DURHAM, NC – The Durham, N.C., City Council has been told by an independent consultant that almost half of the city fleet of 1,353 cars and trucks is overdue for replacement and officials should buy $11.5 million worth of new vehicles in the coming fiscal year to reduce the backlog, according to The Herald-Sun newspaper. Further results of the study state that the city can save itself $2.4 million by retiring 82 vehicles without replacing them and a six percent cutback in the size of the fleet would save a further $375,483 in depreciation and $50,000 a year in operating costs. The study recommended a replacement program that, over 10 years, would consume between $71.3 million and $78.4 million, depending on how the council elected to pay for it.