The Indianola Community School District is in the process of adding seat belts to all of their buses, working to comply with a requirement by the Iowa State Board of Education. Superintendent Art Sathoff tells KNIA News the district is looking to retrofit as fast as possible.

“During this school year we will begin installing the belts on the buses, and then next school year all of our buses that we can retrofit we will. We will be able to do that by not purchasing any new buses; typically we purchase 2-3 per year. We will be able to do that, and do it quickly, without putting our replacement schedule behind. The total cost is around $211,000 to get them all retrofitted.”

Sathoff also said the district will focus on the buses that make the longest trips first, rather than the ones that just go around on city streets.