The Callaway County Ambulance District Board of Directors approved a bid from Osage Ambulances during its regular meeting Thursday night for the purchase of three new ambulances at a total cost of $353,925.
Director Charles Anderson first brought up the need for the fleet upgrade during the board's March meeting. At the time Anderson said that although replacing three ambulances at once was more than had originally been budgeted for this year, the potential savings of up to $10,000 a year in maintenance and fuel costs per vehicle was well worth it. All of the vehicles being replaced have more than 100,000 miles and cost an average of 92 cents per mile in fuel and maintenance fees in 2012.
Anderson said the new ambulances are scheduled to be delivered by mid-January.
In addition to the bid for three Mercedes Sprinter Type III ambulances at a cost of $117,975 each from Osage Ambulances out of Linn, which the district has worked with in the past, there also was a $381,197 bid for three American Emergency Vehicles ambulances from American Response Vehicles out of Columbia.