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Tatum ISD analysis: SB 546 seat‑belt rule would cost district up to $2.86M to replace buses or ~$733K to retrofit fleet
Summary
Tatum ISD staff told trustees that implementing SB 546, which would require three‑point seat belts on all school buses by Sept. 1, 2029, would cost an estimated $2,863,000 to buy new buses or about $732,870.04 to retrofit the existing fleet; the Board discussed the fiscal implications during its March 2 meeting.
Todd Andrews, Tatum ISD's School Services Coordinator, presented an overview of Senate Bill 546 and the district's current bus fleet during the March 2 Board of Trustees meeting. SB 546 would amend Texas Transportation Code §547.701 to require three‑point seat belts for every passenger, including the driver, effective Sept. 1, 2029. Andrews summarized fleet age, mileage and value and provided two cost estimates: retrofitting buses at about $39,806 per bus (estimated $732,870.04 for the entire fleet) or purchasing new buses fitted with three‑point seat belts at an estimated $2,863,000.
The presentation outlined the statute's effective date and the district's current configuration of buses (those without seat belts, those with two‑point seat belts and those already equipped with three‑point belts). Board members heard the cost figures and asked the administration to evaluate budget implications; the transcript records the administration's figures but does not contain verbatim question‑and‑answer exchanges. The figures were later cited in a formal motion on funding feasibility. The presentation provided the factual basis the Board used to assess options ahead of the Sept. 1, 2029 implementation date.
