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Poteau board approves routing software and moves to add newer buses to district fleet
Summary
The Poteau Public Schools Board approved a three-year software services agreement with Transact Communication to add routing and ridership tools and authorized purchase contracts that will let the district acquire new 14‑passenger minibuses faster through cooperative purchasing agreements.
Poteau Public Schools approved a three-year software services agreement with Transact Communication and moved to use cooperative purchasing contracts to acquire new 14‑passenger minibuses, actions the board said are intended to speed bus replacement and improve safety and parent communication.
District staff told the board the Transact suite combines routing software and a ridership tablet system that students will badge onto. The system will show drivers how many students are on a bus, provide turn‑by‑turn navigation for substitute drivers and offer a parent app and geofencing notifications so families receive texts when a bus is approaching. Staff said the district will deploy tablets on 19 daily routes and had planned mounts and spares for flexibility.
"It will recognize that that student belongs on that bus," said Devin, a district staff member responsible for transportation, describing the tablet ridership feature. He said the parent app and unlimited texting will let staff notify only the parents affected when a bus is delayed and will reduce the need for manual calls.
The board also discussed cooperative purchasing through Sourcewell, a national cooperative that allows districts to buy from pre‑bid contracts. Staff said Sourcewell has a national agreement with Collins — an outfitter for 14‑passenger minibuses built on Ford or Chevy chassis — and that using the contract shortens lead time; vehicles available through Sourcewell dealers could arrive in about a month versus months on some state waiting lists.
The Transact agreement was described to the board as a three‑year contract; the district indicated it will order a set of tablets and routing services under that contract. A separate purchase order in the packet covers two Collins 14‑passenger minibuses available via the Sourcewell/Collins arrangement. Staff said the minibuses do not require a CDL to drive, making them more flexible for activity routes and routine runs.
Board members approved both the software services agreement and the Sourcewell purchasing arrangement by roll call. No changes to district policy were announced; staff said the software will be implemented in phases with a target of partial implementation by the end of the school year and full operation for 2025–26.
The district’s facilities report later noted the district expects two full‑size activity buses to arrive in April and two electric buses to arrive later this year, and that OG&E had installed a transformer at the bus barn in preparation for electric charging infrastructure.
Costs and specific payment schedules for the Transact agreement and the Collins minibuses were included in the board packet but were not restated in detail during the meeting.
