Missouri Code of State Regulations
Title 5 - DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Division 30 - Division of Financial and Administrative Services
Chapter 261 - Pupil Transportation
Section 5 CSR 30-261.010 - Requirements for the Operation of School Buses

1. A listing shall be made of pupils regularly transported on each board of education's approved routes on the second Wednesday of the month for the months of October and February.

2. The school district listing of pupils regularly transported by route must be signed and maintained by the superintendent of the schools or an appointed designee.

1. Be in good physical and mental health;

2. Undergo a biennial physical examination by a medical examiner who is licensed, certified, and/or registered, in accordance with applicable Missouri laws and regulations, to perform physical examinations to determine whether they meet the requirements of section 302.272, RSMo, and present a signed physical examination certificate that they, in the medical examiner's judgment, meet or exceed those requirements to the employer. The term medical examiner includes, but is not limited to, doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathy, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, and doctors of chiropractic. For new drivers, such statement shall be on file prior to the driver's initial operation of a school bus. A school bus driver whose ability to safely operate a school bus has been impaired by a physical or mental injury or disease, as determined by the public school district board of education, must submit a release by the attending physician prior to resuming school bus operation; and

3. Undergo testing for drug and alcohol use/abuse, in compliance with laws.

1. Observe carefully all signs, signals, and rules of the road as provided by the Missouri Motor Vehicle Laws;

2. Follow these loading and unloading procedures:

3. Perform and prepare written documentation of the daily pre-trip inspection which is to be submitted to the transportation administrator. Pretrip inspection of vehicle shall include brakes, steering components, lights, signaling devices, emergency door, tires, and safety equipment, as a minimum. Any defects or deficiencies that may affect the safety of vehicle operation or result in mechanical breakdown shall be reported immediately in writing and driver shall not operate school bus until the defect or deficiency has been corrected;

4. Activate the prewarning amber flashing lights if a school bus stop must be made in close proximity to the crest of a hill or on curves with limited sight distance, approximately one hundred feet (100') before passing the crest so that vehicles following to the rear shall be made aware the bus is preparing to stop for the purpose of loading or unloading pupils;

5. Assume control of all children while they are being transported requiring respectable and orderly behavior from them. Particular attention should be given to the care and protection of the younger pupils. Any continued disorderly conduct should be reported to the proper school authorities;

6. Not back school bus on school grounds unless rear is guarded by school patrol or adult and driver is advised that the way is clear. Backing the bus at any time shall be avoided if at all possible;

7. Follow these procedures when a school bus is disabled:

8. Keep inside of vehicle clean and comfortable at all times;

9. Keep lettering and lights on front and rear of bus clean so that all markings are clearly visible;

10. Keep service door closed at all times when bus is in motion;

11. Not leave a loaded bus while motor is running;

12. Fill the fuel tank only when there are no children in the bus;

13. Not allow animals on the school bus except for seeing eye dogs or other specially trained animals necessary to furnish special education services for students with disabilities to comply with applicable state law and regulations;

14. Not allow weapons or explosive material on the school bus;

15. Not allow items on the school bus to protrude into or block the aisle or be left in the driver or emergency exit areas;

16. Make and promptly file all daily, weekly, and monthly reports which may be required;

17. Use seat belt whenever the bus is in motion;

18. Not drive any school bus for more than:

19. Illuminate headlights whenever students are being transported;

20. Not use tobacco products at any time in the school bus; and

21. Not operate a school bus while under the influence of intoxicants, narcotics, or drugs.

1. Eligible miles. Those actual regular school term and handicapped miles traveled from where the bus is kept at night until it returns to the same location after the pupils have been returned home, as long as it is used only to transport vocational students and K-12 pupils to and from school at the beginning and ending of the regular school day, are eligible for state transportation aid.

2. Ineligible miles. All actual miles that are driven for any purpose other than transporting K-12 students to or from school during the school term are ineligible for state transportation aid. Regular summer school routes, non-handicapped early childhood routes, field trips, athletic trips, maintenance miles and other extracurricular activity trips are examples of ineligible miles. Miles traveled to rerun a route or part of a route to transport students participating in before- or after-school activities or training are also ineligible miles. All ineligible miles shall be recorded and subsequently reported on the application for state transportation aid.

3. School bus route. A bus route begins when a bus leaves a point (home, school, and the like) empty and proceeds on a predetermined route, picking up pupils and then traveling to a school(s) until the bus is empty; and returning the pupils to a designated point after school. If more than one (1) route is run by the same bus, each additional route begins when the bus is empty after discharging all the pupils from a previous route and proceeds along another predetermined route, picking up pupils and discharging all of them at their attendance center(s) and returning them home.

1. Criteria for determining routes:

2. Safety considerations for establishing school bus routes:

3. Administrative policy shall be adopted by the public school district board of education which describes the criteria, safety considerations and routing standards school officials must use when establishing or modifying school bus routes. Examples of administrative policy components include but are not limited to:

4. School districts which transport nonresident pupils not legally assigned or through an interdistrict contract shall not claim any additional miles as eligible miles and the pupils shall be reported as ineligible pupils.