title
5339 Bus and Bus Facilities: Large urban Areas
end
|
DESCRIPTION: Grant application for federal funds to replace non-revenue vehicles |
AGENDA NO: Click or tap here to enter text. |
|
ACTION REQUEST: ☒ Approval ☐ Review Comment ☐ Information Only ☐ Other |
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
To authorize the Chief Executive Officer to seek federal funds in the amount of $1,687,728, to purchase non-revenue vehicles that has been utilized beyond industry standard service life and beyond the years required by the FTA. Additionally, the total number of vehicles in the non-revenue fleet is increasing as the agency focuses its efforts on being reliable and improving the customer experience. The local match is $411,432 and the total project amount will be $2,099,160.
end
ISSUE/BACKGROUND:
body
The State of Louisiana DOTD is receiving applications from the large urban areas for FTA 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities grants. If awarded, the applicant would be direct grantee to the FTA and not LA DOTD.
end
DISCUSSION:
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is requesting $1,687,728 to fund the replacement of 4 SUV’s, 2 passenger vans, 1 utility van, 10 half-ton pickup trucks, 11 one-ton pickup trucks, 2 one-ton welding truck, and a midsized wrecker. These non-revenue vehicles are to replace vehicles that, surpass the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) minimum required years of use and will be retired, and increase the fleet to efficiently support the agency’s continuous improvement efforts.
The non-revenue fleet plays a critical role in the success of any agency. Daily supervision, critical support staff all require vehicles that are safe and reliable to support the daily operations and ensure the rider experience is premium. The ability to respond timely and reliable to mechanical problems that occur when the buses are on the route is a requirement of any transit agency. 19 vehicles that are part of this request have surpassed the number of years of service required by the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) and will be retired once the replacements are placed into service.
The 4 SUVs would be hybrid vehicles, in addition to helping to meet many of the Federal, State and Local government environmental initiatives, these vehicles are best suited for weather and road conditions of New Orleans. The City of New Orleans is undergoing a major roads reconstruction program and the frequent rainstorms often lead to street flooding so a vehicle that suited for this environment is best. The hybrid technology has the potential to save the agency roughly $3,500 per year, per vehicle due to the savings from not idling the gas engine and miles per gallon savings of a hybrid.
Additionally, as we move to increase our On-Time Performance (OTP) and service reliability across all modes our fleet of trucks that mechanics use to respond to road calls, rail track maintenance and safety conditions need to be reliable. Although RTA staff adhere strictly to OEM-recommended preventive maintenance schedules, breakdowns and road calls for the bus fleet have gradually risen in past years as the fleet ages. The ability to respond to field repairs in the shortest amount of time will greatly reduce the downtime and increase the OTP.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The RTA will be responsible for the local match if the grant is awarded. That amount is expected to be $411,432.
NEXT STEPS:
Submission of the grant application to LA DOTD. The submission deadline is February 1, 2022.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
Prepared By: Lona Edwards Hankins, lhankins@rtaforwad.org
Title: Deputy CEO Planning, Infrastructure and Information Technology
Reviewed By: Lona Edwards Hankins, lhankins@rtaforward.org
Title: Deputy CEO Planning, Infrastructure and Information technology
Reviewed By: Gizelle Johnson Banks
Title: Chief Financial Officer
1/4/2022
Alex Wiggins Date
Chief Executive Officer