ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 17, 1995
File No. H761-3
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services and
General Manager of Corporate Services
SUBJECT: Engineering Department Truck Fleet Additions
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve the allocation of $506,000 from the
Truck Plant Account to add ten new trucks, one surplus
truck, a small sweeper and an upgraded sewer cleaner to the
Engineering Fleet.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council approves all increases in service levels including the
addition of trucks to the fleet.
Council approves expenditures from Reserves, including the Truck
Plant Account.
DISCUSSION
1.a) Streets Operations has been renting seven small dump trucks
for the last two years. These trucks were rented because
the operation was modified from a one truck/two crew
situation to a one truck/one crew situation. This change
greatly enhances the versatility of the crews and increases
efficiency to the extent that the rental costs are more than
offset. Streets Operations expects to continue to operate
in the new mode and will permanently require additional
trucks. Rental vehicles are not available with all the
proper equipment required for the job including
communication, emergency lighting and some customs
outfitting. The City is able to own and operate a properly
equipped vehicle for the same cost as renting a (deficient)
vehicle. We recommend the purchase of seven small dump
trucks at a cost of $252,000 (7 x $36,000).
b) Streets Operations maintains an annual crack pouring
program, part of which requires three men sweeping
sidewalks. This program lasts about 60 working days per
year. In lieu of sweeping manually, a small mobile sweeper
was utilized and performed admirably. Replacing the three
labourers with the small sweeper and one equipment operator
will result in annual savings of $15,000. We recommend the
purchase of one small sweeper at a cost of $40,000.
2. Waterworks Operations is operating a 'borrowed' dump truck.
This situation occurs when a suitable surplus truck is
available and an operating branch requires an extra truck.
In lieu of renting outside, the branch is loaned the truck
for the required period. This loaner has now been operating
for 2´ years and with the increasing Waterworks' workload,
the aging loaner is no longer capable of providing the
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uptime required. This is an ongoing truck requirement and
we recommend the purchase of a single axle dump truck at a
cost of $72,000.
3. The Equipment Branch is also utilizing loaners as follows:
a) In 1991, at the request of the Park Board, a mobile
mower mechanic service was implemented to repair
equipment on-site. This service has been beneficial in
reducing the down time of Park Board's equipment and in
reducing travel time for Parks' crews travelling to
Manitoba Yards. The 'loaner', in this case a heavy-
duty pickup, is now over 13 years old and badly rusted.
This is a full time operation and for this service to
continue, we recommend that a heavy-duty pickup be
purchased at a cost of $27,000.00.
b) In 1993, the new garage facility at the Vancouver
Landfill Site opened and a surplus truck equipped with
a crane and air compressor was loaned to this
operation. This truck was ideal for on-site repairs at
the Landfill and with limited use could last another
five years. However, the mechanics must now use this
truck for all movement on the landfill, which will
shorten its life considerably. There are no other
similar trucks available in the near future and a
similar new truck is estimated at $85,000. In lieu of
facing this scenario in the near future, we recommend
the purchase of a 4-wheel drive pickup for routine
movement, and also the purchase of the loaner vehicle
from the Truck Plant Account. The estimated cost is
$25,000 ($22,000 for the pickup and $3000 for the
loaner truck).
4. Sewers Operations operates a truck mounted mechanical
rodding machine which had previously been approved for
replacement at a cost of $75,000, however recent major
rainstorms indicate more sewer cleaning is required to
provide the highest practical level of service and flood
protection. A mechanical rodder works by pushing and
pulling a steel rod (with suitable attachments) through a
sewer pipe to effect cleaning and to remove blockages. The
sewer cleaning fleet consists of three vehicles; a flusher
truck, a combination sucker/flusher truck and the rodding
truck. The rodder is the most basic of the three cleaning
machines and has limited productivity. In order to meet
long term cleaning and maintenance needs it is proposed to
upgrade the rodding truck to a combination sucker/flusher
truck. The versatility and productivity of the proposed
unit will meet these requirements without the need for other
additional trucks and crews.
The extra cost to upgrade the rodder to a sucker/flusher
unit is estimated at $165,000 ($90,000 more than the
original amount to replace the rodder) and vehicle operating
costs will increase by $26,000 per year.
Budget Cost:
1a) Seven one yard dump trucks $252,000
1b) One small sweeper 40,000
2) One single axle dump truck 72,000
3a) One heavy-duty pickup 27,000
3bi) One 4 x 4 pickup 22,000
3bii) One surplus crane truck 3,000
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4) One sewer cleaner upgrade 90,000
Total $506,000
Accordingly, it is recommended that $506,000 be appropriated from
the Truck Plant Account for the purchase of ten additional
trucks, one surplus truck, one small sweeper and one sewer
cleaner upgrade for the Engineering Department.
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