By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Decatur’s orange dump trucks are beginning to accumulate some years and due to the time it takes to get a new one, city council must be thinking ahead – far ahead – Operations Manager Jeremy Gilbert told council at its latest meeting.
The fleet of dump trucks range in age from a 1996 to a 2015, and while “they have been great trucks, they are starting to show their age,” Gilbert explained.
A couple of the trucks have beds which are worn out and the cost of replacing the beds would be more than what the trucks are worth, he continued.
Gilbert said he has researched several options “and come up with the best option for us.” However, in moving forward, he noted that once a truck chassis is ordered it takes 12 months to get it off the assembly line. Then it needs to go to a builder for a bed and other equipment, and that requires another three to six months.
Gilbert went on to say in information provided council that he has budgeted for a chassis in the proposed MVH (Motor Vehicle Highway) fund. “If so desired, we can work on the specs and order yet this year as long as we have an understanding that the funds will be included somewhere in the 2024 budget,” Gilbert said. “At that point we would need to put the remainder of the money for the bed and equipment in the 2025 proposed budget…”
He pegged the price of a chassis at $101,373, and the estimated cost of equipment for the truck at $120,000.
The veteran operations manager added that once a new dump truck is ordered and received, he would like to start ordering a truck every year to every year and a half “as long as funds allow until we get a few replaced.”
After some further discussion, Councilman Craig Coshow said, “I think we’d be smart to get the process going now,” and moved to have Gilbert proceed.