DATE: 04/15/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Public Works Department
2026-128
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
PURCHASE OF 13 BUSES FOR THE CITY OF CORONA DIAL-A-RIDE PROGRAM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to authorize the purchase of 13 new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to serve the Dial-A-Ride program for $2,987,394 using State and Federal Transit Administration funds.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the purchase of thirteen (13) Startrans Senator Class C Ford compressed natural gas buses from Model 1 Commercial Vehicles in the amount of $2,987,394.
b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a purchase order to Model 1 Commercial Vehicles in the amount of $2,987,394
c. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to approve any necessary change orders in the amount of $298,739 or 10% of the contract amount. d. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to approve additional budgetary adjustments required for the purchase of buses.
e. Make a determination under Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.125(B) that competitive bidding has been satisfied based upon the reasons provided in the “Basis for Determination of Competitive Bidding” section of this report.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The City of Corona Transit Service (CCTS) operates its transit program through the DialA-Ride (DAR) and Corona Cruiser fixed-route service. The DAR service is comprised of specialized demand response and Americans with Disability Act (ADA)-complementary paratransit service. This service provides curb-to-curb transportation to qualified individuals, seniors 60 and older, and persons with disabilities, while door-to-door service is available to those certified under the ADA program.
In May 2017, City Council authorized the purchase of eleven (11) Class C Ford compressed natural gas (CNG) buses for the City’s Dial-A-Ride program. These eleven (11) buses were in addition to two (2) similar vehicles purchased in 2012 to complete the DAR program’s thirteen-vehicle fleet. The current Dial-A-Ride fleet has exceeded the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) minimum useful service life of five years or 150,000 miles and continues to experience increasing maintenance demands and operational constraints
Therefore, staff recommends the purchase of thirteen (13) replacement buses through the California Association for Coordinated Transportation/Morongo Basin Transit Authority Purchasing Cooperative (CalACT), as was done for the 2017 vehicle procurement. The Cooperative was developed in accordance with the Local Government Purchasing Schedule, as defined by 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §18.36, wherein the FTA extends to states and local governments the authority to make arrangements with multiple vendors to provide options for goods or services at established prices. Through the Cooperative, bus manufacturers and distributors submitted sealed bids based on the potential for state-wide bus procurement. As such, the City can leverage the purchasing potential of the Cooperative to secure competitive pricing and as allowed under the Corona Municipal Code 3.08.140 ANALYSIS:
On August 6, 2025, the City Council awarded a contract to Michael Baker International, Inc. (MBI) to provide consulting services for Transit Technical Assistance in response to RFP NO. 25-030AT. MBI’s core project tasks include transit planning and routing, bus stop upgrades, fleet procurement, deployment of an Intelligent Transportation System, and deployment of zero-emission bus technologies.
In September 2025, MBI began researching potential manufacturers and vehicle models available from the Cooperative that are comparable to and could replace the existing fleet.
After reviewing various models available through the CalACT, it was determined that five (5) vehicles met the City’s base requirement. Research was conducted that considered the following factors: Altoona Testing Results for federal vehicle requirements and standards, warranties, floorplans, and available vehicle specifications. Of the available five Class C Cutaway ADA CNG vehicle options, two models had poor Altoona Testing Results and were excluded from further consideration. The three remaining vehicle models were the Starcraft Allstar, the Startrans Senator, and the Glaval Universal. On November 5, 2025, and December 11, 2025, CCTS staff met to discuss required and desired vehicle specifications and features to prepare for coordination with the vendors.
The Starcraft Allstar and the Startran Senator are available through Model 1 and the Glalval Universal is available through A-Z Bus Sales.
MBI used the decisions at these meetings to develop an Independent Cost Estimate, as required by the FTA and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Rail & Mass Transportation. The purpose of the Independent Cost Estimate is to establish a benchmark for evaluating price reasonableness in vehicle procurement prior to obtaining vendor quotes. Considering required and desired vehicle specifications and features, staff anticipated a fair and reasonable price range for this procurement effort to be from $220,000 to $250,000 per vehicle.
In November 2025, staff also reached out to peer agencies to obtain feedback on both the prospective vendors and the vehicle manufacturers and models. The feedback on vendor performance was incorporated in the scoring matrix presented below.
