Agenda Item Wording:
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Authorization to purchase two (2) Class P passenger transit vans from Model 1 Commercial Vehicles - Authorize the City Manager to utilize the California Association for Coordinated Transportation Morongo Basin Transit Authority cooperative contract for paratransit vehicles to enter into a contract with Model 1 Commercial Vehicles for the purchase of two (2) Class P passenger transit vans for the Visalia Transit Dial-A-Ride service in the amount of $388,920.90.
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Agenda Date: 6/15/2026
Submitting Department: Administration - Transit Division
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Caleb Bowman, Management Analyst, Caleb.Bowman@visalia.gov, (559)713-4594
Angelina Baker, Transit Manager, Angelina.Baker@visalia.gov, (559)713-4591
John Lollis, Assistant City Manager, John.Lollis@visalia.gov, (559)713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff is recommending that the City Council authorize the City Manager to utilize the California Association for Coordinated Transportation Morongo Basin Transit Authority cooperative contract for paratransit vehicles to enter into a contract with Model 1 Commercial Vehicles for the purchase of two (2) Class P passenger transit vans for the Visalia Transit Dial-A-Ride service in the amount of $388,920.90.
Background Discussion:
Visalia Transit currently operates ten (10) cutaway buses, eight (8) of which are required to support peak demand on the Dial-A-Ride (DAR) service that serves the city of Visalia, unincorporated community of Goshen, and the cities of Exeter and Farmersville. Currently, the DAR fleet has an average age of twelve (12) years and average lifetime miles of 194,000, with half of the buses being over fourteen (14) years old and over 250,000 miles, which is beyond their useful life. The useful life is determined by age and mileage requirements set by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). FTA has determined that light-duty mid-sized buses (cutaways, 25’ to 35’ buses with a seating capacity of 16-25 passengers) have a useful life of 5-years and/or 150,000 miles. However, buses don’t necessarily need to be replaced upon being five (5) years old or over 150,000 miles. Buses that are properly maintained can typically have more useful life than what is determined by the FTA, making it more fiscally responsible and beneficial to keep in longer service. Additionally, the cost of parts for buses during repairs is covered by the Operations and Maintenance contractor. This means that the negotiated maintenance price between RATP Dev and the City, when established, took into consideration the age of the vehicles. With each of these variables considered, it is more fiscally responsible for the City to get as many useful life years out of each of its vehicles as possible and safe. Lastly, the ability to get more useful life years out of a vehicle also assists in spreading out vehicle replacements rather than creating a situation where a large number of buses or vehicles would need to be replaced at the same time. This is strategic in budgeting and planning for fleet replacement.
The California Air Resource Board (CARB) Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation requirements for all public transit agencies do not apply to this purchase. The Class P vans do not fall in the ICT requirements due to their vehicle type and weight. The ICT regulation applies to Standard Transit, Articulated, Over-the-Road (Coach), Double-Decker, and Cutaway buses with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 pounds. Transit staff are looking at the feasibility of battery-electric vans, but currently there are none that meet Transit’s range requirements and would need to be charged regularly throughout the day.
At this time, staff recommends the purchase of two (2) new Braun-Lonestar Class P passenger transit vans to replace two (2) 2011 model year Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cutaway buses with over 200,000 miles, which have outlived their useful lives. Transit staff have looked at the maximum passenger load of the DAR service to see if the 18-passenger cutaway is needed for the service. Contracted staff (RATP) confirmed that there are no more than eight (8) ambulatory passengers and no more than two (2) passengers in a wheelchair onboard the buses at any given time. The cutaways being replaced are 12-18 passengers with 2-3 wheelchair positions and double the price of the Class P passenger transit van. Transit staff are recommending the downsize of most of the DAR vehicles from 18-passenger cutaways to 8-passenger transit vans. The details of each vehicle to be replaced under this project are listed below in Table 1 “Replacement Vehicle Details”.
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Table 1 |
|
Replacement Vehicle Details |
|
Fleet # |
Fixed Asset # |
Mfr. Year |
Bus Make |
Fuel Type |
Length (ft.) |
No. of Seats |
Date In-Service |
Age (yrs.) |
Useful Life (yrs.) |
Odometer Reading (mi.) |
Useful Life (mi.) |
|
1102 |
F12561 |
2011 |
Elkhart Coach |
CNG |
23 |
18 |
08/29/11 |
15 |
5 |
214,436 |
150,000 |
|
1103 |
F12563 |
2011 |
Elkhart Coach |
CNG |
23 |
18 |
08/29/11 |
15 |
5 |
219,597 |
150,000 |
The grant allocations and appropriations in the current CIP VH0317 budget for this purchase are shown below in Table 2 “Model 1 Purchase”.
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Table 2 |
|
Model 1 Purchase |
|
Vehicle |
CIP |
5339 Funding |
LTF Funding |
Total |
|
1102 |
VH0317 |
$155,568.36 |
$38,892.09 |
$194,460.45 |
|
1103 |
VH0317 |
$155,568.36 |
$38,892.09 |
$194,460.45 |
|
Total |
$311,136.72 |
$77,784.18 |
$388,920.90 |
Fiscal Impact:
The funding for this vehicle purchase is currently appropriated in CIP VH0317, which has a total budget of $1,674,200 with an unencumbered balance of $988,810.98.
Prior Council Action: None
Alternatives:
Council can elect to reject this purchase which would delay the fleet replacement schedule.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to utilize the California Association for Coordinated Transportation Morongo Basin Transit Authority cooperative contract for paratransit vehicles to enter into a contract with Model 1 Commercial Vehicles for the purchase of two (2) Class P passenger transit vans for the Visalia Transit Dial-A-Ride service in the amount of $388,920.90.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Deadline for Action: 6/24/2026
Attachments:
1) Model 1/Creative Bus Sales Quote Sheet
2) Morongo Basin Transit Authority Contract No. 20-01 - CBS-1
3) Letter of Assignment
4) Creative Bus Sales - Notice of Name Change
Strategic Goal: Indicates which City Strategic Goal(s) this item supports. Check all that apply.
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☐ Economic Vitality |
☒  Organizational Excellence |
☒ Fiscal Strength |
☒  Infrastructure & Growth |
☐  Quality of Life |