City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2025 FROM: PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY WARDS: ALL
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF TEN (10) 16-PASSENGER PARATRANSIT VEHICLES WITH A-Z BUS SALES, INC. OF COLTON, CA FOR THE SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION DIVISION IN ACCORDANCE WITH PURCHASING RESOLUTION NO. 24101, SECTION 602(F) AND SECTION 603 THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION/ MORONGO BASIN TRANSIT AUTHORITY PURCHASING COOPERATIVE, CONTRACT #20-01, IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,286,902.13 ISSUE:
Authorize the purchase of ten (10) 16-passenger paratransit vehicles with A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. of Colton, CA, for the Special Transportation Division in accordance with Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, Section 602(f) and Section 603 through the California Association for Coordinated Transportation/Morongo Basin Transit Authority Purchasing Cooperative, Contract #20-01, in the amount of $2,286,902.13.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the purchase of ten (10) 16-passenger paratransit vehicles for the Special Transportation Division in the amount of $2,286,902.13 with A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. in accordance with Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, Section 602 (f) and Section 603; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the purchase orders and all change orders with A-Z Bus Sales, Inc., including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The Special Transportation Division of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department operates the Riverside Connect service within the city limits of Riverside. It was established in 1975, through a mutual agreement between the City of Riverside and the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) to provide paratransit services to seniors over the age of 60 and ADA certified individuals.
Riverside Connect provides a service seven days a week, 362 days a year, and has a fleet of 34 vehicles. Riverside Connect allows seniors and individuals living with a disability to live an independent life by providing equitable access to transportation. In FY24/25 Riverside Connect provided an average of 350 rides per day and traveled over 437,000 miles transporting senior and disabled residents throughout the City of Riverside.
Several key factors underscore the significance of this service for our residents:
Independent Living: For elderly residents and individuals with disabilities, Riverside Connect is instrumental in promoting an independent lifestyle. Riverside Connect empowers individuals to access essential services, healthcare services, and community activities without reliance on caregivers or family members.
Accessibility and Inclusivity: Riverside Connect ensures that individuals with disabilities have equal access to transportation, especially those who may face challenges using traditional public transportation due to mobility impairments.
Healthcare Access: Riverside Connect facilitates access to vital healthcare services such as medical appointments and dialysis treatments. Reliable transportation to healthcare contributes to the overall well-being of the community.
Reduction of Isolation: Riverside Connect mitigates social isolation by connecting individuals who may have difficulty using traditional public transportation. Having the ability to use accessible reliable transportation helps combat feelings of isolation amongst the senior and disabled community.
Employment Opportunities: The transportation services Riverside Connect provides are a key component in enabling individuals with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the workforce. Riverside Connect provides a reliable and accessible means to commute to and from work.
Community Engagement: Riverside Connect contributes to community engagement by enabling individuals to participate in social, cultural, and recreational activities. Participation in these types of activities fosters a sense of belonging and community.
Emergency Evacuation and Disaster Response: When called upon by first responders, Riverside Connect can assist with the safe and timely evacuation of individuals with disabilities and those requiring special assistance during emergencies.
Riverside Connect is a cornerstone of an inclusive and compassionate community. By addressing transportation services, Riverside Connect contributes to the overall well-being, independence, and active participation of diverse community members. The continued support and enhancement of Riverside Connect aligns with the City’s commitment to creating a community that is accessible and supportive to all. Riverside Connect is 100% funded by State and Local Transportation funds and has no impact to the general fund.
DISCUSSION:
Using State Transportation Act and State of Good Repair funds, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department plans to purchase ten (10) 16-passenger paratransit vehicles for use by the Special Transportation Division. The funding for this project was approved as part of the Special Transportation Division’s FY25/26-27/28 Short Range Transit Plan on July 15, 2025. The purchase of these vehicles will allow Special Transportation to replace vehicles that have reached or exceeded 150,000 miles, in adherence with the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) useful life replacement schedule. Special Transportation will replace 10 out of 34 vehicles within its existing fleet.
On July 14, 2021, Morongo Basin Transit Authority posted a Request for Proposal No. 20-01 Rev. 9 final Independent Cost Estimate (ICE) for the Joint Procurement for Accessible Transit/Paratransit Vehicles on behalf of the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT) Member Agencies. A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. was awarded the contract for the MTBA Joint Procurement for Transit and Paratransit vehicles on behalf of CalACT members. The vehicles will be purchased utilizing the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT)/Morongo Basin Transit Authority (MBTA) purchasing schedule, under the cooperative contract under the same contracted pricing.
The Request for Proposal had nine addenda which updated the Procurement schedule, added boilerplate language, and updated information on various requested items. Q&A submissions were due by November 13, 2020, and their responses were posted by December 18, 2020.
