Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hutto ISD outlines costs and timeline to meet SB546 school-bus seat-belt rule
Summary
Transportation staff summarized SB546 requirements, district fleet readiness (65 of 77 regular buses have 3-point seat belts; 17 buses noncompliant), retrofit and replacement cost estimates, and the compliance deadline of Sept. 1, 2029.
Director of Transportation Dana Rosen briefed the board on Senate Bill 546, which expands seat-belt requirements to the district's entire bus fleet and requires reporting and a fiscal-impact assessment to the Texas Education Agency. "So senate bill 546 is a school bus safety law that tightens and expands, the requirement for seat belts," Rosen said.
Rosen reported the fleet inventory: of 77 regular 77-passenger buses, 65 currently have three-point seat belts; 17 buses remain noncompliant and are older models likely to be replaced on a normal replacement cycle. Administration said retrofitting was an option but noted manufacturer cautions and estimated retrofit costs of about $29,000 per bus; replacement costs for buses needed before the compliance date were estimated in the millions (roughly $2,000,000 based on current bus pricing). The TEA deadline for full compliance is Sept. 1, 2029; the district will present a fiscal-impact report and inventory to TEA as required.
Trustees asked for clarification about retrofit certification risks, SPED-bus readiness and funding options; administration indicated no dedicated funds are currently allocated for full compliance and presented purchase vs. retrofit trade-offs for board consideration.
