Pupil Transportation

Education Law

§  3650.  Comprehensive  school bus driver safety training program. 1.

  The commissioner, in consultation with the  state  comprehensive  school

  bus  driver  safety training council and subject to appropriation by the

  legislature, shall:

    a. Develop a  uniform  and  comprehensive  school  bus  driver  safety

  training  program  for  school  bus drivers transporting students to and

  from school by school bus  including  instruction  to  such  school  bus

  drivers  concerning  the  latest  safety  techniques  using  the  latest

  instructional materials.

    b. Include within the  safety  training  program  the  development  of

  curriculum  and  training materials including a school bus driver safety

  training manual.

    c. Develop and conduct  professional  development  school  bus  driver

 safety training seminars statewide.

    d.  Establish  and  maintain  a  data base containing data relative to

  school bus accidents and fatalities reported within the state.

    e. Engage  the  services  of  consultants  on  a  contract  basis  for

  rendering professional and tactical assistance.

    2.  The  commissioner,  in  consultation  with the state commission on

  quality  care  and  advocacy  for  persons  with   disabilities,   shall

  promulgate  rules  and  regulations  requiring  every  school bus driver

  operating a school bus which has or will have one or more students  with

  a  disability as passengers to receive training and instruction relating

  to the understanding of, and attention to, the  special  needs  of  such

  students.  Such  training  and  instruction  may  be  included  with the

  training and instruction required pursuant to paragraph a of subdivision

  one of this section and shall be provided at least once per year or more

  frequently as determined by the commissioner in  consultation  with  the

  state  comprehensive  school bus driver safety training council. For the

  purposes of this subdivision, the term "student with a disability" shall

  have the same meaning as such term is  defined  in  subdivision  one  of

  section forty-four hundred one of this chapter. Any person employed as a

  school  bus driver on January first, two thousand nine who is subject to

  the provisions of this subdivision shall comply with the requirements of

  this subdivision by July first, two thousand nine. Any school bus driver

  hired after January first, two thousand  nine  who  is  subject  to  the

  requirements  of  this  subdivision  shall  complete  such  training and

  instruction prior to assuming his or her duties.


§  3650-a.  State  comprehensive  school  bus  driver  safety training

  council. 1. There is hereby created and established in the department of

  education a council, to be known as the state comprehensive  school  bus

  driver safety training council.  The council shall advise and assist the

  commissioner  in  the  development and updating of the school bus driver

  safety training program and such other related matters  as  the  council

  and  commissioner shall deem appropriate.  Such council shall consist of

  the commissioner of education as  chair,  the  superintendent  of  state

  police, the commissioner of transportation and the commissioner of motor

  vehicles  and  eight  other  members  to  be  appointed  by the governor

  including the following:

    a. Two members to be appointed upon the recommendation of the  speaker

  of the assembly.

    b.  Two  members  to  be  appointed  upon  the  recommendation  of the

  temporary president of the senate.

    c. One member to be appointed upon the recommendation of the  minority

  leader of the assembly.

    d.  One member to be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority

  leader of the senate.

    2. The members of the council, other  than  the  ex  officio  members,

  shall  serve  for terms of two years. Such terms shall coincide with the

  election of the members of the state legislature and shall  commence  on

  the  fifteenth  day  of January. Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired

  terms in the same manner as the original appointments.

    3. The council shall meet at least semi-annually at the  call  of  the

  chair.  Additional meetings may be called upon at least five days notice

  by the chair or by petition of five members of the council.

    4. No member of the council shall be  disqualified  from  holding  any

  other  public office, nor shall employment be forfeited by reason of the

  member's appointment hereunder, notwithstanding the  provisions  of  any

  general, special or local law, ordinance, county or city charter.

    5.  Each  member of the council shall receive reimbursement for actual

  and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

    6. The council shall, during its first year,  consider  and  may  make

  recommendations on the following issues:

    a. inclement weather procedures;

    b. emergency school bus evacuation techniques;

    c. safety equipment training;

    d. promotion of public safety;

    e. unauthorized boarding of buses; and

    f. services for students with disabilities.

    7. The council shall make, on or before January first of each year, an

  annual  report of its activities and such recommendations as it may deem

  appropriate to the board of regents concerning school bus driver  safety

  training programs.


§  3650-b.  Drivers  and  instructors;  training  and safety. 1.   The

  commissioner shall establish training and safety technique  requirements

  for  school  bus  drivers and school bus safety training instructors and

  shall make rules and regulations implementing  such  requirements  on  a

  statewide basis.

    2.  The  commissioner  shall  prepare and distribute school bus driver

  safety training manuals to each school district. Such  manual  shall  be

  periodically  updated  and  shall  provide  the framework for continuing

  school bus safety education programs for school districts.

    3.  Every school district shall certify to the commissioner  that  its

  school  bus  drivers  have  successfully completed the school bus driver

  safety training program established pursuant to the provisions  of  this

  article  and  shall  make  an  annual  report to the commissioner on the

  implementation and effectiveness of the program.  Each  school  district

  shall  have  the  option of having its employees certified as school bus

  driver  safety  training  instructors  or  contracting  with   certified

  instructors to provide such training to the district.

    4.  The  commissioner,  in consultation with the commissioner of motor

  vehicles, shall establish a certification program for school bus  driver

  safety training instructors.


§ 3650-c. Accident report data base. The commissioner, in consultation

  with  the  commissioner of motor vehicles, shall establish an electronic

  data file containing accident reports relating to school buses.