Editor's note: This article has been updated to provide the accurate cost of $15.27 million rather than $15.7 million.
Katy ISD will see a $15.27 million cost to install three-point seatbelts to all school buses that do not have them, Executive Director of Transportation Paul Landis said at a May 11 board of trustees meeting.
The report—which the district will share with the Texas Education Agency—comes after lawmakers approved Texas Senate Bill 546 in 2025, which requires school districts to assess how many of their buses have three-point seatbelts and the cost to install them.
The details
Landis reported every bus bought since 2018 has three-point seatbelts, although 552—or 65.7%—of the 840 buses Katy ISD operates or contracts are not outfitted with them. Of the noncompliant buses, 227 have lap belts only, while 325 have no seat belts at all.
The estimated cost to refit conventional passenger buses is $40,673, while the cost for special education buses is $15,907, per agenda documents.
“Given current and projected budget constraints, along with the absence of dedicated legislative funding for this requirement, [the] transportation department is not recommending a retrofit at this time,” Landis said. “However, we remain committed to student safety and will continue to monitor guidance and funding opportunities moving forward.”
Looking ahead
The bill outlines school districts have until Sept. 1, 2029, to introduce three-point seatbelts to each bus.
