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Director: Chevrolet stopping gas chassis forces shift to Ford for upcoming ambulances
Summary
The Director reported a supplier letter indicating Chevrolet will no longer produce the gasoline chassis commonly used for ambulances; the department plans to order Ford chassis to keep gasoline engines and avoid diesel-related costs, while also exploring remount options and cooperative purchasing to address long lead times.
The Director (S2) told board members that a supplier letter notified the department Chevrolet is no longer building the gasoline chassis used in many ambulances, prompting the department to plan a switch to Ford for future units.
"Chevrolet has gotten where they're not gonna build the chassis that make ambulances anymore," the Director said, adding that the department prefers gasoline chassis to diesel for lower fuel and maintenance costs. The Director said Custom Works forwarded the supplier letter and that a copy has been placed with budget materials for audit documentation.
Members discussed options to accelerate replacements, including remounting existing patient boxes to new chassis and using cooperative purchasing contracts such as Sourcewell; the Director cautioned that remounted units often move quickly on the resale market and may not align with bid timelines. He also cited vendor estimates of roughly 18 months lead time for new builds at the time of bidding, which influenced the discussion of alternative procurement methods and the need to coordinate with purchasing and auditors.
