(a)An applicant for a school bus endorsement shall satisfy the following requirements:
(1)Pass the knowledge and skills test for obtaining a passenger vehicle endorsement.
(2)Have knowledge covering the following topics, at minimum:
(A)Loading and unloading children, including the safe operation of stop signal devices, external mirror systems, flashing lights, and other warning and passenger safety devices required for school buses by State or federal law or regulation.
(B)Emergency exits and procedures for safely evacuating passengers in an emergency.
(C)State and federal laws, rules, and regulations related to traversing safely highway rail grade crossings.
(D)A skills test in a school bus of the same vehicle group as the applicant will operate. As used in this subdivision (a)(2)(
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(a) An applicant for a school bus endorsement shall satisfy the following requirements:
(1) Pass the knowledge and skills test for obtaining a passenger vehicle endorsement.
(2) Have knowledge covering the following topics, at minimum:
(A) Loading and unloading children, including the safe operation of stop signal devices, external mirror systems, flashing lights, and other warning and passenger safety devices required for school buses by State or federal law or regulation.
(B) Emergency exits and procedures for safely evacuating passengers in an emergency.
(C) State and federal laws, rules, and regulations related to traversing safely highway rail grade crossings.
(D) A skills test in a school bus of the same vehicle group as the applicant will operate. As used in this subdivision (a)(2)(D), “school bus” may include a “multifunction school activity bus” as defined in section 1287 of this title.
(b) On or before September 30, 2005, the Department of Motor Vehicles may waive the skills test required in subdivision (a)(1) of this section for an applicant who:
(1) is currently licensed, has experience operating a school bus, and has a good operating record; or
(2) certifies, and whose certification is verified by the Department, that, during the two-year period immediately prior to applying for the school bus endorsement, the applicant:
(A) held a valid commercial driver’s license with a passenger endorsement to operate a school bus representative of the group the applicant will be operating;
(B) has not had his or her operator’s license or commercial driver’s license suspended, revoked, or cancelled or been disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle;
(C) has not been convicted of any offense that would require disqualification under section 4116 of this title or 49 C.F.R. § 383.51(b);
(D) has not had more than one conviction for a serious traffic violation, as defined in section 4103 of this title, while operating any type of motor vehicle;
(E) has not had any conviction for a violation of state or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control, other than a parking violation, arising in connection with any crash;
(F) has not been convicted of any motor vehicle traffic violation that resulted in a crash; and
(G) has been regularly employed as a school bus driver, has operated a school bus representative of the group the applicant seeks to operate, and provides evidence of such employment. (Added 2005, No. 37, § 10; amended 2015, No. 50, § 10; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 254; 2021, No. 76, § 26; 2021, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 432, eff. July 1, 2022; 2025, No. 18, § 46, eff. May 13, 2025.)