Bill > A1559

Introduced Session

This bill requires that, in addition to any other exam required by law, every driver of a school bus or other vehicle used or operated under contract awarded by a board of education or a private school for the transportation of pupils to and from school to submit to a physical performance test (test). The test is to assess a driver's ability to operate a school bus or other vehicle used to transport pupils. Under the bill, the test is to assess a driver's ability to quickly and efficiently: exit a school bus from the front and back of a school bus; operate a school bus door; operate the clutch and break pedals of a school bus; perform alternate operation between the break and accelerator pedals of a school bus; identify and perform alternate operation between the right side and left side hand controls; drag a weight of at least 125 pounds for at least 30 feet to simulate the evacuation of pupils; and any other physical activity that the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) deems appropriate for the safe operation of a school bus. The bill requires the test to be administered upon each initial issuance, and renewal thereof, of a school bus endrosement in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Chief Administrator of the commission and subject to oversight by the commission. It is the sponsor's intent that the test is to be similar to tests administered to school bus drivers in other states, which include Arizona, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

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Robert Clifton (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee (on 01/14/2020)