Conroe ISD officials say the district does not have the $10.2 million needed to retrofit hundreds of buses with seat belts required under state law, citing cost concerns and an ageing fleet as the district works towards a 2029 compliance deadline.
Officials from the Conroe Independent School District say they don't have the $10.2 million needed to add three-point seat belts to more than 300 buses, as required by new state legislation. This raises issues about how the district can reach the 2029 deadline.
Senate Bill 546 requires that all school buses owned or leased by districts have three-point seat belts for all passengers. The district would need to update around 320 buses to meet this requirement. If a district doesn't have the money or if retrofitting would breach the manufacturer's warranty, the law offers exceptions.
Chris McCord, the assistant superintendent of operations, said that more than 100 of Conroe ISD's 599 buses have already met the standard. They bought those buses with seat belts installed.
Superintendent David Vinson indicated that upgrading the rest of the fleet is not feasible at this time.
Vinson stated, "It's not a good idea to move forward with any of these solutions."
If a district can't meet the criterion by September 2029, they must inform the public and the state at a meeting by May 29. Grants, gifts, or donations can help districts cover compliance costs.
McCord claimed that instead of fixing up outdated buses, the district has been buying new ones. A 2023 bond issue set aside $12 million to buy 128 new buses, all of which had seat belts.
McCord stated, "A bus is about 15 years old." "Our buses get older like dogs." We go out three times and come back three times instead of just once.
District officials warn that many buses nearing the end of their useful lives may not be worth the cost of modifying them. Vinson said the trade-off was not worth it, since "the juice is not worth the squeeze" compared to buying new cars.
During its most recent meeting, the school board did not discuss specific plans or ways to pay for bus upgrades.
State lawmakers passed Senate Bill 546 to enhance student safety in school transportation. However, the bill does not say how districts should pay for compliance. It can cost millions of dollars to refit hundreds of buses for big districts with old fleets.
Officials from Conroe ISD say they will continue reviewing replacement schedules and funding sources as the deadline approaches.
.png)
.png)
.png)