8D
Date: March 24, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Shant Megerdichian, General Services Director
Kimberly Turner, Transit Director
By: Ryan Plumb, Senior Business Manager | [email protected] Subject: General Services and Transit – Authorize Purchase Order for Three (3) 2025 Toyota Sienna Hybrids with ADA Ramp for the Connect Torrance Microtransit Service.
Expenditure: Not-to-Exceed $233,590.46 (Non-General Fund).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the General Services Director and Transit Director that City Council authorize a purchase order with MobilityWorks of California LLC, in the amount of $222,467.10, plus a 5% contingency in the amount of $11,123.36, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $233,590.46 for three (3) 2025 Toyota Sienna Hybrids with ADA-equipped wheelchair ramps for the Connect Torrance Microtransit service.
FUNDING
Funding is available from the Measure R Investment Grant MR524.09 (GRTTR0001).
DISCUSSION
The Transit Department applied for and was awarded funding for five projects including the Microtransit Expansion project (MR524.09) for the purchase of ADA vehicles for the Microtransit project as an expansion of the Torrance Community Transit Program. The Connect Torrance Microtransit service began on December 10, 2024, for a one-year demonstration pilot program.
The contract was amended on December 2, 2025, to continue service through December 9, 2026, with an option to extend the agreement for a seven-month period through June 30, 2027. The requested three (3) vehicles equipped with long cut rear entry ramps and area for two wheelchairs will be added to the current fleet of Connect Torrance vehicles to continue providing service.
The Measure R Investment Grant MR524.09 has been awarded to purchase 4 ADA equipped vehicles, and the City has already purchased one vehicle from Mobility Works. During that procurement process, Staff attempted to obtain competitive quotes from three (3) vendors. Toyota dealerships were unable to provide vehicles equipped with wheelchair ramps, offering only standard vehicles. Freedom Motors did not have new vehicles available and could only offer used units. MobilityWorks was the only vendor able to provide new vehicles equipped with wheelchair ramps at a reasonable cost.
1 City Council
March 24, 2026
Under the Torrance Municipal Code (TMC) and the City’s procurement policies regarding exceptions to the competitive process, authorizes the purchase of items if it is below current market price and will result in significant cost and time savings for the city. Based on above, Staff believes the exception is allowable under TMC section 22.3.100 entitled “Exceptions to the Competitive Process” which states:
“The competitive selection processes set forth in this Chapter do not apply in the following categories however purchases shall be made in accordance with procedures and regulations established by the City Manager:
d) A proposed purchase is at or below the current market price and will result in significant cost savings to the City, or that the proposed purchase is not more than the current market price, and that significant time will be saved by such a purchase.” This procurement will allow the vehicles to quickly enter operations to enhance the Connect Torrance service once equipped with necessary equipment and decals from the Connect Torrance service provider (Via, Inc). Purchasing the standard vehicles and retrofitting the wheelchair ramp equipment will result in higher costs and longer time to enter service.
Staff recommends that City Council authorize a purchase order with MobilityWorks of California LLC, in the amount of $222,467.10, plus a 5% contingency in the amount of $11,123.36, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $233,590.46 for three (3) 2025 Toyota Sienna Hybrids with ADA- equipped wheelchair ramps for the Connect Torrance Microtransit service.
ATTACHMENT
1. Mobility Works Quote
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