The School Bus Driver Who Drives Your Children
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The school bus driver who drives your children to and from school is a trained and professional commercial driver who must meet stringent State and School District licensing and training requirements. These requirements include:

A driver must must have in his/her possession a valid Minnesota Commercial Driver's License for the class of vehicle operated, or equivalent out-of-state Commercial Driver's License, with a school bus and passenger endorsement. A driver operating an air brake equipped vehicle must not be air brake restricted.

Must be certified by their employer as competent Each contractor must ensure that all drivers operating under this contract possesses competency, by reason of experience and training, to safely operate the type of vehicle and/or specialized equipment required.

Each contractor is responsible for ensuring that all drivers employed on District service have the ability to read and understand uniform traffic signage, school bus instrumentation and warning devices, signs, or markings within the vehicle; have the ability to understand and complete fully and correctly all required reports, including load counts, Incident Report Forms, and Racial/Sexual Harassment Forms; are able to communicate with their students at the level necessary to enforce disciplinary policies, understand emergency situations, and clearly direct student action in an emergency situation; and are able to understand the requirements of state regulations, District Policies, and Transportation Administrative Procedures pertaining to student transportation. Failure to understand a Law, Rule, Policy, or Guideline shall not be accepted as a valid reason for failure to obey, comply, or perform.

Drivers must be totally free from the influence of any prohibited or illegally obtained mood/mind modifying substance. Drivers must be in good physical condition and are expected to be free from the influence of any legally obtained mood/mind modifying substances during the period at least eight hours prior to and while on duty, except for those taken on advise of a physician who has advised the driver that the prescribed medication will not impair his/her driving ability.

The School District shall immediately remove from service, and shall preclude from further service to the District, any driver who is found to have operated a school bus if he/she possesses, is under the influence of, or is using any of the following substances:

1. A narcotic or derivative thereof, except as outlined in section III-F-169.
2. An amphetamine or any formulation thereof, except for those taken on advise of a physician who has advised the driver that the prescribed medication will not impair his/her driving ability.
3. Any illegally obtained or used controlled substance.
4. Any other substance, controlled or uncontrolled, to a degree which renders him/her less than fully capable of safely operating a school bus.

A driver may possess and use of a substance administered to the driver by, or under the instructions of, a licensed physician who has advised the driver that the substance will not affect his/her ability to operate a school bus. However, the School District has the authority to direct questions regarding the safety and ability of a driver who is using medication on the advice of his/her physician to an independent medical authority of the School District's choice as provided in the terms of the contract for transportation services.

In accordance with Minnesota Statute 169.1215, no driver shall operate or have physical control of a school bus under contract to the District with any presence of alcohol in their system. Further, no person operating a school bus under contract to the District shall consume any beverage with alcoholic content within eight (8) hours before going on duty, operating, or having physical control of a school bus nor shall any person consume any beverage with alcoholic content, or be under the influence of, or have possession of, an intoxicating liquor in any amount, while on duty, operating, or in physical control of a school bus operating under this contract.

Any driver found in violation of these provisions shall be immediately removed from, and prohibited from, further service in the District. The District Transportation Department will immediately notify the Saint Paul Police of any driver found to be operating in an alcohol impaired condition and shall pursue full prosecution of such a driver.

Any driver operating on District service who refuses to test when requested to do so by a police officer, or refuses to test when requested to do so by his/her employer when probable cause exists under s.94CFR, shall be permanently removed from all service to the District.

Each driver that is assigned to operate a District route transporting special education students, whether as a regular assignment or as a substitute driver, shall be carefully chosen by the contractor after consideration of his/her experience, capabilities, attitude, sensitivity, and ability to deal with the unique requirements and responsibilities of special needs transportation.
 

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