City details 2026 vehicle purchases; some refuse trucks run on renewable natural gas

Summary

Fleet manager Rick Giddings presented 12 vehicle purchases for 2026 including two Toyota bZ electric inspectors and multiple refuse vehicles (rear loaders $515,000 each; front loaders $504,000 each; roll‑offs $371,000 each) many using renewable natural gas; he highlighted lifecycle savings and the need to maintain replacement policy for high‑use refuse equipment.

Rick Giddings, fleet manager, presented the city’s first round of 2026 vehicle purchases: 12 vehicles across three departments. He said two inspector vehicles for Development Services will be Toyota bZ battery‑electric vehicles and that life‑cycle cost analysis shows an estimated $4,000 savings after 100,000 miles compared with a comparable gas vehicle.

Giddings also described purchases for the water and parks departments and for solid‑waste collection: two rear loaders (~$515,000 each) that run on renewable natural gas and require two operators; three front loaders (~$504,000 each) for medium dumpsters; and roll‑off trucks (~$371,000 each). He stressed the maintenance intensity of refuse equipment and the need to maintain a replacement cadence to avoid higher costs.

Councilors asked about charging infrastructure for the EV inspector vehicles; Giddings said charging primarily occurs at City facilities such as Nelson and that additional city charging stations are available for overflow.

Provenance: Topic introduced SEG 1275; discussion closed SEG 1443.