Ocala purchases over $8 million in vehicles to replenish city fleet

[Photo courtesy Ocala Police Department]

The city of Ocala will be purchasing nearly $8.7 million in new vehicles in order to cycle out other aging, high-mileage vehicles in the city’s fleet.

The city’s purchase will introduce 104 new vehicles across the majority of city departments, excluding Ocala Fire Rescue, said Fleet Manager John King.

“The vehicles and equipment listed have been prioritized for replacement due to significant repair needs and escalating maintenance costs,” King said.

The Ocala City Council approved the $8,696,281 in purchases at its Oct. 15 meeting. About 5.2% percent of the city’s fleet will be replaced.

“The greater majority of these vehicles were approximately 12 years or more in age and had over 100,000 miles on them,” King said.

While OFR also needs vehicles replaced, the purchase of fire apparatuses will happen at a later date. City staff has not yet obtained quotes from the vendor under the contract agreement for those vehicles.

“For an example, many of the vehicles that we have in Fire Rescue frontline service, we keep them approximately six or seven years. Then, we’ll put them on reserve status for spares, the the remainder of three to four years,” King said.

After this retirement cycle, the city liquidates the vehicles. The same cycle applies to Ocala Police Department vehicles each year, creating an annual return or recycle of 5 to 6% of the vehicles in the city’s fleet, King said.