NC: Charlotte City Council Approves Contracts Authorizing CATS Special Transportation Service to Purchase New Paratransit Buses and Minivans

On May 12, Charlotte City Council approved contracts for CATS Special Transportation Service (STS) to purchase new paratransit buses and minivans.

National Bus Sales and Leasing Inc. was awarded a contract for the purchase of paratransit buses for one year. The city manager authorized to extend the contract with National Bus Sales and Leasing, Inc. for up to four one-year terms with possible price adjustments at the time of each renewal. City council also approved a contract to Carolina Mobility Sales for the purchase of paratransit minivans.

The first year paratransit bus order with National Bus Sales and Leasing Inc. will include 20 buses totaling $1,675,940. The bus contract allows purchase of up to 70 additional buses with a maximum of 90 total buses to be ordered within the possible five-year contract term. The Carolina Mobility Sales contract allows for the one-time purchase of nine paratransit minivans totaling $376,443.

CATS STS has a fleet of 85 paratransit buses that provide door-to-door service for individuals with disabilities as required by the Americans with Disability Act. STS also has nine paratransit minivans to provide specialized support to STS and standard fixed-route operations. Paratransit buses have a 7-year/200,000 mile minimum useful life expectancy, and the paratransit minivans have a 5-year/100,000 mile minimum useful life expectancy.

CATS continually seeks to manage and improve operations and maintenance to provide reliable transit services. Regular fleet maintenance and replacing vehicles at the end of their life expectancy enables CATS STS to maintain a high level of safe and reliable service for more than 252,500 rides each year.