Union Public Schools’ board approved the purchase of 12 school buses for nearly $2 million at its Monday, Oct. 12, meeting. The purchase will allow the district to replace or reallocate older buses, according to its board report.
The board signed off on the $1,986,780 deal with Holt Truck Centers, funded by transportation bond money, according to the district's board report. The board met at the Union Education Service Center, 8506 E. 61st St. in Tulsa.
The new buses will replace or reassign vehicles that are at least 12 years old and have logged more than 100,000 miles, Rob Harris, director of transportation, said in the board report.
"Holt Truck Centers was selected from the contract list of suppliers for availability of IC buses and proximity to the Transportation garages for repairs and service," Harris said.
Delivery is expected within eight to 10 months.
The district's fleet included 100 school buses and 96 support vehicles during the 2024-25 school year, according to district records. More than 10,132 students rode the bus regularly that year, with route buses completing 360 daily routes and logging more than 827,000 route miles.
Board sets April 2027 election
Board members also passed a resolution calling for a general election for the District 2 seat on April 6, 2027. The seat is held by Dr. Chris McNeil.
The filing period opens Monday, Dec. 7. If enough candidates file, a primary election would take place Feb. 9, 2027.
Other board action
In a separate vote, the board approved a $521,250 blanket purchase order to Frontier Produce for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, a federally funded initiative reimbursed through Child Nutrition funds, the meeting agenda shows.
The board also revised Board Policy 1955 on parental involvement, adding a provision for addressing complaints to fulfill a new accreditation requirement.
Residents interested in running for the District 2 board seat can file starting Monday, Dec. 7.