After ongoing coordination with two vendors to establish required specifications and design vehicle floorplans for the three different vehicle models, CCTS requested formal quotes on January 23, 2026. Model 1 Commercial Vehicles (Model 1) provided quotes for the Starcraft Allstar and Startrans Senator, and A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. (A-Z) provided a quote for the Glaval Universal. All three models were priced using the same chassis, drivetrain, CNG conversion, and floorplan, as well as similar required and optional features such as suspension, fire suppression, wheelchair lift, surveillance, air conditioning, seating, and signage. The eleven (11) buses purchased in 2017 were equipped with the same or similar features.
Using a weighted scoring matrix, MBI evaluated the three vehicle models and the associated quotes based on seven criteria. The scoring was completed using a scale of one through three, with three being the most competitive and one being the least competitive. The results of the scoring, showing all weighted criteria, are provided in the table below. See Exhibit 1 for the full quote analysis matrix.
Vendor, Manufacturer, Model
Model 1,
Starcraft
Allstar
Model 1,
Startrans
Senator
A-Z,
Glaval
Universal
Criterion Weighting Score
Base Price 25% 3 2 1
Required Options Price 20% 1 2 3
Frame Coating / Corrosion
Resistance 5% 2 3 3
Altoona Test Results 25% 2 3 2
Vehicle Warranty 10% 3 3 2
Vendor, Manufacturer, Model
Model 1,
Starcraft
Allstar
Model 1,
Startrans
Senator
A-Z,
Glaval
Universal
Criterion Weighting Score
Proposed Delivery Date 5% 3 3 3
Vendor Performance 10% 3 3 2
Total Score 2.30 2.55 2.05
Based on the above methodology, the Startrans Senator received the highest total score.
The Senator’s per vehicle cost of $229,800 also within the price range identified in the Independent Cost Estimate.
City staff reviewed all documentation provided by MBI and are in concurrence with MBI’s recommendation. The Startrans Senator is an ADA-compliant transit bus built on a Ford E450 chassis and powered by compressed natural gas (CNG). The vehicle has a service life of five years or an accumulation of at least 150,000 miles. The Senator bus can accommodate 18 seated passengers, or 16 seated passengers with two passengers in wheelchairs. These buses are equipped with a rear wheelchair lift with a 1000-pound capacity, roof-mounted air-conditioning, vinyl upholstery and seat belts on every seat, destination signs and a stop request system, a video surveillance system, and an onboard fire suppression and methane detection system.
The cost for a Senator bus is $229,800 and the estimated cost for thirteen (13) buses is $2,987,394. Staff recommends that City Council authorize the purchase of the thirteen (13) Startrans Senator buses from Model 1 Commercial Vehicles. Upon approval by City Council, staff will request a letter of assignment from the Cooperative assigning the City of Corona thirteen (13) buses for the Startrans Senator bus to be purchased from Model 1 Commercial Vehicles.
Following City Council authorization, vehicle procurement is anticipated to take approximately 8 to 12 months for manufacturing and delivery. Upon delivery, an additional 3 to 6 months will be required to complete vehicle acceptance, inspections, grant compliance activities, and City‑ specific modifications prior to placing the buses in service.
BASIS FOR DETERMINATION OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING:
The Public Works Department is requesting to utilize the CalACT Purchasing Cooperative (Cooperative) to purchase equipment for this project pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.125(B), based upon competitive bidding already being completed. “When the purchasing agent and authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determines that:
(1) A competitive bid procedure has been conducted by another public agency, including, but not limited to, another local agency, the state, through the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), the federal government, through the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, or the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA); and (2) The price to the city is equal to or better than the price to that public agency.”
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for the recommended actions is available in the Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) Replacement of Buses, Operating and Maintenance Project No. 76580 within Transit Service Fund 577. The purchase of buses is entirely grant funded. With the recommended action, funding for this procurement is available as follows:
Funding Source Estimated Amount
Federal Section 5307 $2,368,546
Federal Section 5339 $267,241
State Transit Assistance $636,600
State of Good Repair $102,399
Total Funding Sources $3,374,786
The total cost of the thirteen (13) buses is $2,987,393.73, leaving $387,392.27 in the Operating and Maintenance Project budget for the following additional costs related to bus procurement:
1. Change orders (10% of the contract) to include new vehicle wrap/decaling encompassing the city’s new branding.
2. Third-party in-plant bus inspection to include compliance audit, pre-delivery testing, and post-delivery inspection/verification services.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action merely authorizes the purchase of thirteen (13) buses for the DAR fleet, and there is no possibility that approving this project will have a significant effect on the environment.
Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: SUDESH PAUL, TRANSIT PROGRAM MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: SAVAT KHAMPHOU, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Vendor Quote Analysis Matrix