BANGOR, Maine — City officials are in discussions with an Aroostook County company that refurbishes military vehicles and heavy equipment to perhaps replace Bangor’s oldest buses.
“Our fleet is aging rapidly and we really need to begin replacing buses,” Finance Director Debbie Cyr said during a recent meeting of the city’s Finance Committee.
Bangor’s oldest buses are a trio of 1996 Orions that should have been replaced in 2008, according to the city. A series of tight budget seasons left the city and its Community Connector public transportation system without funding to replace them, given new buses cost approximately $400,000.
Community Connector has 22 transit vehicles in all, according to the city’s website.
City officials are now considering a project through Maine Military Authority, which rehabs construction and military vehicles in Augusta and Limestone.
The authority has a Transit Bus Program, in which it purchases used buses in good condition from transit providers across the country, brings them to Limestone and refurbishes them for resale, according to Cyr.
The Finance Committee has authorized discussions with the authority about buying refurbished buses. Cyr said the city is interested in three buses to start, which would replace the three buses that are approaching their 20th birthday.
After rehab, the authority estimates it will be able to resell the buses for about $25,000-$50,000 per bus, depending on size and condition. The city could apply for a federal grant to cover 85 percent, leaving the city to cover a 15 percent match, according to Cyr.
The authority is looking to pick up buses from a transit authority in Florida that “might be a good fit for Bangor,” according to Cyr.
The company is working with four other Maine communities, so it can fill enough orders to make the refurbishment projects financially viable. Cyr didn’t have the identities of the four other Maine communities interested in the project.
“We’ve had very good luck working with other communities on partnerships like this in the past,” Councilor Pat Blanchette said.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter @nmccrea213.