SR-01-13-2015-3I - 1000-001-11City of City Council Report
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City Council Meeting: January 13, 2014
Agenda Item: ' °-
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Edward F. King, Director of Transit Services
Subject: Passenger Barrier and Single Flip -Up Seat in BBB Motor Coaches
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Purchasing Services Manager to
issue a purchase order with American Seating Inc., a Michigan -based company, for the
purchase and delivery of 174 single aisle- facing flip seats and 174 transit bus
passenger barriers. This is a sole source purchase in an amount not to exceed
$570,000 with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Executive Summary
Staff recommends award of the sole source procurement to American Seating Inc. for
the purchase and delivery of 174 single aisle- facing flip seats and 174 transit bus
passenger barriers. The award of the sole source procurement would enable the City to
remove forward- facing flip -up seats on transit buses and replace them with single aisle -
facing seats and permanent barriers, to restore seats to the fleet that were previously
locked out to temporarily enhance passenger safety.
The single aisle- facing flip seat and passenger barrier conform to the Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) seating that is currently on approximately half of Big
Blue Bus' fleet. Installation of the single aisle- facing flip seats and barriers would be
performed by City staff and conform to OEM standards and all applicable Federal, State
and local laws, rules and regulations governing passenger seating. The total
expenditure for the one -time purchase is $570,000 including applicable taxes.
Discussion
In December 2013, Big Blue Bus (BBB) received written correspondence from transit
coach manufacturers NAB] and New Flyer of America informing BBB that they had
discovered a safety risk that potentially exposes transit passengers to catastrophic
injury. The letter disclosed safety concerns related to the first row of forward- facing flip -
up bus seats where no barrier between the seated passenger and open area (including
the longitudinal seat) exists. The concerns expressed in the manufacturers' letters
emanate from events whereby passengers were thrown forward from these seats and
1
sustained serious injuries. Therefore, the transit coach manufacturers recommended
that the forward- facing flip -up seats be disabled so that they remain in the locked
upright position
BBB staff met with the City Attorney's Office to review the correspondence and the
recommendation from the manufacturers. Based on the facts reported and the
recommendation by the manufacturers, as well as advice from the City Attorney, BBB
disabled the forward- facing flip -up seats and placed them in an upright position until a
permanent solution could be identified. In February 2014, all forward- facing flip -up seats
without barriers in the fleet were disabled and secured in an upright position. This
action rendered four seats on each of the 87 buses impacted (348 seats) as out -of-
service, resulting in an inconvenience to passengers.
Staff determined that disabling the forward- facing flip -up seat was a temporary fix and
that a permanent solution was needed. Staff contacted the bus manufacturers, seat
manufacturers, other transit systems and transit associations to identify and plan an
appropriate strategy. Because the vehicle manufacturers and other transit systems
were not taking any action to correct this, staff determined that the most appropriate
course of action was to work with American Seating Inc., the passenger seating
manufacturer, for a solution that incorporated a fixed barrier and provided an option of
restoring the number of passenger seats on the bus.
It was found that the safest and most effective permanent fix was to remove the
forward- facing flip -up seat unit entirely and to install a permanent barrier in its place. In
addition, a single aisle- facing seat could be installed adjacent to the barrier — the
additional seat would reduce the number of lost seats from 348 to 174.
Staff will continue discussion with the bus manufacturers for possible reimbursement of
funds required to purchase and install the passenger barriers and single aisle- facing flip
up seats.
Vendor Selection
Staff recommends American Seating, Inc. to furnish and deliver 174 American Seating,
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Vision type barriers with poly grab handles and single flip -up seats, on a sole source
basis. This meets the City's sole source criteria as it is an original equipment from an
exclusive distributor and would allow the vehicles to maintain its Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM) configuration and that fit, finish and quality of materials are
consistent throughout the fleet. These barriers and aisle- facing flip -up seats are
required to completely eliminate the safety risk associated with allowing passengers to
sit in any of the forward facing flip seats.
The installation of the barriers and additional single aisle- facing flip -up seats would be
performed by City staff who would be trained in full compliance with OEM
recommended installation procedures and safety standards by the manufacturer of the
seats. It is anticipated that installation would take approximately six to eight weeks.
Exhibit 1 provides a breakdown of the BBB fleet to illustrate which coaches would be
modified with the barriers and aisle- facing seats.
Exhibit 1
UNIT #'s MFR YEAR # OF # OF # OF COMMENTS
BUSES BARRIERS AISLE -
REQUIRED FACING
PER FLEET FLIP -UP
TYPE SEATS
1300-1319
GILLIG
2013
58
0
Already have barriers.
2900-2914
ELDORADO
2011
15
0
Not required. No forward seats
in lower section of bus.
5300-5320
NABI
2011
21
42
42
Requires two per bus.
3868-3876
NABI
2011
9
8
8
One bus was converted. One
barrier required per bus.
4090-4099
NEW FLYER
2006
10
20
20
Two barriers required per bus.
4038-4089
NEW FLYER
2004
52
104
104
Two barriers required per bus.
4001 -4037
NAB[
2002
24
0
Forward flip -up seats stowed
in upward position. Barriers
will not be installed; these
buses are on schedule to be
replaced.
189
174
174
K
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The sole source purchase order to be awarded to American Seating Inc. is for an
amount not to exceed $570,000. Funds are available in the FY 2014 -15 Capital
Improvement Program budget in account C410106.589000.
Prepared by: Getty Modica, Transit Maintenance Officer
Approved: Forwarded to Council:
1 �
Edward F. King Rod Gould
Director of Transit rvices City Manager
Attachment: AttachmentA — American Seating Inc. Proposal
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