Transportation Safety Systems and Environmental Protections

This bill would require, on or before the beginning of the 2018–19 school year, school buses, school pupil activity buses, except as provided, youth buses, and child care motor vehicles to be equipped with a “child safety alert system,” which is a device located at the interior rear of a vehicle that requires the driver to either manually contact or scan the device before exiting the vehicle, thereby prompting the driver to inspect the entirety of the interior of the vehicle before exiting.

A statewide regulation limits school bus idling and other idling at or near public and private schools engaged in the education of pupils at or below the 12th grade level, regardless of fuel type and whether or not children are present or school is in session (13 CCR 2480). When at School, school bus, transit bus, and commercial motor vehicle drivers are required to turn off the engine upon arriving at a school, and restart it no more than 30 seconds before departing. When Within 100 Feet of a School, school bus drivers are required to turn off the engine when within 100 feet of a school, and restart it no more than 30 seconds before departing. Transit buses and commercial motor vehicles are prohibited from idling for more than 5 minutes. Other Locations Beyond 100 Feet of a School, school bus drivers are prohibited from idling more than 5 minutes at locations beyond schools, such as school bus stops, or school activity destinations. In addition, another regulation that applies to commercial diesel vehicles prohibits idling a vehicle’s engine for more than 5 minutes at any location (13 CCR 2485).

The governing board of a local educational agency that provides for the transportation of pupils shall adopt procedures that limit the operation of school buses when atmospheric conditions reduce visibility on the roadway to 200 feet or less during regular home-to-school transportation service. Operational policies for school activity trips shall give school bus drivers discretionary authority to discontinue school bus operation if the driver determines that it is unsafe to continue operation because of reduced visibility.