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Franklin County staff recommend pursuing purchase of five replacement dump trucks amid transmission shortage
Summary
Public works staff told commissioners a national shortage of Allison transmissions stalled delivery of two spec trucks and proposed pursuing five alternate-spec trucks with PACCAR engines and a warranty arrangement to secure deliveries within six to eight months.
County public works staff reported to the Franklin County Commission on Feb. 12 that a national shortage of Allison transmissions has delayed contracted truck orders and recommended exploring an alternative purchase of five 10-wheel dump trucks through a different supplier.
Why it matters: road and bridge trucks are central to winter operations and road maintenance; replacement delays have immediate operational and budget consequences and the county said it risks larger repair costs if it does not act.
What staff told commissioners: Public works staff said the county had a prior contract to buy two trucks built to a specification that included a Cummins engine and Allison transmission. Staff said Allison (the transmission supplier) has entered federal contracts and that supply constraints mean the originally specified trucks may not be delivered. The county reported Master Tech (Dave Williams) has a supply of trucks that use a PACCAR engine rather than Cummins and can deliver more quickly.
Staff proposal and tradeoffs: staff asked the commission for permission to pursue exiting the existing contract and to negotiate a purchase of five trucks through Master Tech. The PACCAR-powered trucks do not match the county's original specifications; staff identified two main differences: PACCAR vs. Cummins engines and a puck suspension system instead of airbags. Staff said Master Tech offered a seven-year parts warranty (excluding routine wear items) on those motors, and if the county purchased all five trucks Master Tech would provide the warranty at the seller's expense, reducing overall cost. Staff estimated the all-five approach would save about $564,230 compared with the Sourcewell contract pricing over the planned three-year procurement window; per-truck list price cited for the alternative was $347,000.
Budget and timing: staff said the county had $660,000 allocated from ARPA funds to apply toward trucks and that some purchases had been budgeted over multiple years. Purchasing five trucks now would draw on equipment reserve funds earlier than planned and might affect next year's equipment purchases. Staff said Master Tech could begin delivering trucks as assembly completes, estimating roughly one truck per month and full delivery within six to eight months so units would be available before the next winter season.
Operational concerns: staff acknowledged PACCAR engines had reported injector issues historically but said recent updates have reduced those problems. The seven-year warranty offered by Master Tech would cover major non-wear parts; wear items would remain county responsibility. Staff also cited maintenance and parts inventory benefits from having a uniform truck fleet but noted some newer design choices (puck suspension rather than airbags) may increase certain replacement costs (staff estimated a replacement puck could cost about $7,800).
Commission reaction and next steps: commissioners asked budget and timeline questions and staff said county administration and finance would prepare a full financial analysis and a formal contract for the commission to review later. The commission did not take a binding vote; staff sought permission to continue negotiations and return with contract documents and financial recommendations.
