Yorkton Council approved the purchase of a new bus for its fleet at the regular meeting Monday.
Gord Shaw, Director of Planning and Engineering noted, "2012 has not been very kind to our transit vehicles."
The report circulated to Council detailed the issue.
"Unit #455 experienced significant motor problems over the last two months causing it to be in and out of service. On Monday, Nov. 19, 2012, this unit was pulled from service due to motor and other problems. This unit was scheduled to be replaced in 2013 and it is not cost effective to try to repair this unit. The loss of this unit, however, impacts the delivery of para-transit services to the community," stated the report.
Fleet Operations and SaskAbilities Council reviewed possible solutions to this problem. They have identified three buses that are available with little notice from suppliers in Winnipeg or Regina. The unit that is recommended by both provides for transit service as well as para-transit. The cost for this bus is $73,550.
Normally such a purchase would be tendered. Given the nature of this issue, however, Engineering Services deemed it necessary to solicit information from independent sources in order to speed up the process and obtain a transit bus in as expedient a manner as possible, added Shaw.
The purchase will be funded through a transit reserve fund. The city will make an application in 2013 for an Access Transit bus through the provincial government where funding is available on a 75/25 split, said Shaw.
