Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot's office is getting three new 2025 black Chevy Tahoes it has waited for since last fall.
Commissioner John Wiley Price says he's been waiting for 30 years.
"I'm gonna get pissed off every week when y'all buy new vehicles for everybody and I still got 1990 vehicles with 500,000 miles on them," he said this week in commissioners court.
"So how many miles do these vehicles got on them?"
The new SUVs going to the investigator division will replace 2013 Tahoes that have mileage more than 100,000, according to the approval request submitted to commissioners.
Purchases had been approved in November, but were delayed, causing the Laredo, Texas, dealership's quote to rise from $158,937 to $177,376.
That cost will be paid from the office's federal forfeiture money.
Public Works also got permission to buy a 2025 Ford F-350 a 2025 Ford Escape for its engineering and construction division for $124,000.
Price said it seemed like many departments were getting new vehicles.
"Y'all can get this conversation from me every dadgum time 'til I get rid of them 300,000-mile vehicles," he said.
Commissioner Elba Garcia reminded the court that any county department can apply for replacements.
“The money is there if you apply for it, commissioner,” she said.
County Administrator Darryl Martin teased that Price maintains his vehicles well enough for longevity.
“You keep running 'em like that, commissioner, we’re gonna use 'em,” he said.
Fleet vehicles can be retired and replaced at around 85,000 miles for pursuit vehicles — and 150,000 miles for other cars.
Repairs and maintenance are also a factor when replacement purchases are considered.
A review of mileage and maintenance standards may be helpful, Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins said.
"Years ago, a hundred thousand miles would be something to cheer about on a car if you bought it new and now that is very, very routine, right?" he said "So on these non-pursuit vehicles and even on the pursuit vehicles, we might want to look at what some of our colleagues [are] doing and see if we need to adjust those at all.
I'm not saying we do," Jenkins said. "I don't know the answer."
Assistant County Administrator Jonathon Bazan said his team could review options and report back to commissioners.
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