Pupil Transportation

Education Law



§  3623-a.  Allowable  transportation  expense. For the computation of

  transportation aid pursuant to the requirements of subdivision seven  of

  section  thirty-six hundred two of this article and this part, allowable

  transportation expense shall include expenditures  for  aidable  regular

  transportation  as defined in section thirty-six hundred twenty-two-a of

  this part, provided that such expense shall be  limited  to expenditure

  items  listed  in  subdivision  one  of  this  section as transportation

  operating  expense  and  in  subdivision  two of  this section   as

  transportation capital, debt service and lease expense.

    1.   Transportation operating expense shall  include base  year

  expenditures for the following,  provided that such transportation

  operating expense shall meet the requirements set forth in subdivision

  three of this section:

    a. Computerized bus routing services;

    b. Contracting for the transportation of any or all of  the  pupils

  attending  school  in such school district, other than a contract with a

  public service facility for such transportation operated on routes under

  franchise;

    c. The use of public  service  facilities  on  routes  operated  under

  franchise or by a municipality or public authority for any or all of the

  pupils in the district, provided that the allowance for each pupil using

  such  facilities  shall not exceed two single fares a day for such pupil

  multiplied by the number of days which such pupil attends school;

    d. The school district's share of the cost  of  a  regional  or  joint

  transportation system;

    e.   The  following  expenses  for  district  operated  transportation

  systems, including operation of district owned or district leased school

  buses:

    (1) salaries and retirement benefits related to transportation, except

  salaries  and  retirement  benefits for assistant drivers on buses

  transporting nondisabled pupils;

    (2)   employers'  social  security contributions  for transportation

  personnel for whom salaries are allowable;

    (3) health, life and other insurance premiums for transportation

  personnel for whom salaries are allowable;

    (4)  premiums for collision and other insurance coverage for school

  buses;

    (5) uniforms  for  transportation personnel  for  whom  salaries  are

  allowable;

    (6)  costs  incurred by the employer for qualifying criminal history,

  drivers license, or other  required  testing  attributable  to  special

  requirements for drivers of school buses pursuant to state or federal

  law;

    (7) fuel, oil, tires,  chains,  maintenance  and  repairs  for  school

  buses;

    (8) bridge tolls;

    (9) transportation by boat or airplane, because of the location of the

  school  district  in  relation  to  the school which the children of the

  district attend, or required room  and  board  in  connection  therewith

  necessitated because of impassable waters or adverse weather conditions,

  which has been approved by the commissioner;

    (10)  the  consideration  for  the  contract or contracts made for the

  purpose of providing transportation by horse-drawn vehicle or  vehicles,

  if any school district shall be required to provide such transportation;

  and

    (11)  other  expenses for district operated transportation systems, as

  approved pursuant to regulations of the commissioner.

    f. Other transportation operating expenses  as  approved  pursuant  to

  regulations of the commissioner.

    2.  Allowable  transportation  capital, debt service and lease expense

  shall include base year expenditures for:

    a. The purchase of school buses as approved by the commissioner;

    * b. The lease, as approved by the commissioner, of a school bus by  a

  school  district  from  another  school  district,  board of cooperative

  educational services or a  county  vocational  education  and  extension

  board,  or  any  school  bus  leased by a school district from any other

  source under emergency conditions, as determined by the commissioner, or

  any school bus leased by a school district  from  any  other  source  as

  otherwise authorized by this chapter;

    * NB Effective until September 1, 2013

    * b.  The lease, as approved by the commissioner, of a school bus by a

  school district from  another  school  district,  board  of  cooperative

  educational  services  or  a  county  vocational education and extension

  board, or any school bus leased by a  school  district  from  any  other

  source under emergency conditions, as determined by the commissioner;

    * NB Effective September 1, 2013

    c.  The purchase of equipment deemed a proper school district expense,

  including: (i) the purchase of two-way radios to be used on old and  new

  school  buses, (ii) the purchase of stop-arms, to be used on old and new

  school buses, (iii) the purchase and installation of seat  safety  belts

  on  school buses in accordance with the provisions of section thirty-six

  hundred thirty-five-a of this article, (iv) the purchase of  school  bus

  back  up  beepers,  (v)  the purchase of school bus front crossing arms,

  (vi) the purchase  of  school  bus  safety  sensor  devices,  (vii)  the

  purchase  and  installation  of  exterior  reflective  marking on school

  buses, (viii)  the  purchase  of  automatic  engine  fire  extinguishing

  systems  for school buses used to transport students who use wheelchairs

  or other assistive mobility devices, and  (ix)  the  purchase  of  other

  equipment as prescribed in the regulations of the commissioner; and

    d.  Other  transportation  capital, debt service and lease expense, as

  approved pursuant to regulations of the commissioner.

    e.  Any  approved  cost  of  construction,  reconstruction,  lease  or

  purchase  of  a transportation storage facility or site in the amount of

  ten thousand dollars  or  more  shall  be  aidable  in  accordance  with

  subdivision  six  of  section thirty-six hundred two of this article and

  shall not be aidable as transportation expense.

    3. a. The transportation operating expense  for  any  school  district

  furnishing  transportation  for  pupils  attending  a school within such

  district shall be reduced by any moneys received for transportation.

    b. If a district transports nonresident pupils,  moneys  received  for

  such transportation shall also be deducted in calculating transportation

  aid,  provided  that  in  no  case  shall there be any deduction made in

  determining transportation aid on the basis of bus mileage travelled  in

  transporting children pursuant to a contract executed in accordance with

  paragraph h of subdivision twenty-five of section seventeen hundred nine

  of this chapter.

    c.  Where  a  school  district contracts for the transportation of its

  pupils with a contractor and such contract results in the joint  use  of

  one or more school buses with another district or districts contracting,

  independently,  with  the  same contractor, the transportation operating

  expense applicable to such bus or buses for such route or  routes  shall

  be prorated to each district. The total transportation operating expense

  for all districts that are parties to such contract shall not exceed the

  consideration of the contract.

 

Last Updated: August 22, 2012