Title
Airport and CATS Transit Buses
Action
Action:
A. Approve the purchase of transit buses from cooperative contracts,
B. Approve unit price contracts with the following vendors for the purchase of transit buses for a term of two years under Washington State Department of Enterprise Services contract #04824:
- Gillig LLC,
- Model 1 Commercial Vehicles Inc.,
- Motor Coach Industries,
- New Flyer of America Incorporated, and
C. Authorize the City Manager to extend the contracts for additional terms as long as the cooperative contracts are in effect at prices and terms that are the same or more favorable than those offered under the cooperative contacts.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Haley Gentry, Aviation
Jack Christine, Aviation
Brent Cagle, CATS
Elizabeth Presutti, CATS
Explanation
§ The city’s Aviation and Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) departments own and operate approximately 481 transit buses, which must be replaced when they have reached their end of useful life.
§ Aviation provides bus service for passengers and employees to and from airport-operated parking facilities, and CATS provides fixed-route and paratransit bus services throughout the city.
§ These contracts will provide for the purchase of an estimated ten heavy-duty transit buses, 35 fixed-route buses, and eight paratransit buses annually.
§ The contract also provides for the acquisition of both hybrid and electric buses, which supports the city’s Strategic Energy Action Plan.
§ NC General Statute Section 143-129(e)(3) allows local governments to purchase from formally organized cooperative purchasing contracts.
§ A cooperative purchasing agreement results from the consolidation and competitive solicitation of multiple public agency requirements. By aggregating common needs all agencies are able to leverage economies of scale, such as volume discounts, improved terms and conditions, reduced administrative costs, and access to professional and technical expertise.
§ Aviation annual expenditures are estimated to be $10,000,000.
§ CATS annual expenditures for fixed route buses are estimated to be $47,165,614.
§ CATS annual expenditures for STS Buses are estimated to be $2,640,000.
§ Consistent with Section 1.01(c)(ii)(A) of the Primary Interlocal Agreement between the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) and the city dated June 22, 2026, the MPTA Executive Committee reviewed this CATS Material Contract Action and did not request further review.
Charlotte Business INClusion
Effective July 1, 2026, Session Law 2026-41 eliminated the authority of North Carolina local governments to use race-conscious and gender-conscious contracting requirements. In compliance with the new law, no MBE/WBE/MWBE/MSBE/WSBE/MWSBE goals or compliance requirements will be included in city contracts. SBE goals are not affected and shall continue to be used in compliance with the CBI program and applicable law.
Small Business Participation
Cooperative purchasing contracts are exempt from CBI Program goals, as these agreements leverage contracts established by other governmental agencies and do not involve a competitive bidding process within the city. Furthermore, subcontracting opportunities are typically not feasible under cooperative purchasing arrangements.
Fiscal Note
Funding: Aviation Capital Investment Plan and CATS Capital Investment Plan