Most White Oak ISD buses comply with new seatbelt rule

While districts across the state face the legislature’s unfunded mandate to get seatbelts in all school buses by 2029, White Oak ISD and its nine transports are already close to compliance.
Per Supt. Jack Parker, six of nine buses are already equipped with the requisite safety gear. The clock’s ticking, but there’s plenty of time yet to upgrade or replace the remaining vehicles.
“We only have a couple of buses that are not in compliance with the seatbelts on our route fleet,” Parker said, and the district recently applied for consideration of ‘financial extenuating circumstances’ to buy time: “We feel like by 2029 that we will be in compliance.”
The three-point harnesses have been a standard option the last five years, Parker noted, and grant funds helped the district purchase a new, compliant bus the past year.
“Hopefully we can go out in the next couple of years and get that same grant to finish off our fleet with buses that all have seat belts in them.”
Monday was Meet the Teacher night at all White Oak campuses ahead of the start of school Wednesday morning.
“We’re just working extremely hard trying to get ready for the kids to be here,” Parker said Friday. “All hands on deck, full steam ahead.”
Notably, the Roughnecks’ first home game this football season will be September 11, and Texas Hall of Famer and NFL standout Mike Barber will be visiting for a meet-and-greet and autograph session. More details are coming soon.