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Peters Township replaces decade-old public works trucks

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McMURRAY – Two decade-old public works trucks, including one used for plowing snow, are being replaced in Peters Township.

Council Monday approved the purchases of a pickup and dump truck, both 2018 Fords, and related accessories.

In February, council awarded contracts for a pair of Ram vehicles, manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, at the recommendation of public works director Joseph Hursen for that particular brand.

Fiat Chrysler, though, is in the process of transferring some of its truck production from Saltillo, Mexico, to its Warren, Mich., assembly plant, a move that’s good news for the Detroit-area economy but one that has caused complications, according to township manager Paul Lauer.

“The problem is that Dodge,” he said, referring to the brand by which Ram once was marketed, “won’t even take the order or give any indication as to when, if in fact you wait, how long you wait for that truck.”

As a result, TriStar Auto Group of Blairsville, the low bidder for the two trucks through COSTARS, the state’s cooperative purchasing program, has come up with Fords as alternatives.

The township’s 2018 capital improvement program appropriated a total of $165,000 for replacement-related purchases, including $70,000 for a new pickup truck equipped with a snow plow.

Replacing a 2008 Chevrolet truck with 92,500 miles is a new four-wheel-drive Ford F-350 crew cab, at a cost of $51,125. The cost of a plow and frame for it is $7,500, purchased from Walsh Truck Equipment of Prospect.

The cab and chassis for a new Ford F-550 dump truck, purchased for $48,477, replaces a 2008 version of the same model that has 50,500 miles on the odometer. Lauer said the price is slightly lower than it would have been for a Ram.

Walsh is supplying the aluminum dump body for $46,500, making the total for the truck and body less than the $95,000 budgeted.

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