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Waukesha transit to buy three replacement fixed-route buses; purchase funded by federal grants
Summary
The finance committee approved city staff’s request to order three replacement Gillig buses, to be delivered in 2027 and paid with federal grant funds; staff said ordering now could save $80,000–$120,000 versus waiting.
The City of Waukesha Finance Committee on Sept. 9 approved a request from transit staff to purchase three replacement fixed-route buses from Gillig LLC, with delivery scheduled for 2027.
Transit Manager Brian Engelking told the committee that eight buses in the fleet will reach their useful life in 2027; the immediate request is to purchase three buses in 2027 and retire five older buses when the new vehicles arrive, effectively reducing the fixed-route fleet by two vehicles. Engelking said the buses would be purchased with 100% federal funds (an 80% grant with the city’s share covered by federal relief dollars), and that placing an order now could avoid paying a producer-price-index adjustment and save an estimated $80,000 to $120,000.
Why it matters: staff said the timing takes advantage of the current quote and lead-time window; lead times for buses are lengthening and could increase cost if the city waits. Engelking also said a standardized, medium-size (35-foot) bus is the industry standard for many of Waukesha’s routes.
Committee discussion: Alderman Lubke asked whether the federal funding restricted bus size; Engelking replied the city can buy different vehicle sizes but the 35-foot medium heavy-duty buses better meet peak-route demand and wheelchair capacity. Committee members discussed public outreach to explain bus capacity and ridership patterns.
Motion and outcome: a committee member moved to approve the purchase; the motion passed by unanimous voice vote.
Next steps: staff will pursue council authorization, issue a purchase order to secure the current quote, and schedule delivery for 2027. Transit staff said they will retire five older buses when the new vehicles arrive.
