Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager

 
 

Date

March 10, 2008

 

Agenda Item No.       50A

Roll Call No.              08-

Communication No.  08-137

Submitted by:  Merrill Stanley, Deputy City Manager

 

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Reporting rental agreement for three (3) automated side-loading refuse collection trucks in the amount of $20,800 per month for use in the Public Works Department, Solid Waste Division.

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Due to extensive fire damage to three (3) frontline daily use automated side-loading refuse collection trucks at the Solid Waste equipment storage facility on March 4, 2008, the availability of rental trucks for immediate delivery was solicited from potential vendors.  Big Truck Rental LLP, (Mike Miller, Vice President Sales and Marketing), 1039 South 50th Street, Tampa, FL, 33619 responded with a proposal for three (3) trucks for immediate delivery. Under a declaration of an operating emergency, a rental agreement was negotiated and approved by the City Manager and rental units will be available for use beginning March 10, 2008.

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount:  Estimated $45,000 total.  $20,800 per month for term of rental, which is anticipated to be approximately six (6) to eight (8) weeks until replacement trucks can be delivered and placed in service.  There is also a one-time delivery charge of approximately $4,000.

 

Funding Source:  FY2007-2008 Operating Budget, Fund EN151, Org PWK100101, Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, page 304.  Insurance coverage will fund claims in excess of $100,000 deductible for this occurrence.  Total losses from the fire are expected to be approximately $1,000,000.  One deductible of $100,000 will apply to the entire claim.        

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

 

Each day, the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Departments utilizes 15 automated trucks out of a total fleet of 18 automated trucks in the collection of automated residential refuse.  On March 4, 2008, a fire at the Solid Waste equipment storage facility damaged three (3) frontline automated refuse collection trucks beyond repair.  An additional 12 automated units parked in the Solid Waste facility sustained smoke and heat damage to wiring and lighting systems. The remaining three (3) trucks in the fleet were out of service for repair and not at the Solid Waste facility, thus, they were not affected by the fire. Fleet Services made temporary repairs to the 12 less-damaged trucks and returned them to service by 1:15 pm on the day of the fire. Permanent repairs to the damaged trucks continued on a 24 hour basis through March 8, 2008, in order to maintain the minimum in-service availability of 15 trucks per day. 

 

These units are used daily in the collection of residential refuse from 65,000 residential customers. Data from across the country suggests that on average, 22% of a fleet of automated side loading residential refuse collection trucks is not in service at any given time due to repair and scheduled maintenance.  In order for Fleet Services to maintain 15 trucks in service daily, the fleet must consist of 18 automated units.  Availability of less than 15 units per day results in overtime hours for solid waste collection, a delay in collection of residential refuse, and extended hours of operation for Fleet Services to maintain the front line units.

 

As a result of the fire and the extent of damage to three (3) automated units, an operational emergency was declared by the City Manager, and Fleet Services staff solicited rental agreements from five local, regional and national vendors for a month to month rental of three (3) automated trucks.  No rental trucks were available locally or from previous suppliers of this type of equipment.  Big Truck Rental was the only vendor that could make trucks available on a rental basis.  A short term rental agreement for three (3) trucks was necessary to meet the operational needs of the Solid Waste Division of Public Works.  It is anticipated that the duration of the rental will be six (6) to eight (8) weeks until replacements can be delivered and placed in service.

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):  NONE

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S): NONE

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:  NONE

 

 

 

 

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive.  Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.