WIMBERLEY — During its May 18 meeting, Wimberley ISD’s Board of Trustees received an update from director of Transportation Shad Scharlach regarding the district’s implementation of state-mandated school bus seat belt requirements. According to Scharlach, WISD’s bus fleet will be fully equipped with three-point seatbelts for the 2026-27 school year and beyond.
This update follows Senate Bill 546, which passed during the state’s 89th Legislative Session and took effect Sept. 1, 2025. It requires all buses that a school district in Texas operates or contracts to be equipped with three-point seat belts, which include a strap over the shoulder to keep passengers from jolting forward during an accident.
The bill instructs districts to report their current bus inventory to the Texas Education Agency by May 29 of this year. Districts must also include a cost estimate for seat belt retrofitting, or adding additional features, in their reporting. All districts are required under SB 546 to reach full compliance by Sept. 1, 2029, with no exemptions.
Scharlach gave a brief overview of past seat belts standards in his presentation, stating, “Prior to 1977 — hard to believe — there were very little to no standards whatsoever on school buses for any safety protocols.”
That changed with the introduction of stricter safety standards by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1977 and the subsequent development of lap belt requirements in some states during the 1980s.
“There had been accidents in which we had a number of students injured and unfortunately passed away because of the lack of safety standards,” said Scharlach, referring to school districts generally, not WISD.
The director of Transportation noted that past studies debated the efficacy of seat belts in preventing injuries, but those against seat belt functionality did not take into account accidents where a bus rolls completely over.
Scharlach stated that when a bus flips and turns, “It is safer for any passenger to stay within that seat. If you are not belted in, you will fly.”
In 2017, SB 693 addressed seat belt usage for the first time in Texas and required buses manufactured after 2018 to have three-point seat belts. However, school districts could still purchase or operate buses made before 2018 that did not have these safety measures. This allowed some districts to cut retrofitting costs and bypass SB 693.
Now, SB 546 sets tighter standards than any previous law, which Scharlach feels will be “pretty effective” in preventing injuries.
Currently, WISD has three buses in its 29-bus fleet that fall short of the new requirements. One bus — a 2010 model — has two-point seat belts and two buses — from 2007 — have no seat belts, according to Scharlach.
“Those three buses without the required seat belt will be sold via auction this summer. We’re going to try to get those sold in June but they are out of service,” Scharlach explained.
WISD also had two buses retrofitted with three-point seat belts and certified last December, amounting to $55,000, which Scharlach said was “well worth our money.” The four buses up for auction could not be retrofitted, due to their age.
“We are in good shape and we will have all our buses in compliance by next school year,” Scharlach closed.
The board of trustees had no questions following the director of Transportation’s presentation, though President Rob Campbell noted that he was “very impressed.”
The Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. Monday, June 15.
