YOUNGSTOWN — Just in time for spring, the city’s two new snow-plow trucks have arrived.

When the city ordered the trucks in May 2018, officials had no idea it would take this long for their arrival.

Nearly two years later, the trucks made their way to the street department building on Teamster Drive and are ready to be used.

Now all that’s needed is enough snow to plow.

“We’re glad they’re finally here,” said Kevin Flinn, buildings and grounds commissioner. “It’s been a long wait.”

The city ordered the trucks in May 2018, he said. The chassis arrived in October of that year, but all the parts — the plow, dump bed and salt spinner — didn’t show up until three weeks ago, Flinn said. Concord Road Equipment Manufacturing Inc. of Painesville, which is the largest manufacturer of snow-plow equipment, was waiting for the parts all that time.

The city signed a five-year lease-to-own deal for the two trucks a year ago, paying $270,000 for the two — $54,000 annually. The city made two payments before the trucks arrived.

While the city waited, it ordered a prebuilt demonstration model snow-plow truck from Stoops Freightliner of Dayton in December 2019 for $148,202.94. Because it was a demonstration truck, it arrived a week after it was ordered.

The city was able to afford to purchase the truck because of savings at the street department through reduced overtime and a mild winter last year, Flinn said.

It was the first new snow-plow truck for the city since 2008.

Besides the three new trucks, the 14 others in the city’s fleet are 12 to 21 years old, Flinn said.

The normal life expectancy for the trucks is eight to 10 years, he said.

“The fact these trucks are still running is a testament to the work (our mechanics) do,” Flinn said. “It’s a miracle they’re still running after 21 years.”

During a November 2019 ice storm, seven trucks broke down, said John Miller, a mechanic foreman with the street department.

“We have breakdowns a lot with these old trucks,” added Ron Christoff, a mechanic. “I saw eight trucks stop working in a snowstorm two years ago.”

The trucks take a beating, Miller and Christoff said, not only because of the age and use, but because of the conditions of the city’s streets, especially the brick ones.

Being able to keep department costs down again and another mild winter will allow the city to purchase two other demonstration model snow-plow trucks later this year, Flinn said.

Having five new reliable trucks in the fleet will benefit the department’s work, Miller said.

“We have a long way to go, but it’s nice to see a light at the end of a tunnel with the new equipment,” he said.