Driving Our Kids: School Bus Driver Requirements

Where are the Seat Belts?

As we boarded the big yellow bus for our trek around the neighborhood, Darling 1's first question to the driver was, "No seatbelts?" The school bus driver replied, "Nope, you don't need them. This bus weighs just under 27,000 pounds. I could hit a brick wall with this thing and you'd be fine." Perhaps this is true, but let's not find out.

While school buses are considered quite safe, even though most buses don't have child restraints or seat belts, when a school bus is involved in an accident, generally, it makes the news, it's pretty bad and it sticks in people's minds {well, at least they stick in my mind}.

One accident that's seared into my brain happened 5 or 6 years ago in a suburb to the east of St. Paul. This is what I recall from the news story: a dad was driving his young son to daycare and was stopped in a lane with his blinker on waiting to turn into the daycare parking lot. A school bus was driving on the same road as the father and son, going the same direction on its way to drop off kids at school. Perhaps the sun blinded the driver or perhaps he was momentarily distracted; regardless of why it happened, the driver did not notice the stopped car he was fast approaching and he crashed into the rear of the small car, never putting on his breaks until it was too late. The little boy, strapped into his car seat in the back seat died instantly. No one on the bus was injured. {This is what I recall. The facts might be a little off, but not much}

Statistics

According to The Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) who conducted a study on 293 fatal crashes involving all types of buses in 2008, school buses are among the safest. Here's the breakdown of figures involving school buses from that study:

School buses were the most common operator type of vehicle studied at more than 39 percent of the total pool. The number of school buses involved in fatal crashes rose 7.5 percent to 120 in 2008 from 111 the year prior, and school buses accounted for 40 percent of all fatalities. About 50 percent of the fatal bus crashes occurred from 6 a.m. to 8:59 a.m., or from 2 p.m. to 4:59 p.m., primarily involving school buses due to the hours school is in session.

This seems like a high number of crashes involving school buses, but Daniel Blower, the director of the Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics at (UMTRI), was quick to point out that "it should not be assumed that the greater amount of school bus crashes mean that school buses are less safe than other types of buses. In fact, he said the opposite is true as the school bus fatality figures are an 'artifact of exposure.'" There are simpler more school buses lumbering through the streets of our cities than any other type of bus.

This article from June 2011 and the source for the above information on the study conducted by UMTRI can be found here.

School Bus Standards

So, the question becomes, to what standard are the drivers of these big yellow giants held? While each state has its own set of laws regulating school bus drivers, I examined MN's laws on this subject. Some of the provisions are regulated by federal law, which means it would be the same for each state. For the most part, the laws from state to state will be similar on this subject.

Here are the basics for MN:

• Driver's License Requirements:
  • The minimum age for a school bus driver is 18 years old;
  • Generally, a commercial driver's license (CDL) with a school bus endorsement and passenger endorsement is require, with a few exceptions;
  • Driver's licenses are verified annually for each school bus driver.
• Seatbelt Requirements:
  • Passenger seat belts are not required to be installed in large school buses. School buses can be equipped with an approved seat belt assembly. Federal safety standards require certain A-I school buses to be manufactured with a lap belt or lap and shoulder belt.
  • If a school bus does have seat belts, the passengers must use them, but students can be opted out of this provision by submitting a written document stating such.
  • Use of child restraints is required when transporting children in Type III vehicles and Head Start Vehicles.
• Drug & Alcohol Testing/Physical Exams:
  • A physical exam is required for those who have a CDL with a school bus endorsement and who operate Type A-I school buses; and for those whose only duty is to transport students in a Type III vehicle.
  • The exam must be administered every 2 years;
  • Federal law required that driver who have a CDL must be tested for drugs and alcohol during pre-employment screenings {controlled substances only}, randomly, due to reasonable suspicion, when returning to duty, as a follow-up to a positive screen and after an accident;
  • District or transport contractor policies may include drug testing, but it's not required under state law for Type A-I bus drivers.
• Background Checks:
  • All new or renewing CDL applications with a school bus endorsement must have a background check run. This means a criminal history check and a driving record check in the state.
  • A national criminal history check must be run if the person applying has lived in the state of MN less than 5 years.
  • A background check is also required for Type A-I drivers who do not have school bus endorsements on their licenses.
  • Additional checks can be run if deemed appropriate by the Department of Public Safety;
  • Background checks will be conducted every 4 years.
• Training (Drivers & Students)
  • Drivers must be trained in:
    • safe operation of the school bus;
    • traffic laws, rules of the road, etc.;
    • emergency situations;
    • dealing with students; and
    • safety procedures for loading and unloading passengers.
  • Students must be trained in:
    • School bus safety;
    • School bus rules; and
    • Entering and exiting the school bus safely
• Loss of Driving Privileges:    
  • Cancellation of School Bus Endorsement for 5 Years:
    • Conviction of DWI violation (Not while operating a school bus);
  • Disqualifying Offenses Permanently Cancelling School Bus Endorsement:
    • Any felony offense;
    • Certain drug-related violations;
    • Violations of prohibitions relating to minors; and a
    • DWI violation while operating a school bus;
    • Other less serious convictions will cause a loss of license too; see Source below for all.

Source: For these and other provisions regarding school bus drivers in MN, click here.

The Scoop

Next week, I'm going to discuss cyberbulling as it pertains to students, but school buses are often the site of old-fashioned physical and mental bullying. School bus drivers are often unaware of this happening on the bus, as they maneuver through traffic, dropping off kids and keeping their schedules. Before school starts up again, make sure to read or re-read my posts on bullying as a reminder about these issues and remedies {see links below}.

If you, like me, don't know the difference between a Type III or A-I bus, here's a guide to School Buses. Over and out...

Anna

You might also like:

We're Not Gonna Take It: Anti-Bullying Laws Leaving Kids Unprotected

Growing Pains: How to Handle Bullying Whether Your Child is Being Bullied or Doing the Bullying

Cyberstalking: Stalking Awareness Month Part IV

 

Comments

[Florida Traffic School]

Parents should Teach their children talk quietly,be courteous to the bus driver and follow the driver’s directions,keep the aisles clear,stay seated for the entire bus ride.

[MJ Norum]

As a school bus driver for the past 23 years, I feel the current law regarding seat belt use on school buses is quite adequate. It would be very difficult to enforce a seat belt law on a regular size school bus. In addition, if the students needed to evacuate the bus, there would be seat belts all over. The children could easily become tangled up in the belts. This could cause great harm. School bus drivers are human beings. We make mistakes, however, we are very well trained to carry the most precious cargo there is.