Section 92-91-004 - Operational Procedures004.01Pre-trip Vehicle Inspections. Designated pupil transportation personnel or designated personnel of the employer shall perform a pre-trip inspection prior to placing the vehicle in service and shall promptly report in writing to the school administrator or person designated by the local school governing board any defects or deficiencies discovered that may affect the operational safety of the vehicle or result in its mechanical breakdown. The pre-trip inspection procedures require the conduction of both stationary and operating inspections. The inspection shall be conducted according to the procedures in Appendix C. 004.01A For purposes of this Section, a "trip" means the transportation from one predetermined destination to another with students on board. A new trip occurs whenever an hour or more expires before the next trip. 004.02Post-Trip Check. Pupil transportation vehicle drivers shall conduct an interior walk-through inspection for students that may remain on a school s bus, and a visual inspection for students that may remain in a small vehicle, at the end of each route or activity trip. 004.03Safe Stops for Loading and Unloading Children. No school bus shall stop to load or unload pupils unless there is at least four hundred (400) feet of clear vision in each direction of travel (Section 60-6,175(3) R.R.S.). 004.03A When a school bus is (a) parked in a designated school bus loading area which is out of the flow of traffic and which is adjacent to a school site or (b) parked on a roadway which possesses more than one lane of traffic flowing in the same direction and which is adjacent to a school site, the bus driver shall engage only the hazard warning flasher lights when receiving or discharging pupils if a school bus loading area warning sign is displayed. Such signs shall not be directly attached to any school bus but shall be free standing and placed at the rear of a parked school bus or line of parked school buses. No school district shall utilize a school bus loading area warning sign unless such sign complies with the requirements of Section 60-6,176 R.R.S.004.03B The following procedure shall be followed by the pupil transportation vehicle driver when controlling traffic with a school bus during the process of loading and unloading: 004.03B1 Use rearview mirror system to check all traffic. 004.03B2 Reduce the school bus speed with minimal brake usage and without greatly interrupting the flow of traffic. 004.03C Activate the school bus flashing yellow warning signal lights: 004.03C1 Not less than 500 feet or more than 1,000 feet from the bus stop in any area outside the corporate limits of any city or villager; or 004.03C2 At least 300 feet and not more than 600 feet from the bus stop within the corporate limits of any city or village. 004.03D During the stopping process, the pupil transportation vehicle shall allow sufficient area to the right of the bus so that children and other passengers may clear the bus safely. 004.03E After the school bus has stopped, the pupil transportation vehicle driver shall: 004.03E1 Place the transmission in "Park", and if there is no "Park" shift point, place the transmission in "Neutral" and set the parking brake at each stop;004.03E2 Check to see if traffic is able to stop, activate the alternating flashing red signal lamps, and extend stop arm; 004.03E3 Check to see if road is clear in both directions or that all traffic is stopped. When the road is clear and all traffic has stopped, open door to load and unload children and other passenger; 004.03E4 Require that when the children and other passengers have left the bus, they walk to a distance of approximately twelve (12) feet in front of the bus before crossing the roadway;004.03E5 When children and other passengers are safely across the road, or on their way home, the pupil transportation vehicle driver shall close the door, ensure all passengers are seated, retract stop arm, turn off alternately flashing warning lights, check the traffic and proceed. All passengers shall remain seated while the bus is in motion.004.04Railroad Crossing Procedure. The following sequence of actions apply to all drivers of school buses, activity buses, and Multi-Function School Activity Buses (MFSAB), either loaded or unloaded, during the process of approaching and crossing railroad tracks except at any such crossing where a police officer or a traffic control flagman (railroad employee) directs traffic to proceed: 004.04A Approach the tracks with caution and decelerate the vehicle;004.04B Activate the hazard warning flasher lights at a distance of not less than 200 feet from the nearest railroad track; 004.04C Stop the bus within 50 feet, but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail, Place the transmission in "Park, and if there is no "Park" shift point, place in "Neutral" and press down on the service brake or set the