Nearly $1 million going to used diesel buses as Charlottetown gradually switches to electric transit
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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Charlottetown is shopping for six used diesel buses for the town’s public transit system to make use of till it is able to go inexperienced.
Councillors voted 8-0 at a Could 30 particular assembly to buy the buses for a complete of $675,000 plus tax and one other $300,000 plus tax for the refurbishment of the present T3 Transit fleet.
4 of the buses are coming from Ontario and the opposite two are already in Charlottetown, sitting unused on the T3 lot.
With the town and province not but prepared for a full change to electrical automobiles, Charlottetown’s transit system wants a handful of diesel buses to satisfy rising ridership demand till charging infrastructure is constructed.
The town is shopping for used buses that want refurbishment as a way to bridge that hole, mentioned Jessika Corkum-Gorrill, appearing supervisor of setting and sustainability, through the assembly.
“Our public transit system is just not arrange for electrification in the intervening time. That’s the final word aim. So, this was laid out to council earlier than that. Within the meantime, we might buy used diesel buses somewhat than investing in new diesel buses that we might need to use for a few years.”
The decision notes the buses are expensed from the town’s 2023-24 capital budget.
Considerations
Some councillors raised points in regards to the state of the buses, a few of which have multiple million kilometres on their odometers.
Coun. Justin Muttart requested about unknown future prices that might include shopping for used gear.
“What considerations me about that’s the situation of what these buses are in and what kind of operational {dollars} do now we have to help these within the occasion of – they’re solely giving a couple of three-month guarantee on the engines of this stuff,” he mentioned.
Coun. Mitchell Tweel additionally questioned the three-month guarantee, asking if this was a regular size of time.
“Is that the norm when buses are being bought throughout the nation, second-hand buses?” he mentioned. “Is there an expectation that the guarantee’s longer once you’re buying used buses? And what number of different municipalities did we have a look at, by way of shopping for used buses?”
Clarification
Coun. Bob Doiron, who spoke in help of the decision, famous the buses are made to be on the street consistently, and the entire parts might be changed or rebuilt.
“It’s not like a 2008 automobile that stays the identical. That’s the enjoyment of proudly owning these kind of buses. You’ll be able to put completely different components in them,” he mentioned.
Corkum-Gorrill added the method of shopping for used buses makes it tough to match costs, however T3 — who the town companions with for procurement — really helpful the six purchases after important analysis.
“It’s very tough to do procurement with used buses as a result of it’s exhausting to match apples to apples, however they felt very strongly in regards to the situation of those used buses,” she mentioned. “They’re the knowledgeable within the trade, so we trusted their opinion on the buses they reviewed.”
After this clarification, Muttart mentioned he supported the acquisition.
To pay for the buses, Charlottetown is making use of for funding by way of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). This entails a three-way cut up between the federal, provincial and municipal governments.
T3 Transit
Mike Cassidy, T3 proprietor, says the corporate has been buying the used automobiles due to their many trade contacts.
Although the buses the town is shopping for are positioned at T3, they don’t seem to be at the moment on the street and can want refurbishment to be prepared.
Cassidy famous the buses have been already on the market when the town began wanting, and he didn’t need them to depart city.
“We have been in a position to supply a pair (for the ICIP undertaking), and we simply put our identify on them as a result of we didn’t need to see them go to anyone else,” he mentioned.
Explaining the connection between T3 and the town, Cassidy mentioned T3 does procurement for the town and operates the transit system, whereas the town supplies funding and is ready to companion with different ranges of presidency to faucet into infrastructure offers like ICIP.
Logan MacLean is a municipal reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He might be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @loganmaclean94.
