NO NEW BUSES---BUT WE WILL GET NEW SEATS

Given the recent and forecasted economic climate, TriMet will be limiting
future new bus procurements. This slow down of new bus procurements means
that buses normally scheduled for retirement at 15 years of age, will now be
maintained to stay in-service for as long as 18 years. Operator seats are
wearing out, and Worker's Compensation claims have increased considerably.
($314,370 total, primarily with the Isringhausen, from July 2000 through
June 2005. In a letter dated February 23, 2005 from the Oregon Occupational
Safety & Health Division, relating to a TriMet fatality, item 01-03 states
that: "Since the inception of the Isringhausen operators seat in 1986,
injuries to legs and backs were documented. The manufacturer states the
maximum weight of 290lbs be used. It is therefore recommended that the
Isringhausen seat be re-evaluated and an alternative seat or weight
restriction be re-assessed for the operators.") There is no formal operator
seat rebuild program in Bus Maintenance, nor are there monies budgeted to
run such a program. An operator seat rebuild program, beyond the newly
established practice of replacing seat cushions and covers every 90,000
miles and doing repairs when needed, would need to be instituted in order to
stop the continued breakdown of older bus operator seats, increase the
endurance of newer bus operator seats, reduce Worker's Compensation claims
on Isringhausen seats, and increase the quality and durability of all
operator seats. Bus Maintenance proposes the following three options for
funding in order to perform this work within the FY07 to FY13 timeframe:

Project Justification - Option 1 - Rebuild both Isringhausen and USSC seats
in-house: Option 1 proposes that all Isringhausen and USSC operator seats be
rebuilt in-house. This option would continue with the utilization of both
Isringhausen and USSC seats until such time as all fleets with Isringhausen
seats are retired. There are 236 Isringhausen seats needing to be rebuilt at
6 hours of rebuild per seat, and 364 USSC seats at 12 hours of rebuild per
seat. Rebuild part costs for Isringhausen seats are approximately $1,329 per
seat, and USSC rebuild part costs are approximately $600 per seat. Total
seven-year labor and parts costs are $947,327 for Isringhausen and $514,524
for USSC, for a total program cost of $1,461,851 to rebuild the fleet, as it
exists today. However, continuing costs per year of approximately $220,000
would have to be added to Bus Maintenance's Materials & Services and
Personnel Services budgets in order to retain the rebuild program after the
initial seven-year period is over, plus 1FTE would have to be added in FY07
and kept indefinitely in order to keep the rebuild cycle at every 3 years
for Isringhausen and 7 years for USSC.

(Note. labor hours for rebuilding of the seats were obtained from King
County Metro (for Isringhausen), and a combination of KCM's hours and a
preliminary tear down and rebuild from TriMet's Upholstery department for
USSC. Exact hours and part costs may be initially higher for TriMet given
the newness of the proposed program (i.e., lack of training, and retirement
and signup turnover). Also this option would not reduce Worker's
Compensation claims, since the Isringhausen seat would remain. There is also
some concern that parts for the Isringhausen will become obsolete within the
next 2-3 years, making it necessary, at such time, to purchase new seats to
replace the Isringhausen.

Project Justification - Option 2 - Buy new USSC seats for the entire fleet:
Option 2 proposes that 600 new USSC seats be procured over a seven-year
period - 288 the first two years, and 52 each year thereafter. USSC has
agreed to credit TriMet $75.00 per seat for each USSC seat returned to them
as core, but will not do the same for Isringhausen seats. Therefore the
initial FY07 higher cost of $1,610 per seat ($379,960 total) to replace the
existing 236 Isringhausen seats not having any core value. Also included in
this option are the approximately 150 per year seat cushion/cover
replacements (every 90,000 miles) that would continue to be made regardless
of new purchase. Total seven-year cost of this option is $1,112,244to buy
new USSC seats for the fleet, plus cushions/covers, as it exists today.
However, continuing costs per year of approximately $115,000 would have to
be added to Bus Maintenance's Materials & Services budget in order to
maintain this purchase scenario after the initial seven-year period is over.

