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G Trans to buy six electric buses and award five‑year tire lease; funding from grants, not general fund
Summary
The council approved G Trans's purchase of six 40-foot zero-emission battery-electric buses for about $9.13 million (program total up to $10.04 million with contingency) and a five-year Goodyear tire lease/service contract plus a buyout for existing leased tires not to exceed $138,000. City staff said federal, state and local grants fund the purchases; there is no general fund impact.
G Trans officials told the Gardena City Council on Tuesday that the agency will purchase six 40‑foot zero‑emission battery‑electric buses from Gillig LLC for $9,125,616, with an authorized program total of $10,038,001.78 to include a 10% contingency for unforeseen changes.
“This is a 0 emission, so it's an electric bus,” G Trans staff said at the meeting, noting the acquisition is part of the agency's multi‑year fleet replacement plan intended to transition the fleet toward zero‑emission vehicles.
Staff said the buses are supported by federal, state and local grants and that there will be no impact to the city’s general fund. The buses are expected to arrive in summer 2026.
At the same meeting the council also approved awarding a bus tire lease and service contract to Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for a base price of $537,007.72 (five‑year total including options estimated at $645,003.26) and authorized a buyout of the remaining life on existing Michelin‑leased tires not to exceed $138,000.
City staff said the tire contract was advertised, that three firms downloaded the bid and Goodyear was the only responsive bidder that met technical requirements. Staff described the arrangement as more cost effective than in‑house tire management and said projected costs are covered by federal and local grants allocated to G Trans.
Council action: The council approved both the bus purchase and the Goodyear contract by recorded roll call votes. Councilmembers emphasized the grants funding and the 12‑year minimum life requirement for federally supported buses.
Why it matters: The purchases move Gardena’s transit fleet toward lower emissions and reflect use of grant funding to modernize transit infrastructure. The tire contract selection process and the buyout of existing leased tires were discussed as cost and service considerations.
Next steps: G Trans will implement delivery and payment milestones and manage the proposed contingency items through G Trans management.
