Notice of Proposed Rule

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education
RULE NO: RULE TITLE
6A-3.0141: Employment of School Bus Operators
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of the rule amendment is to implement required changes to the Basic School Bus Driver Curriculum Instructor manual to ensure the safest, most efficient operators of buses for the transportation of Florida’s public school students. The purpose of the rule amendment is to implement required changes to the Basic School Bus Driver Curriculum Instructor manual to ensure the safest, most efficient operators of buses for the transportation of Florida’s public school students. The intended effect is to ensure that a high level of safety and efficiency is provided by Florida’s public school bus operators.
SUMMARY: The proposed revisions update the Basic School Bus Driver Curriculum Instructor manual for school district trainers by updating procedures on railway crossings, student loading and unloading, and other safety areas.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 1012.45 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1012.45 FS.
A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: March 20, 2007, 9:00 a.m.
PLACE: 400 South Monroe Street, Room LL03, The Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida 32399
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Charlie Hood, Director, Office of School Transportation, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida; (850)245-9924

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

6A-3.0141 Employment of School Bus Operators.

(1) through (3) No change.

(4) Prior to transporting students on a school bus each operator shall meet the following requirements:

(a) No change.

(b) Successfully complete forty (40) hours of preservice training consisting of at least twenty (20) hours of classroom instruction and eight (8) hours of behind-the-wheel training based upon the Department’s Basic School Bus Operator Curriculum, Revised 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. This document may be obtained from the Bureau of Career Development, Department of Education, The Florida Education Center, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, at a cost not to exceed actual production and distribution costs.

(c) through (e) No change.

(5) through (11) No change.

Specific Authority 316.615(3), 1001.02(1), 1006.22, 1012.45 FS. Law Implemented 112.044(3), 322.03(1), (3), 1006.22, 1012.32(2)(a), 1012.45 FS. History–New 8-1-86, Amended 7-5-89, 11-15-94, 4-18-96, 6-24-03, 11-26-06,_______.


NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Charlie Hood, Director, Office of School Transportation, Department of Education
NAME OF SUPERVISOR OR PERSON WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Linda Champion, Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Operations, Department of Education
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: February 12, 2007
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: December 15, 2006