Project Justification - Option 3 - Buy new USSC seats for the entire fleet
except 1400's and 1600's: Option 3 proposes that 539 new USSC seats be
procured over a seven-year period - 227 the first two years, and 52 each
year thereafter. USSC has agreed to credit TriMet $75.00 per seat for each
USSC seat returned to them as core, but will not do the same for
Isringhausen seats. Therefore the initial FY07 higher cost of $1,610 per
seat ($281,750 total) to replace the remaining 175 Isringhausen seats not
having any core value. 61 of the original 236 seats are for 1400 and 1600
series buses and will be retired within the next 2-4 years and therefore
need not be replaced with new USSC seats. However, the remaining 175
Isringhausen seats will be replaced under a scheduled movement plan, with
older USSC seats, as those seats are themselves replaced. This would
eliminate all Isringhausen seats, greatly reduce Worker's Compensation
claims made by injury from the Isringhausen seat, and conserve funds by not
placing new seats on soon to be retired fleets. Also included in this option
are the approximately 150 per year seat cushion/cover replacements (every
90,000 miles) that would continue to be made regardless of new purchase.
Total seven-year cost of this option is $1,014,034 to buy new USSC seats for
the fleet, as it exists today, minus the 1400 and 1600 series buses.
However, continuing costs per year of approximately $115,000 would have to
be added to Bus Maintenance's Materials & Services budget in order to
maintain this purchase scenario after the initial seven-year period is over.

Summary:

Option 1 - Labor amounts indicated would increase FTE costs in the
Upholstery Shop by one FTE in FY07 and continue indefinitely, and the parts
costs to rebuild the seats under this option, considering there is no
warranty, would suggest that Option 1 is cost prohibitive. In addition,
CarMac, the sole distributor of Isringhausen parts, currently has a six-week
turnaround time for parts delivery - and it is anticipated that Isringhausen
parts will be discontinued and become obsolete within the next 2-3 years.

Option 2 - Replacing operator seats for the entire fleet would eliminate the
need for a rebuild program. With an exchange program TriMet would also gain
a 5-year warranty on all metal components, a 3-year warranty on all plastic
and moving components, and a 1-year warranty on upholstered components.
Labor to remove an old seat and install a new one is minimal, so no
additional FTEs would be needed, there are no training issues since the old
seat is unbolted and removed, while the new one is placed on and then
bolted. Also, part costs yearly increases for replacement don't exist since
a contract for new, with a locked in price per seat, would be procured.

Option 3 - Same as Option 2, only operator seats for the 1400 and 1600
series buses will not be replaced, because they will be retired within the
next 2-4 years. These seats will be replaced with older USSC seats, as those
seats are themselves replaced. This would eliminate all Isringhausen seats,
is expected to reduce Worker's Compensation claims made by injury from the
Isringhausen seat, and conserve funds by not placing new seats on soon to be
retired fleets. This option would save an additional $98,210 over Option 2,
would also eliminate the need for a rebuild program, a warranty would be in
place, and no additional FTEs would be needed.

Recommendation:

It is Bus Maintenance's recommendation that the Agency fund Option 3 - Buy
new USSC seats for entire fleet (except 1400's & 1600's), at a total FY07-13
cost of $1,014,034. Given the 290lb restriction and the obsolescence of the
Isringhausen seats, a rebuild program as seen in Option 1 is cost
prohibitive, not only in part and labor costs, but in Worker's Compensation
claims as well. For $447,817 less than the Option 1 proposed rebuild
program, the Agency would acquire new seats; gain a 5-year warranty on all
metal components, a 3-year warranty on all plastic and moving components,
and a 1-year warranty on upholstered components. No additional FTEs would be
needed, since labor to remove old seats and install new ones is minimal.
There would be no training issues during sign-up and retirements, because
the exchange of the old seat for the new seat is relatively easy. USSC seats
are rated at 600lbs, so OSHA recommendations are addressed, and the
degradation of the seat over time is less than that of a 290lb rated seat.
In addition, annual part cost increases would not occur, since a contract
for new, with a locked in price per seat, would be procured.