Meeting Date: March 21, 2001

Subject: Approval For Disposal Of Surplus Material - Zf-4hp500 Transmission

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Commission declare as surplus seventy-nine (79) ZF-4HP500 Automatic Transmissions.

Funding

The anticipated market value for the seventy-nine (79) ZF transmissions is $395,000.00 Any revenue, net of expenses, resulting from the sale of these assets will be credited to the appropriate Operating/Capital Budget.

Background

The Commission approved at its meeting of March 8, 2000 the supply of Allison V730 Transmissions and parts to affect the exchange of transmissions in the ZF transmission retrofit of New Flyer D40-90 buses. The Commission determined that the operation of current New Flyer D40-90 buses, with the original ZF transmission was unreliable and expensive to maintain and repair.

Discussion

The ZF transmissions were considered to be unreliable and costly to maintain in spite of extensive work to rectify problems. The alternative was to use the Allison V730 transmission with a reputation for durability and economical maintenance and repair. The average life for the ZF transmission was under six months as opposed to the Allison transmission providing approximately a three-year life between overhauls.

At this time the retrofit program has been completed and seventy-nine (79) transmissions have been declared surplus.

Justification

With completion of the retrofit from ZF transmissions to Allison transmissions, it is recommended that the Commission approve the disposal of the surplus transmissions.

March 1, 2001

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