**OFFICE OF**  **THE ATTORNEY**  **GENERAL OF**  **TEXAB AUSTIN** 



### Honorable Ernestkina CoontT Attorney El Pa80 Gaunt7 EZI. Paso, Texa8 

### Dear Blrr.OtdM:

dot, where **tha** 

### not contemplate 0bur in 

### perroa, emploferr~uh+are 08 to

### be bonded. aipt of 

### your letter thl6lkpartmat upon

he Weltor Qommon Sohool w 

### for approval,a bur one E. P. ~Samlerson, 

### a6 ~~,COO.OO,

### purporting to 

### -a of theRclrl13etl dtrll

84 to thebona in 

### a eontraatrnt*r*Q demon a& the SahoolBoard, ana from that Sandorronwtll not drive aal bu8 thatper8om wocklng forhlr WI&L s&o01 bus, an well a8 certain6-6 owned by mm, as may be n8eded to tran8port the ohildren. **As** 

### a prrrotiod matter, thi8 inVOlI%a the U80 

### Of tW0 ear8 of Sandereon's,ae well a6 the sohoo~bus, an& Sanderson furnishesthree of hi8 

### aab driver0 **for thle**  work. 

### They are not a party to tire bu8 &=lrera

## 5

%norsble Ernest Guinn, page 2

bend, and the only bnnd vhich he is to furnish Is the one bond signed by hisself. He proposes to me different drivers for thle work.

*It Is my opinion that Article 2667-a oontemlates the execution of a bus drivers bond by each 

### driver vho Is to drive the children to sohool, Irreepectlve of the person or firm vlth whom the oontraot of employnent may be made and that the lev contemplate8 the Trustees knoi&g the pereone who will transport the cklldren.

aFor this rea8on I have refused to approve the bond as handed to me, end advised the Trurtess that I would submit the question to your department for determination.*

It Is the opinion of this Department that you vere right In deollnlng to approve the bond a8 tendered to you. The matter of the 6wffIclenoy of the bond IS fletermiaedby a OOn8tI'UOtIOnOf titIO1e 2687a Of Vernon'6 Annotate& Texas Statutes, vhhiohread8 a8 

### follors:

'Tha tI'U8tee8Of Pny SOhO dl8trICt, OODpoll or independent, making prorlsloazfor the transpartation of pupils to an% from school, shall fcf 6UOh purpoae employ 

### or contraot vlth a responelble perron or **firm** Ao person shall be employed to transport pupils, who is not at leaat twenty-one year8 of age,and a.ooapetent driver of motor vehicle6 and sound in body ana elnd. All motor vehioles operated by 8OhOO1 8lstrIot8, Uireotly or by contract, In the traneportatIon of pupils shall be covered an8 80 glassed or OUrt8l.ned at the sides ana rear a8 to protect the pupils from the inolemenciee of the weather, and shell at all. times be equipped with efflolent lights and brakes. The drivers of e7llsohool transportation vehloles shall be required to give bond for such amOUnt a6 ,the 

### Boardof Trustee6 of the dlstrlot may presorlbe, not less than $2,000.00, payable to the dletrlct, and.cond,ltlonedUpon the faithful and careful discharge of their duties for the proteotion of the pup118 Under their char e snd falth?ul.per?ormanoe of the contract with (said7 School Board; tmd they shell, before crossing

### Xonorable Erneet him, -go S

any **railroad** 

### or InterurbanNiSvay **traOk8,** 

### bring theirvehiolee to a dead atop. Failure to 8top before oro88Ing suahrdlway a8provided **herein** 

### &all forfeit the drivers aoatraatand, In **aaea** 

### of aooldent to **pupil8** 

### or vehialee the **bond** 

### rball be rorreltedanB the~uount and a11 right thereunder **8h&l1** 

### be determinedby a **oourt** 

### Of oompetent Juri8- tllotlon.a

**We**

### think this **rtatute** 

### aontemplaterthat the oontraat 

### driver **i8** 

### the %lriver'who **18** 

### required by the 8ta**tute** 

### to exeaute thebond. fro6 thi8 it 

### further **fOllOW8** 

### that th8 statute OOnte@ates suoh OOntlrOtdriver lhill l atually

operate 

### the rohoolbu8, anb **iok-** 

### these reason8 

### the 8tatutewould 

### hare to 

### be aomplled with to result in 

### a 8tatutorybond.



### It maybe, and probably Ictx~ethatr oontraatdriverwho has exeouted a bontl would in a proper **aeli be**  

### llbble for 

### the negligenae **0s** 

### aa uaboabed l 

### mployea driver, but th18would

### be upon the pr%naiple 41 ooatzmet 

### or aommonlaw liabilitypdd not that 

### of statutorylIabIllt~,

Your8 very truly
**ATTOiMEY** 

### IXWERALOF TEXA8 -., _ 

## 6

**08:Am** 

### APPROVEGJAN 10,1941

Y&+&&&&r-- ATTORNEYGlU:XRAL

02 TUNAS Oo%eflpeer

h8illtULt