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Ambulance Authority to switch to Ford F350 chassis after Chevrolet ends ambulance chassis production
Summary
The Coffee County Ambulance Authority was told Chevrolet will stop building ambulance chassis; Director Michael Bonner recommended switching to gasoline-powered Ford F350 chassis and reported monthly call-volume and response-time metrics.
Michael Bonner, Director, told the Coffee County Ambulance Authority on May 21 that Custom Works had advised Chevrolet will no longer build the chassis used for ambulances, prompting a recommendation to return to a gasoline fleet and adopt Ford F350 chassis.
"We need to go back to having a gasoline fleet," Bonner said, reporting operational reasons for the switch after the manufacturer notice. Bonner presented March and April 2026 call data: March had 928 calls (522 billable), average scene time 14 minutes, 28 seconds and total call time 44 minutes, 9 seconds; April had 926 calls (559 billable), average scene time 15 minutes, 44 seconds and total call time 46 minutes, 19 seconds. He also identified the busiest day and busiest hour for each month.
Board members did not take a formal vote on the chassis change at this meeting; the discussion identified procurement and fleet-configuration implications that staff will need to pursue. Bonner also reported Manchester Fire has requested simultaneous dispatching and that an M.O.U. (memorandum of understanding) would be required; Tim Stubblefield said the board will address that M.O.U. at next month’s meeting.
The shift from a chassis no longer produced by Chevrolet to a Ford F350 gasoline chassis will affect vehicle specifications and future procurement timelines. The authority did not specify a timeline or budget for replacing or retrofitting vehicles at this meeting.
