Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 6A-3.0141 - Employment of School Bus Operators
(1)
School bus operators are defined as any persons employed or contracted to the
school district to transport prekindergarten through grade 12 students in
school buses as defined in Section
1006.25, F.S.
(2) At the time of initial employment the
school board shall assure that the operator of a school bus meets the following
requirements:
(a) Has five (5) years of
licensed driving experience.
(b)
Has submitted to the superintendent a written application for employment in a
form prescribed by the school board.
(c) Has filed a set of fingerprints for the
purpose of the required background check for determining criminal
record.
(3) Prior to
transporting students on a school bus each operator shall meet the following
requirements:
(a) Hold a valid commercial
driver license with a passenger endorsement and a school bus
endorsement.
(b) Successfully
complete forty (40) hours of preservice training, which must include certified
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid training, and must consist of
at least twenty (20) hours of classroom instruction and eight (8) hours of
behind-the-wheel training. The classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel
training shall be based upon the Department's Basic School Bus Operator
Curriculum, Revised 2021, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13735)
which is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. This
document may be obtained from the School Transportation Management Section,
Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, at
a cost not to exceed actual production and distribution costs.
(c) Demonstrate the ability to prepare
required written reports.
(d) Be
physically capable of operating the vehicle as determined by physical
examination, in accordance with
49 CFR
391.41, as evidenced by the Medical
Examiner's Certificate (Form MCSA-5876) and given by a certified medical
examiner, registered with the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners,
pursuant to 49 CFR
391.43 and as determined by a dexterity test
administered by the school district. Form MCSA-5876 (effective March 2016) is
incorporated by reference (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-06476)
and may be obtained from the School Transportation Management Section, Florida
Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.
The school district shall report dexterity results on Form ESE 480, Dexterity
Test for School Bus Driver (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-06477)
(effective March 2016), which is incorporated in this rule by reference.
Compliance with 49 CFR 391 is required under Section
1012.45, F.S. Form ESE 480 may
be obtained from the School Transportation Management Section, Florida
Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida
32399.
(e) Demonstrate physical and
mental capabilities required to carry out all assigned responsibilities as a
school bus operator.
(4)
Each district school board shall obtain a driver's history record from the
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for each regular school bus
operator, substitute operator, or any other individual certified to drive a
school bus by the district. The schedule for reviewing these records shall be:
(a) Prior to initial employment;
(b) Prior to the first day of the fall
semester;
(c) Thereafter, the
district shall continuously screen operator records using the automated weekly
updates, ensuring proper retrieval documentation for every
week.
(5) Driver history
records shall be requested in a manner prescribed by the Department of Highway
Safety and Motor Vehicles using the agency's Motor Vehicle Operator Tracking
and Reporting System (MOTRS). All school districts shall obtain and review
records for school bus operators using MOTRS. For any operator licensed in
another state, the district shall obtain and review the driver's history record
from the appropriate state.
(6)
Each school district shall establish a school board policy that specifies which
infractions of the traffic code deem an applicant unqualified for employment
and which causes any employee to be subject to a prescribed follow-up action.
At a minimum, this policy shall state that any district school bus operator or
contracted operator who should have known that his or her license has expired
or has been suspended or revoked shall be subject to prescribed disciplinary
measures up to and including dismissal by the school board.
(7) At least annually, the school district
shall assure that the operator of a school bus meets the following
requirements:
(a) The requirements of
paragraph (3)(a) of this rule.
(b)
Successfully complete a minimum of eight (8) hours of inservice training
related to the operator's responsibilities for transporting students, which may
include training hours from the required certified CPR and first aid training,
pursuant to subparagraph
6A-3.0121(2)(b)
3., F.A.C.
(c) Successfully pass a
dexterity test administered by the school district and maintain a valid Medical
Examiners Certificate.
(8) At the time of reemployment, the school
board shall assure that each school bus operator meets all of the requirements
of subsection (2) and paragraphs (3)(a) and (d) of this rule. If not more than
a twelve continuous calendar month break in service has occurred, an operator
shall be required to complete eight (8) hours of inservice training related to
their responsibilities for transporting students prior to driving a school bus
with students. If a period exceeding twelve (12) calendar months has occurred,
the operator shall be required to successfully complete all of the requirements
of subsections (2) through (6) of this rule.
(9) All school bus operators shall be subject
to the Federal requirements of 49 C.F.R., Parts 382 and 391 related to the
substance abuse testing and alcohol detection program.
(10) Notwithstanding the requirements of
paragraph (3)(d) of this rule, a school district may accept a Medical
Examiner's Certificate that specifies a medical variance, waiver or exemption
for a condition existing prior to March 23, 2016, if the school bus operator:
(a) Was employed by a school district on or
before March 23, 2016;
(b) Was
deemed physically capable of operating the vehicle under a prior version of
this rule; and,
(c) Has
demonstrated to the satisfaction of the school district that he or she is
physically capable of operating the vehicle.
Notes
Rulemaking Authority 316.615(3), 1001.02(1), 1006.22, 1012.45 FS. Law Implemented 316.615, 1006.22, 1012.32(2)(a), 1012.45 FS.
New 8-1-86, Amended 7-5-89, 11-15-94, 4-18-96, 6-24-03, 11-26-06, 4-25-07, 3-23-16, 11-29-16, 8-20-19, 11-23-21.
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