City Committee Approves Plan to Buy 16 New Climate Friendly Vehicles

Pasadena’s Municipal Services Committee unanimously approved a recommendation by the Building Systems and Fleet Management Division of the Department of Public Works to purchase a total of 16 vehicles – six electric utility vehicles (EUVs), eight police interceptor hybrid sports utility vehicles, one chipper truck and one asphalt truck – for the city in 2022 to replace aging vehicles.

“This is a great move,” said Councilmember Felicia Williams, who sits on the committee along with Jessica Rivas, Tyron Hampton and Vice Mayor Andy Wilson.

In the past the city has purchased gas-powered vehicles, but now is purchasing hybrid and electric vehicles.

Local residents have called for the purchase of more climate friendly notes.

In September, the City Council voted 5-3 to approve a purchase order with 72 Hour LLC for 17 vehicles – eight sports utility vehicles and nine trucks.

At that time, staff again reiterated that at this point there are no electric vehicles that contain the necessary equipment the city needs. The SUVs will be used for public safety.

Local residents called on the city to purchase more climate friendly vehicles.

“I’m much happier about this report than the last one,” Hampton said.

Purchasing the new vehicles is part of a three-year fleet replacement plan being implemented as part of the fiscal year 2022 Operating Budget to address Pasadena’s aging fleet, a Public Works Department report to the City Council said.

The 16 vehicles will replace those currently assigned to the Public Works Department, the Pasadena Police and Fire Departments, and the Department of Information Technology.

The recommendation said six 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUVs will be purchased to be used for daily field inspections, investigations, training sessions, job site meetings and other assorted tasks.

Eight police vehicles, which have been in use for anywhere between eight and 16 years, will be replaced with 2021 Ford Explorer Police Inspector Hybrid SUVs to be used for 24/7 response to critical incidents and investigations associated with public safety.

The chipper truck and asphalt trucks will replace two service trucks in the Department of Public Works that are both essential service vehicles that respond to recurring tree maintenance and road repairs as well as work requests called in through the City’s Citizen Service Center, the report said. The new trucks will be a Ford 2023 F750 chipper truck, and Ford 2022 F350 asphalt truck. The report also showed there are no available zero-emission vehicles of these types that are currently in the market.

Total costs projected for all 16 new vehicles to be purchased in 2022 in the first phase of the three-year Fleet Replacement Plan is $855,306, which includes a $77,755 contingency allowance, according to the Public Works Department.

The new vehicles will be sourced from 72 Hour LLC in Watsonville, which the City identified using a contract database maintained by Minnesota-based Sourcewell.

The City of Pasadena is a member of Sourcewell, which is a public government agency that helps member agencies procure equipment and services using nationally leveraged and competitively solicited purchasing contracts.