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Aging fleet pressures Hardwick Electric: trustees ask staff to explore joint buying and replace options
Summary
Staff reported rising maintenance costs and structural repairs to key bucket trucks, long lead times for replacements and interest in joint procurement; trustees asked staff to investigate tagging on to a recent neighboring order.
Trustees heard that vehicle maintenance has become a major line‑item pressure for the utility after repeated repairs to aging bucket trucks. Staff described a structural steel repair to bucket truck 12 and said that vehicle downtime is constraining operations; one trustee noted that the fleet is aging and the utility may need to budget for replacement in the near term.
On procurement, staff recommended considering value purchases (longer‑life trucks) and exploring opportunities to join a recent Morrisville order to reduce lead times and costs. A trustee asked whether utilities could share or lend equipment in the short term; staff said no extras were immediately available but agreed to research the Morrisville procurement and bring options back. The board asked staff to return with procurement options and a plan for replacement timing and financing.