parking brakes; 004.04D Command the cooperation of passengers in an effort to provide maximum quietness;004.04E After quietness has been achieved, open the service door and driver's window, listen and look in both directions along such track for any approaching train and for signals indicating the approach of a train; 004.04F If no train is approaching, proceed in a gear low enough to permit crossing the tracks without having to shift gears (vehicles with automatic transmissions should put the transmission in the drive gear); 004.04F1 When two (2) or more tracks are to be crossed, do not stop unnecessarily a second time unless the rear bumper of the school bus is completely clear of the first track and has at least 15 feet clearance in front and at least 15 feet clearance from the track to the rear.004.04G Railroad tracks shall not be crossed unless absolutely certain there would be at least 15 feet of clearance from the rear bumper of the school bus to the nearest rail should the bus need to stop after crossing the railroad tracks; and 004.04H Deactivate warning hazard lights after the bus completely crosses the railroad tracks. 004.05Emergency Evacuation Drill Procedure. At least twice during each school year, each pupil who is transported in a school bus shall be instructed in safe riding practices and participate in emergency evacuation drills conducted by a pupil transportation vehicle driver who is Qualified to operate a school bus. The emergency evacuation drill procedure will be conducted according Appendix B. The chief administrative officer or chairperson of the board of education representing a public school district or the chief administrative officer or chairperson of the governing authority representing any nonpublic school shall annually certify, a verification statement, to the Department of Education that the evacuation drills required pursuant to this Section have been conducted. Such verification statement shall be sent to the Department of Education no later than June 30. 004.06Accident Procedures and Prevention004.06A The following procedures shall be observed by a pupil transportation vehicle driver in the case of an accident involving a pupil transportation vehicle: 004.06A1 Stop the vehicle immediately; 004.06A2 Remain at the scene of the accident and render reasonable assistance to any person injured in the accident;004.06A3 Make certain all pupils are in a safe place away from traffic and that pupils are not permitted to leave the assigned area without permission; 004.06A4 Notify the law enforcement agency immediately and inform the school administrator and request medical assistance; 004.06A5 Obtain the names, license numbers, registration numbers, location, time, road and weather conditions that are accurately written down; 004.06A6 Set three flares or reflectors to warn traffic as follows: 004.06A6a On the traffic side of the vehicle, within ten (10) feet of the rear corner to mark the location of the vehicle. 004.06A6b On the shoulder of the road or in the lane the vehicle is stopped in, about 100 feet behind and ahead of the vehicle. (See Appendix A, Figure 1) 004.06A6c Back beyond any hill, curve, or other obstruction that prevents other drivers from seeing the vehicle within 500 feet. (See Appendix A, Figure 2) 004.06A6d If the vehicle must stop on or by a one-way, or divided highway, place flares or reflectors 10 feet, 100 feet, and 200 feet toward the approaching traffic. 004.06A7 Provisions shall be made for transporting pupils to their homes or to school as determined by local school policy. 004.06A8 The driver of any pupil transportation vehicle, which is in any manner involved in an accident within the state, in which any person is killed or injured, or in which damage to an apparent extent in excess of $1,000.00 is sustained to the property of any one person, including such driver shall within ten (10) days report the matter in writing on prescribed forms to the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. 004.06BProcedures for Other Accidents. When a pupil transportation vehicle driver approaches a scene of an accident in which the pupil transportation vehicle is not involved and no other assistance is available, the vehicle driver shall stop, put on four (4)-way flashers to warn approaching traffic and determine the necessity of being of assistance, provide reasonable assistance and thereafter immediately continue on the route schedule. 004.07Additional Pupil Transportation Vehicle Operating Regulations004.07ASpeed Limits. The maximum pupil transportation vehicle speed limit shall be as posted or as otherwise provided by applicable laws or ordinances; however, speed should be governed by reasonable individual judgment and existing operating conditions. 004.07BConvoy Distance. A pupil transportation vehicle shall not follow another vehicle within 475 feet when traveling outside the corporate limits of a town or city. The preceding is not intended to prevent a pupil transportation vehicle from passing another motor vehicle. 