Tinmouth board weighs three truck bids as vendors stress warranties and trade values

Selectboard members spent a substantial portion of the meeting comparing three vendor offers for a new plow truck and discussing trade-in valuations and warranty choices. A board member read the Peterbilt offer as "for the 2026 Peterbilt 5 67 cab and chassis for the attached specifications for $179,841," and vendors answered questions about parts, warranty coverage and delivery timing. The town's current truck was offered a trade-in value of $49,800 in the Peterbilt bid, producing a net figure the board asked staff to verify.

Vendors highlighted differences in engines, warranty options and expected resale markets. A Peterbilt representative said the dealer's supply chain is primarily U.S.-based and that municipal warranties include road service that can cover travel time for on-site repairs, noting "Our truck is made in Denton, Texas" and describing assigned VINs and delivery windows. An Allegiance representative warned that some warranty options are listed as add-ons rather than included in the base price. Board members expressed concern about historically low auction prices for municipal plow trucks and the narrow resale market for plow-equipped vehicles; one member urged a clear spreadsheet comparison of net cost, warranty cost and trade-in assumptions before a vote.

The board did not take a final procurement vote and agreed to reconvene with a staff-prepared spreadsheet comparing bids, trade-in assumptions and warranty costs; vendors said they would provide additional documentation and could attend the next meeting.