8600.04 - BUS DRIVER CERTIFICATION

Parma City Schools

Bylaws & Policies

8600.04 - BUS DRIVER CERTIFICATION
It is the policy of the Board of Education that all bus drivers obtain and hold proper certification under standards for school bus drivers established within the Ohio Revised Code. It is also the purpose of this Board to protect its students from drivers whose certification is invalidated by the Ohio Point Law or point standards of this District.

A copy of each new school bus driver's abstract driver record for at least the prior seven (7) year period must be obtained from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles prior to allowing the school bus driver to operate a school bus or school van for the first time. In addition, the Superintendent shall request the administrator in charge of transportation to conduct a semi-annual review of each school bus driver's abstract driver record through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (or Ohio Department of Education) to determine that such drivers have:

	A.	no more than six (6) points within the last twenty-four (24) month period;
	B.	no six (6) point violations during the last seven (7) year period;
	C.	not been convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or a controlled substance during the past six (6) years;
	D.	not received two (2) (or more) of the following serious traffic violations as defined in R.C. 4506.01(DD)(1) through (DED)(7) during the last twenty-four (24) month period:

		1.	a single charge of any speed in excess of the posted speed limit by fifteen (15) miles per hour or more;
		2.	violation of R.C. 4511.20 (i.e., operation in willful or wanton disregard of the safety of persons or property) or 4511.201 (i.e., operation off street or highway in willful or wanton disregard of the safety of persons or property) or any similar ordinance or resolution, or of any similar law of another state or political subdivision of another state;
		3.	violation of a law of this State or an ordinance or resolution relating to traffic control, other than a parking violation, or of any similar law of another state or political subdivision of another state, that results in a fatal accident;
		4.	violation of R.C. 4506.03 (i.e., commercial driver's license or temporary instruction requirements) or a substantially similar municipal ordinance or county or township resolution, or of any similar law of another state or political subdivision of another state, that involves the operation of a commercial motor vehicle without a valid commercial driver's license with the proper class or endorsement for the specific vehicle group being operated for the passengers or type of cargo being transported;
		5.	violation of R.C. 4506.03 (i.e., commercial driver's license or temporary instruction requirements) or a substantially similar municipal ordinance or county or township resolution, or of any similar law of another state or political subdivision of another state, that involves the operation of a commercial motor vehicle without a valid commercial driver's license being in the person's possession;
		6.	violation of R.C. 4511.33 (i.e., driving in marked lanes) or R.C. 4511.34 (i.e., space between moving vehicles) or any municipal ordinance or county or township resolution substantially similar to either of those sections, or any substantially similar law of another state or political subdivision of another state;
		7.	violation of any other law of this State or ordinance or resolution relating to traffic control, other than a parking violation, that is determined to be a serious traffic violation by the United States Secretary of Transportation and the Director designates such by rule; and

	E.	no railroad crossing violations during the last year (i.e., twelve (12) month period);
	F.	not received any violations that render the bus driver uninsurable by the District's Fleet Insurance Carrier.

The records obtained from the annual records check will be maintained for a minimum of six (6) years.

A driver convicted of a traffic violation which has an assessment of six (6) points (Motor Vehicles Laws of Ohio - Six Point Violations), a driver accumulating more than six (6) points by four (4) or two (2) point violations, or a driver having any of the above-referenced violations will be disqualified from operating a bus. The driver will also be notified that his/her school bus certification will be reviewed by the Superintendent and his/her employment as a school bus driver may be terminated.

However, no school bus driver will be allowed to drive a school bus or school van for a period of seven (7) years after the date of a violation for which six (6) points are assessed.

A driver involved in a preventable school bus accident, or judged guilty of a minor traffic violation, shall be subject to the disciplinary action established in the Superintendent's administrative guidelines.

If a school bus driver has an interruption in driving a school bus or school van for a period of one (1) year or longer, s/he will not be permitted to resume operating a school bus or school van until a copy of the school bus driver's abstract driver record for at least the period since the administrator last obtained the school bus driver's driving record, provided a seven (7) year driving record has been previously obtained. If the administrator has never obtained a seven (7) year driving record, the school bus driver will not be permitted to resume operating a school bus or school van until his/her abstract driver record is obtained for at least the prior seven (7) year period.

R.C. 3327.10, 3327.01 et seq., 4511.01(F), 4511.75 et seq.
A.C. 3301-51-10, 3301-83-01 et seq., 3301-83-05, 3301-83-06
A.C. 3301-83-07

Adopted 4/28/08