
transit, and dial -a -ride buses.
2. Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund as a result of this procurement. The City has programmed
Federal 5307 transit grant funds to cover 80 percent of the total contractual cost of the buses. The
remaining 20 percent will be funded using Municipal Operator Service Improvement Program
funds. Adequate funds for this purchase are available in the Transit Capital Equipment Account
7007402-520103.
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