La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CXIII-501

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section CXIII-501 - Driver Training Program

A. The application of federal and state minimum safety standards for school buses has been determined to improve the safety of passengers riding school buses within the state. Emphasis in driver training programs has reduced the school bus accident rate in which the school bus driver is at fault. The driver training program must continue to offer a means of educating drivers in safe, economical, and efficient school transportation operations.

B. LEAs, as well as the DOE, shall cooperate in designing and implementing training programs that will continue to develop the driver's potential for safe, accident-free driving.

C. LEAs are authorized to design specific course content for two distinct categories of drivers:

1. full-time and substitute bus drivers who transport students on daily routes to and from school; and

2. activity bus drivers who transport students occasionally to and from school-related activities (athletic events, parades, field trips, etc.).

D. LEAs must ensure that all school bus drivers, including any school board employee who drives a bus on an occasional basis to transport students to and from school activities and any person who is employed by a private entity that has contracted with the school district to provide student transportation services, have attended in-service training not less frequently than once every other school year.

E. Two types of driver training make up the Louisiana School Bus Operator Training. Each LEA must provide pre-service and in-service training for drivers.

1. Pre-service training is designed to develop minimum skills in driver applicants.

2. In-service training is designed to improve skills, attitudes and knowledge of all who drive school buses in the state.

F. In order to ensure safe operation from the onset, all driver trainees must complete the 44-hour pre-service phase of the school bus driver training program. Pre-service certification of school bus drivers shall be through successful completion of the Louisiana School Bus Operator Training course conducted by a certified trainer.

G. Under special circumstances some drivers may be exempted from part of the required training. Examples of exemptions are segments of curriculum regarding:

1. student management and discipline procedures for certified teachers;

2. first aid for first aid teachers;

3. vehicle maintenance for school bus mechanics;

4. transporting students with disabilities; and

5. daily loading/unloading procedures for activity bus drivers.

H. Evaluation of Private Provider Curricula. Curricula developed by private providers for training Louisiana school bus drivers must be submitted to the DOE prior to use for training pre-service drivers. The criteria below will be used by reviewers to evaluate curricula submitted to the DOE for consideration.

1. Does the curriculum include training and topics required in Bulletin 119?

2. Does the curriculum incorporate applicable Louisiana Revised Statutes and BESE policies and procedures detailed in Bulletin 119 or other sources?

3. Does the curriculum content conflict with Louisiana Revised Statutes and BESE policies and procedures detailed in Bulletin 119 or other sources?

4. Does the curriculum content adhere to specifications in R.S. 17:164 or with best practices, as described in the National Congress on School Transportation publication Specifications and Procedures?

5. Does the curriculum adhere to applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards for school buses, as promulgated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation?

6. Does the curriculum comply with regulations for drivers of commercial motor vehicles, as promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation?

7. Is the curriculum appropriate for new trainees with limited driving experience in operating commercial motor vehicles?

8. Are reproducibles or other training materials available for use as handouts for participants?

I. Training and Certification of Private Providers

1. Private providers who wish to conduct pre-service training of Louisiana school bus drivers must comply with the requirement that all school bus drivers in Louisiana receive pre-service certification by successfully completing the Louisiana school bus operator training course conducted by DOE-certified trainers.

2. The DOE will certify qualified private providers to deliver required training to Louisiana bus drivers, provided the curriculum includes the training topics prescribed by the DOE. Private providers trainers must attend and complete the DOE instructor program after the providers curriculum has been evaluated and approved.

J. Drivers who become certified within a year after pre-service training do not have to complete additional in-service training that same school year unless so required by the LEA.

K. Exemptions based on verification of previously completed courses or job-related experiences are approved at the discretion of the LEA.

L. The required 44 hours of pre-service training shall consist of the following three phases and are described in the subsequent Section:

1. classroom instruction (30 hours);

2. vehicle familiarization and operation (behind the wheel) training (4 hours); and

3. on-the-bus training (10 hours).

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CXIII-501

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 25:630 (April 1999), amended LR 36:1468 (July 2010), LR 37:2122 (July 2011), LR 38:749 (March 2012), Amended LR 42230 (2/1/2016).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:158, R.S. 17:160-161, and R.S. 17:164-166.