Item Text

16. ADDITION OF PERMANENT VEHICLE TO THE FLEET Approve permanent addition to the County fleet for one vehicle to be purchased by the Equipment Services Department at a cost not-to-exceed $39,000.00 for use by the Juvenile Probation Department Detention Services. The request would be for one detention transportation vehicle capable of transporting handicapped youth. Additional costs are operating costs which are estimated to be approximately $5,000 per vehicle per fiscal year. Vehicle and operating costs will be absorbed in the JPD Detention Fund operating budget. The Juvenile Probation Department, at the request of the Juvenile Detention Medical Director, would like to purchase a detention transportation vehicle capable of transporting handicapped youth, and youth with medical issues that must be transported in wheel chairs. The department is seeking a vehicle, the Ford Transit Connect Mobility vehicle, that can be used as a general detention transportation vehicle, capable of transporting non-handicapped youth as well as youth who must be transported in a wheelchair. The vehicle needs to be equipped with a wheelchair lift/ramp. At the current time, youth determined to need to be transported in a wheelchair must be removed from their wheelchairs and placed in a non handicapped equipped vehicle. They must be placed back in the wheelchair upon arrival to their destination. The alternative is to contact a handicapped capable mobility movement company, a private ambulance service “911” to facilitate this movement. The latter alternatives are very costly. The purchase of a reliable multi-use vehicle, such as the Ford Transit Connect Mobility vehicle, would grant the department an additional vehicle that can be used on a daily basis as a regular detention transportation vehicle, and as a handicapped transport vehicle when the need arises. In speaking with Maricopa County Equipment Services, the Ford Transit Connect Mobility vehicle has proven to be a reliable vehicle as a fleet vehicle. Per Juvenile Detention transportation staff, our current Ford Transit Connect Mobility vehicle has been reliable, safe and easy to maneuver for staff. (C-27-13-005-2-00)