Bill > S828

This bill aims to significantly enhance school bus safety by requiring the Secretary of Transportation to implement several key safety measures within one year of enactment. The bill mandates that school buses weighing over 10,000 pounds be equipped with 3-point safety belts at each seating position, install fire suppression systems to address engine fires, and improve firewalls to prevent flames from passing between engine and passenger compartments. Additionally, the bill requires school buses to be outfitted with advanced safety technologies including automatic emergency braking systems, event data recorders, and electronic stability control systems. The legislation also calls for more rigorous driver training, requiring at least 8 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction with a licensed instructor, and mandates studies on motion-activated detection systems to identify pedestrians and bicyclists near the bus and safety belt alert systems. To support these improvements, the bill establishes a grant program to help local educational agencies purchase or modify school buses with these new safety features, with funding to be appropriated as necessary. The bill also addresses the potential health risks of driver fatigue by requiring a final rule on screening for obstructive sleep apnea among safety-sensitive transportation personnel.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/828/all-info