Discussion:

On March 5, 2020, federal approval was received under the Public Transit stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) for Transit Windsor’s project submission ICIP-WIN-06 which was for the replacement of existing rolling stock vehicles (16 buses) and the purchase of new vehicles (3 buses) for expansion in the system. Transit Windsor has an order placed with Nova Bus for the acquisition of 16 replacement buses and 3 expansion conventional 40 foot buses which are expected to arrive during the month of May 2020. As a result, the following buses that are being decommissioned have outlived their useful life and have limited resale value. The majority of these units that are being retired have in excess of 1 million chassis kilometers and includes the following units: 556, 560, 561, 563, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 681, 682, 683 and 684.

Once the new buses arrive on property, they will be prepared for revenue service. These units support Transit’s commitment to public accessibility with 100% of Transit’s fleet being accessible. This means that all of Transit’s fleet are low-floor buses, which provide ramps that can be lowered to make it easier for riders with mobility issues to board the bus. The average age of our fleet will improve from 9.93 years to 7.34 years.

Given the age of the buses that are being retired, there is a limited market for resale. In discussions with the City of Windsor’s Purchasing area, Transit Windsor plans on placing the retired buses on an auction website for resale. If Transit Windsor is unsuccessful in selling the retired buses, the buses will be sent to the scrap yard for disposal. Maintenance employees will remove parts from these buses in an effort to salvage items that are in good working condition. Once the salvageable parts have been removed, the buses will be sold for scrap metal.

Risk Analysis:

All associated risks with the decommissioning of buses have been evaluated. A moderate risk involves the environmental concern of any fluids and batteries improperly disposed of. Transit Windsor staff will ensure all environmental aspects of the disposal are done on property prior to the sale of the buses. All other risks, which include selling buses with City of Windsor logos and liability risks with low impact have been reviewed and will be addressed prior to the sale.

Financial Matters:

N/A.

Consultations:

Conclusion:

Having a newer fleet is one way to attract new riders to using transit. With the introduction of 19 new low floor Nova buses, Transit Windsor has an average fleet age of 7.34 years and remains 100% fully accessible.