The Riverside Transit Agency Board of Directors on Sept. 25 authorized a multi‑year agreement (M25125F) with Block and Shelton Garage of Riverside for support vehicle maintenance and repair services in the amount of $476,403, with a 10% contingency of $47,640 for a total authorized amount of $524,043.

A staff presenter told the board the agency manages a fleet of six trailers and 59 support vehicles (cars, vans, SUVs and maintenance trucks) and expects the support fleet to grow by approximately 12 vehicles in 2026 as contracted fixed‑route operations transition in‑house. To improve cost predictability, staff recommended shifting from an annual maintenance agreement to a five‑year agreement and solicited bids on Aug. 29; two bids were received by Sept. 16, Block and Shelton Garage (Riverside) at $476,403 and Sunrise Ford (Fontana) at $938,531.

"Based on a thorough review, staff recommends awarding a contract to Block and Shelton Garage, the lowest responsive and responsible bidder," the staff presenter said, noting the agency has worked with Block and Shelton since 2018. The presenter also recommended a 10% contingency to cover unforeseen circumstances and said sufficient funds are included in the agency's FY 26 operating budget. The presenter specifically clarified the funding source: "Sufficient funds to cover this request are included in the agency's FY 26 operating budget, not state transit assistance as communicated in the staff report."

A District 2 board member asked about the nearly twofold difference between the two bids and whether the low bidder's price was comparable to current spending. Staff replied that the recommended vendor is the agency's incumbent and that the bid represents about a 5% overall increase from current contract spending, and that agency fleet composition will change over time (adding some vehicles and phasing out others).

The Board Executive Committee reviewed and unanimously recommended the item earlier the same day. The board voted to approve the award; the motion passed unanimously.

Staff listed next steps: execute the five‑year agreement, apply the contingency only if needed, and monitor fleet growth to ensure the contract terms and budget estimates align with actual vehicle counts.