Seven proposals were received and evaluated based on a variety of factors. Non-Cost Factors were worth 50% of the score, and scored based on the following categories: References, Warranty Provisions and Warranty Administration Plan, Customer Service and Parts Support, Proposer Manufacturer Converter Qualifications and Experience. Cost Factors worth the other 50% of the score consisted of Pricing.
A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. was the only vendor to propose on the Glaval brand buses and scored 88.93% on their submission. A percentage of 85% and higher was required to qualify to be considered responsive. On September 9, 2021, A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. entered into an agreement with MBTA for the Purchase of Paratransit Vehicles for Glaval and NorCal Vans. On August 12, 2022, an amendment was executed, increasing the prices in accordance with cost increases due to widespread vehicle shortages and supply chain issues. On September 9, 2023, an amendment was executed which extended the contract expiration date by one year to September 8, 2024. On September 9, 2024, the contract was amended again to exercise an additional option year extension until September 8. 2025. Now, the third and final option year was exercised to extend the period of performance to September 8, 2026.
Of the six awarded vendors, the City of Riverside selected A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. as the City requires Glaval brand buses to keep standardized brands across all City minibuses.
Company Name
Location
Brand of Bus/Van Awarded
ABC Bus, Inc.
Winter Garden, FL
Grande West Vicinity CNG
Diesel
A-Z Bus Sales, Inc.
Colton, CA
Diamond
Elkhart
Glaval NorCal
Vantage Mobility
Creative Bus Sales
Chino, CA
ARBOC
Braun
Champion
Driverge
Eldorado Advantage
Forest River
LoneStar
Mobility Trans
StarCraft
Davey Coach Sales, Inc.
Norwalk, CA
Star Trans
Masters Transportation, Inc.
Belton, MO
Master’s Specialty Vehicles
RO Bus Sales, Inc.
Las Vegas, NV
Fenton
Sunset
The Morongo Basin Transit Authority (MBTA) RFP 20-01 states the purpose of the joint procurement is to procure Transit and Paratransit on behalf of the MBTA and other participants as listed on Exhibit C of the RFP document. Only agencies listed in the RFP have the ability to purchase or assign vehicles through the MBTA awarded contract. The City of Riverside Special Transportation is listed under Exhibit C, which allows the City’s Special Transportation Division to purchase transit vehicles utilizing the awarded contract. Additionally, through the State of Good Repair (SGR) program, funds are approved and applied to specific base projects to ensure funds are allocated to public transit providing additional revenues for transit infrastructure repair and service improvements. SGR stipulates for awardees to comply with all relevant federal and state laws, regulations, and funding policies, which allow for the City to default to its procurement policies and procedures.
Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, Section 602 (f) states “Competitive Procurement through the Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances: (f) When Cooperative Purchasing is available and undertaken or when Goods can be obtained through Federal, State and/or other public entity pricing contracts or price agreements.” Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, Section 603, states “When the Procurement for Goods are to be procured through the use of Federal or State grant funding, procurement shall be done in accordance with the procedures herein. If the receipt of grant funding is conditioned upon requirements and procedures more strict than as set forth herein, the procedures necessary for the receipt of the grant funding shall be followed. Certain federally funded Procurements are subject to sections 200.317 through 200.327 of Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Federally funded Procurements shall follow the applicable CFR provisions, except where this Resolution provides for a stricter procedure, then the provisions of this Resolution shall apply. The Using Agency is responsible for compliance with all aspects of grant requirements and shall inform the Manager of any and all grant requirements which affect the expenditure of grant funds and the procurement of Goods, Services, or Construction with grant funds. The Using Agency has met the grant requirement of competitive procurement through the use of the competitive solicitation that resulted in a cooperative agreement.
The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendation is in accordance with Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, Section 602(f) and Section 603.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $2,286,902.13 and is fully funded with state grants. Sufficient funds are budgeted and available in the following expenditure accounts as listed in the table below.
Fund
Program
Account
Amount
Special Transit
CNG Minibus Replacement
9412020-462100
$2,000,000.00
FTA Sec 5339 Bus Rpl 2024-085
9281410-440220
$18,009.35
FTA Sec 5339 Bus Rpl 2024-085
9281420-440220
$89,508.00
Preventative Maintenance 24/25
9352320-424230
$179,384.78
Total
$2,286,902.13
Prepared by: Ron Profeta, Transit Manager
Approved by: Pamela M. Galera, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. Purchase Quote
Morongo Basin Transit Authority Amendment No. 6 EXT 3 – Contract No. 20-01-AZ for Norcal/Driverge and Glaval California Association for Coordinated Transportation / Morongo Basin Transit Authority Contract, Request for Proposal #20-01 AZ Glaval and NorCal – ICE-1 Participants List Request for Proposal #20-01
Special Transit Bus Procurement ● Page 4