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Allen ISD is purchasing nine new school buses as part of a long-term plan to accommodate increased student ridership and replace aging buses.
The overview
The district board of trustees approved the purchase during a May 26 meeting. The purchases will be funded by a voter-approved bond proposition passed in 2024, Assistant Superintendent Brent Benningfield said.
The purchase is another step in the school district’s three-year plan to add new school buses, according to district documents.
“This represents the second year of purchases,” Benningfield said. “Last year [was] the first of the three-year plan to accommodate increased student ridership, replace aging buses and support district programming needs.”
Zooming in
Board members approved purchases from two vendors:
Buses are being purchased from two separate vendors after getting quotes from multiple vendors, according to district documents. The district has aimed to utilize multiple vendors for the purchase, Benningfield said.
“Sometimes we find that one company is able to provide a specific type cheaper than another,” he said. “Instead of bundling it all together to get those cheaper rates at each type, we have a couple of different purchases we’re bringing to you tonight.”
The new buses will be compliant with a state-mandated bill passed in 2025 that requires all school buses to be equipped with three-point seatbelts.
“Anything we’re purchasing from here on out will meet the new seatbelt law that was passed in the last legislative session,” Benningfield said.
The background
Senate Bill 546 was passed by the Texas Legislature in 2025 and requires that all school buses operated by the district be equipped with seatbelts for every passenger. The deadline for full compliance is Sept. 1, 2029, but the state requested estimated costs from districts by the end of the year.
Allen ISD reported the estimated costs of complying with the new law after discussing it in March. The district currently maintains a fleet of 138 buses, 39 of which are fully equipped with three-point seatbelts.
