Weatherford Independent School District provides transportation for more than 2,100 students across 254 square miles each day. In collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, and the Weatherford Police Department, Weatherford ISD initiated a program to address motorists illegally passing school buses on district roadways.
Beginning in September 2025, local, county, and state law enforcement officers have cited motorists who illegally passed school buses with their red lights flashing and stop signs displayed. Texas Transportation Code Section 545.066, “Passing a School Bus; Offense,” states that a motorist on a highway, when approaching a stopped school bus from either direction to receive or discharge a student, must stop before reaching the bus when it is operating a visual signal such as flashing red lights or extended stop signs.
The law also states that motorists may not proceed until the school bus resumes motion, the motorist is signaled to proceed by the bus driver, or the visual signal is no longer actuated.
An offense under Section 545.066 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,250. Second offenses within five years are punishable by fines of not less than $1,000 or more than $2,000. Motorists who cause bodily injury can face significantly higher consequences.
“We are required by law to display our visual signals while our school buses are stopped to load or unload students,” said Dr. Jason Dunkelberger, Weatherford ISD director of transportation. “Our school buses cannot pull over onto the shoulder to do this; therefore, we are only permitted to stop between the center lines and the edge, or ‘fog,’ lines.”
Motorists have been observed illegally passing school buses during student stops from both directions across the district. “We have motorists trying to pass our school buses on the shoulder—sometimes when we actually have students loading or unloading,” Dunkelberger said. “We are urging the public to adhere to the law and help our community keep our students safe.”
Since the program began, law enforcement has addressed motorists illegally passing school buses multiple times within the city of Weatherford and along major roadways across Parker County. In one incident, two vehicles attempted to pass a school bus unloading students simultaneously. Both motorists were cited.
“Our bus drivers are thankful for the collaborative effort law enforcement has made toward addressing motorists illegally passing our school buses,” Dunkelberger said. “Our children are our greatest treasure, and we all need to keep them safe as they travel to and from school.”
Weatherford ISD and its law enforcement partners will continue to work together in the coming months to raise bus safety awareness throughout the community.