Transportation has always been central to the city of Pomona, CA. Situated along a trade route used by Native Americans, the city, located in the state’s fertile valley area, was named in honor of the Roman goddess of fruit and trees.
Today, Pomona is home to over 149,000 residents who rely on a municipal fleet to provide a range of city services. Al Salcido, fleet & facilities services manager, heads up the Equipment Maintenance Fleet Services Div., which provides preventive maintenance, repairs and inspections, vehicle pool services, vehicle specification review and replacement recommendations, and the purchase and dispensing of fuel.
“We evaluate return on investment in technologies by making a business case to prove that new vehicles and equipment will cost less overall than older units,” Salcido says. “Recently, the City Council mandated that we purchase alternative vehicles as part of our replacement policy.”
The current Pomona fleet has 28 compressed natural gas-powered vehicles, including a 2012 Peterbilt Vactor sewer truck, a 2012 Freightliner tractor, and four Ford and GMC pickups. The largest single group consists of 22 Mack TerraPro Low Entry CNG refuse trucks fitted with 320-hp. Cummins Westport ISL G engines and New Way refuse collection bodies.
“In the case of refuse collection trucks, we were able to prove that the operating and maintenance cost for our diesel trucks exceeded the cost and financing for new units,” Salcido states. “Breakdowns cost overtime, while a two-year warranty on new vehicles adds up to substantial savings.”
Regulatory pressure
Regulatory requirements also drove the decision by Pomona to purchase the 2013 model-year Macks. The South Coast Air Quality Management District had ruled out the purchase of diesel trucks in the region, Salcido notes, so the city was faced with a choice: either retrofit existing trucks with natural gas engines or buy new vehicles that run on an alternative fuel.
“The air quality mandate changed the city’s refuse fleet in two good ways,” says Howard Morris, solid waste manager. “These trucks are quieter, and they save money on fuel. Natural gas costs about $2.40 per diesel gallon equivalent and diesel is around $4/gal., so we know we’re going to save money on fuel in the long run.”
The Mack TerraPros are also addressing a weight issue, Morris notes. “A lot of trucks in refuse operations can exceed bridge weight laws,” he explains. “Mack and its dealer, TEC Equipment in La Mirada, CA, solved that problem with a lighter suspension.”
City of Pomona departments operate 554 vehicles and pieces of equipment, 188 of which are assigned to law enforcement. Along with 132 miscellaneous equipment items, the fleet has 234 vehicles consisting of sedans, pickups, and medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Makes represented include Mack, Freightliner, Volvo, Peterbilt, Sterling and Elgin, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Honda, Jeep, Mercury, Nissan, and Toyota.
Pomona’s Equipment Maintenance Fleet Services Div. services its vehicles and equipment in an 11-bay shop with a staff of 13 mechanics, supervisors and administrative personnel.
“With the city’s fleet called upon daily to provide essential services, it is necessary to utilize our resources cost-effectively and efficiently,” Salcido says. “In-house, we focus on preventive maintenance and state-mandated safety inspections. We also contract out 20 to 25% of specialized work in areas where the investment in capital, training and inventory would be too costly for the services to be handled internally.
“As a self-supporting internal service fund, we are firmly focused on supporting the citizens of Pomona with vehicle and equipment programs and services that are effective and cost-efficient,” Salcido concludes.
