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Finance committee reviews multi-department vehicle and fleet replacement plans, including EV semi funded by settlement grant
Summary
Village staff presented a multi-year fleet plan covering fire, police, public-works and water/sewer vehicles. Highlights included ordering an ambulance with delayed delivery, proposed replacement of a 2014 ladder truck in later years, and purchasing a full-electric semi tractor partially offset by a Volkswagen settlement grant.
Oak Park staff on Sept. 11 presented proposed 2026 fleet purchases across multiple funds — fire, police, public works and water/sewer — and discussed replacement schedules, procurement timing and grant offsets.
Fire: Staff said a planned ambulance order was rebudgeted from 2025 to 2026 because delivery slipped; an additional ambulance order in 2026 expects delivery in 2028. Staff described a multi-year schedule for major vehicles and explained the 2014 ladder truck remains in service; typical ladder-truck life expectancy ranges from 16 to 20 years, and staff said they are taking steps to reduce wear. The committee discussed options for pushing replacements and balancing peaks in later years.
Police: The police fleet plan proposes cyclical replacement of marked units on a roughly five- to seven-year cycle, usually replacing six marked and two unmarked vehicles per year. Staff said many replacements move to hybrid powertrains where suitable; full EV transitions depend on high-capacity (Level 3) charging availability and vehicle usage patterns.
Public Works: The largest proposed purchase is a replacement semi tractor; staff told the committee the village expects to offset the cost with a $300,000 award from the Volkswagen settlement program and an additional $10,000 toward a charger. The semi would be a full-EV tractor; staff noted heavy-duty plowing equipment and warranty issues limit EV options for many municipal vehicles.
Water and sewer fleet: Staff proposed replacement of specific utility vehicles (for example, a sewer jettor truck) in the water/sewer fund; those vehicles are funded from user rates and accounted for in the water/sewer fund rather than the consolidated fleet fund.
Ending: Staff said they will track orders, projected delivery dates and costs to give the board ongoing visibility and may stagger purchases to smooth future budget peaks.
