SUMMARY

Project Name: Bus Purchases

Department: Charlottesville Area Transit

Start Date: 7/01/2024

End Date: 6/30/2028

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) operates thirteen routes throughout the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. As part of these fixed routes, CAT utilizes large and medium buses to provide these services. These transit vehicles must be replaced once they have satisfied their useful lives for best efficiencies and reliabilities. CAT seeks to replace these buses each year as appropriate according to the replacement schedule and the availability of funding. CAT is not able to operate these services effectively without reliable vehicles. Grant funds are used to cover the majority of the total bus purchase price. The funds allocated in this project account represent the amount of local match dollars that are required as a condition of the grant award.

RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN:

Chapter 6 : Transportation

Goal 3. Efficient Mobility and Access

Maintain a safe and efficient transportation system to provide mobility and access.

Goal 5. Transit System

Support a robust and convenient transit system that increases local and regional

mobility and provides a reliable and efficient travel option for Charlottesville’s residents,

workers, and visitors.

Goal 6. Regional Transportation

Continue to work with appropriate governing bodies to create a robust regional multimodal transportation network.

Goal 7. Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure

Manage City-owned transportation assets and equipment in equitable, efficient, innovative, and environmentally responsible ways.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES / STATUS:

Status: Charlottesville Area Transit currently has sixteen (16) buses down and unavailable to provide service. These vehicles are older and have constant need for repairs. As an added issue with repairing the vehicles, the supply chain still has its challenges and causes many delays as we wait for parts to repair these vehicles. CAT has just enough vehicles to make pull out each day and the lack of functional vehicles create added challenges to provide reliable services to the region. The average fleet-age for the total fleet of buses that provide service is 9.8 years. Industry preference for reliable services is approximately 6.5 years. Typical vehicle useful life is 12 years with a portion of the fleet at 10 years or less.