VUWSA’s long legacy of questionable van ownership has, at long last, drawn to a close.
The existing van had a bunch of issues, including problems with the gearbox and clutch, and a cracked windscreen. The Proposal Discussion Document regarding the potential sale of the van notes that it is unsafe to drive, costs around $8000 in maintenance per year, and in general has “seen better days”.
The VUWSA Executive have decided to sell the van at Turners Auctions, since it is “buyer beware”. Turners has estimated that the van will sell for between $6000 and $9000.
Van use by clubs has declined in recent years. It has been hired out only eight times in 2017, and seven times in 2016.
In an unprecedented move, VUWSA has decided to replace the van, not with another van, but with a 8-seat people mover. A second-hand people mover is estimated to cost between $16,000 and $21,000, including the cost of installing safety equipment and printing the VUWSA logo on the side. The people mover will be cheaper, easier to drive, and meet 90% of the same needs as the van.
VUWSA is uncertain about when exactly they will purchase the new people mover, as they are waiting to find a good deal.
The 2007 VUWSA President had spent exactly $22,222.22 (not even joking) on modifying the former VUWSA van, including fitting it out with a sound system, mag wheels, and window tinting. That would be $24,935.82 today, accounting for inflation. That particular van broke down just outside Ōtaki in 2010, during a field trip by the now-defunct Victoria Broadcasting Channel.
Purchasing a people mover means that VUWSA will no longer be associated with van ownership; perhaps VUWSA’s shameful past will be finally laid to rest.