004.07CTobacco Products. Smoking and/or the use of any tobacco product in a pupil transportation vehicle shall be prohibited at all times. 004.07DBacking. The driver of a school, activity, or coach bus owned and operated by a school shall not drive backwards on the school grounds unless the rear of the bus is observed and directed by a second responsible person. The driver of any pupil transportation vehicle shall not back such vehicle on any roadway unless such movement can be made with safety and without interfering with other traffic. 004.07ETowing. Pupil transportation vehicles shall not be operated with a trailer or other vehicle attached while children are being transported. 004.07FOccupant Protection Systems. The transportation vehicle driver shall be required to wear lap/shoulder belts whenever the vehicle is in motion. When occupant protection systems/lap belts are provided in the pupil transportation vehicle, passengers shall wear the occupant protection system. Children up to the age of eight (8) years of age shall use Federally-approved child passenger restraint systems as required by Section 60-6,267 R.R.S. 004.07GHourly Driving Limitation. It shall be unlawful for any person operating a pupil transportation vehicle to be or remain on duty for a longer period than sixteen (16) consecutive hours. When any person operating a pupil transportation vehicle shall have been continuously on duty for sixteen (16) consecutive hours, he or she shall be relieved and not be permitted or required to again go on duty without having at least ten (10) consecutive hours off duty, and no such driver, who has been on duty sixteen (16) hours in the aggregate in any twenty-four (24) hour period, shall be required or permitted to continue or again go on duty without having had at least eight (8) consecutive hours off duty. 004.07G1 For purposes of this Section, "on duty" means time spent doing any of the following: driving, loading, unloading, or supervising or assisting in loading or unloading persons or property from or into vehicles, or repairing, inspecting or otherwise attending to a vehicle or its passengers. 004.07G2 When transportation of pupils is subject to the hourly driving limitation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR Part 395), then such requirements shall govern. 004.07HSeating. Seating shall be provided that will permit each occupant to sit in a seat as intended by the manufacturer. Neither the manufacturer's rated seating capacity nor the manufacturer's gross vehicle weight (GVW) shall be exceeded at any time the pupil transportation vehicle is in motion. In addition, the aisle and exit and entry areas shall be clear and unobstructed while the pupil transportation vehicle is in motion. Routing and seating plans shall be coordinated so as to eliminate standees when a school vehicle is in motion. There shall be no auxiliary seating accommodations such as temporary or folding jump seats in pupil transportation vehicles. If permanent seats are removed or added to a pupil transportation vehicle, such installation shall be completed by the dealer or manufacturer. 004.07IUse of Strobe Light. The white flashing strobe light shall be used only in adverse weather conditions, when the pupil transportation vehicle is in distress or to enhance the visibility of the pupil transportation vehicle when barriers inhibit such visibility. 004.07JUse of Headlights. Pupil transportation vehicles shall operate with headlights on at all times. 004.07KSmall Vehicles Used on Routes. When a small vehicle is used to transport students on a route, the driver shall pull off the road into a driveway, parking lot, or other appropriate safe location prior to loading and unloading students. 004.07LUse of Handheld Wireless Communication Device. Drivers shall not use a handheld wireless communication device to read written communication, type written communication, or send written communication while operating pupil transportation vehicles. If the use of a handheld wireless communication device whether for written or verbal communication, is necessary, the driver shall pull the pupil transportation vehicle off of the road of before using this device. (This does not preclude the use of a two-way communication device required by 92 NAC 92-subsection 005.11.) 004.07MLeaving Pupil Transportation Vehicle with Passengers on Board. Unless a running engine is required to operate a power lift or ramp (see 92 NAC 92-007.07), drivers of pupil transportation vehicles shall not leave a pupil transportation vehicle when passengers are on board unless the vehicle is parked in a safe location, the engine is in the off position, the keys have been removed and in the possession of the driver.92 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 91, § 004
Amended effective 7/1/2019