Sanitation staff asks council to approve preorder of 2026 automated side-loader garbage truck

Sanitation staff asked the Fairhope City Council during the work session for permission to pre-order a 2026 T380 Sidewinder automated side-loader garbage truck through a Sourcewell contract so the city can avoid October procurement bottlenecks and long lead times.

The request matters because staff described two older trucks in the fleet with roughly 111,000 to 120,000 miles that are frequently in the shop, and said the department is pursuing a five-year replacement rotation to reduce maintenance costs. The requested truck was estimated to cost between $300,000 and $350,000 and has an estimated lead time of about 190 days. Staff said they would not spend funds until the 2026 budget is adopted; the immediate request was to authorize ordering now with payment and placement in the 2026 budget.

Murray Cameron, the city’s sanitation supervisor, told the council the fleet consists of six trucks built between 2015 and 2023 and that two trucks are “always in mechanic shops.” He explained the five-year rotation goal and said fleets accumulate significant wear because each truck tips about a thousand cans per night on four nights per week. Cameron said preordering could help the city get ahead of other agencies that place orders when budgets are approved in the fall.

Council members asked whether staff wanted one truck or two now. Staff said one truck was the realistic near-term ask, although two would be preferable for sustainability of operations. The council discussed timing and budget effects; one council member asked that staff place a resolution on the next council agenda for formal approval, and staff agreed.

No final procurement vote was recorded in the work-session excerpt; staff sought council permission to move the item to the council meeting agenda and to order the vehicle pending 2026 budget approval.