Clovis Council OKs $2.1M for garbage trucks. State faces backlog for specialized vehicles

Clovis City Council approved a $2.1 million purchase of four renewable energy refuse trucks.

The purchase order includes two front-loading commercial refuse trucks and two side-loading residential refuse trucks. It’s a scheduled replacement, according to the city document.

Refuse trucks are used to collect municipal solid waste and transport it to a disposal site. The city’s Public Utilities Department runs a fleet of trucks and maintains a fleet renewal budget. Every year, the city contributes a set amount of money for future scheduled replacement of city vehicles or equipment.

“The existing units are nearing 10 years of service and are scheduled for replacement due to age, wear, and lifecycle considerations,” staff wrote in the document.

Due to the state’s energy requirements for public vehicles, there’s a statewide backlog in manufacturing and delivery of these clean energy vehicles.

Staff wrote in the report that the new refuse trucks are available to be ordered and will be built based on the department’s needs.

The retired vehicles, depending on the conditions, may be kept as a backup or auctioned off in accordance with city regulations.