2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 14 - Motor Vehicles. Use of the Highway by Vehicles. Gasoline › Chapter 248 - Vehicle Highway Use › Section 14-280. - Display of signs and signals by school bus and student transportation vehicle. Portable signs. Penalty.

(a)(1) When a school bus is used for any purpose other than the transportation of children to and from schools or school activities, private or public camps or any other activities for which groups of children are transported, the special signals normally used when so engaged shall be left unused or disconnected.
(2) Any student transportation vehicle when engaged in the transportation of children to and from private or public camps or the transportation exclusively of children to activities, except school activities, may display a sign or signs, as described in subsection (b) of this section. Any motor vehicle, other than a registered school bus, not owned by a public, private or religious school, or under contract to such school, when engaged in the transportation of school children to and from school or school activities, may display a sign or signs, as described in subsection (b) of this section.
(3) Any student transportation vehicle, when engaged in the transportation of school children to and from school or school activities, shall display a sign or signs, as described in subsection (b) of this section, except a student transportation vehicle, when engaged in the transportation of students aged eighteen to twenty-one, inclusive, who, as part of an individualized education program, are participating in community-based transition services, may display a sign or signs, as described in subsection (b) of this section.
(4) Any portable signs, as described in subsection (b) of this section, that are permitted or required under this section may be removed or covered when the vehicle is not being used for the purposes requiring or allowing the use of such signs as specified in this section.
(b) The sign or signs permitted or required under subsection (a) of this section may be portable signs securely mounted on the roof or decal or painted signs, either of which shall be placed at a height of at least four feet and shall display the wording “CARRYING SCHOOL CHILDREN” in black lettering at least three inches high on yellow background visible to operators of vehicles approaching from front and rear. The words “Stop” or “Stop on signal” shall not be used. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 establishing standards for the construction and attachment of such portable signs.
(c) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, for a first offense, be deemed to have committed an infraction, and for each subsequent offense shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars.
(1955, S. 1324d; 1959, P.A. 418, S. 1; P.A. 79-331, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-172, S. 15; P.A. 82-223, S. 24; P.A. 83-577, S. 29; P.A. 89-320, S. 5, 12; P.A. 90-112, S. 6, 14; P.A. 11-213, S. 42; P.A. 14-130, S. 28; P.A. 17-79, S. 16.)
History: 1959 act included transportation of children to other than school activities; P.A. 79-331 divided section into subsections, clarified provisions re use of portable signs and specified wording of signs; P.A. 81-172 allowed for decal or painted signs on vehicles transporting school children in addition to portable signs mounted on the roof and reduced required size of lettering “CARRYING SCHOOL CHILDREN” from four to three inches; P.A. 82-223 added Subsec. (c) specifying the penalties for a first and subsequent violation; P.A. 83-577 amended Subsec. (c) by deleting the provision specifying the fine for an infraction is not less than $25 nor more than $90; P.A. 89-320 amended Subsec. (b) to require that portable signs be securely mounted on roof and that commissioner adopt regulations establishing standards for construction and attachment of portable signs; P.A. 90-112 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute “student transportation vehicle” for reference to motor vehicle, other than a registered school bus; P.A. 11-213 amended Subsec. (a) to delete requirement to cover identifying lettering on bus when used for purposes other than transportation of children, to limit requirement to remove or cover signs to “portable” signs and to rephrase existing provisions, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 14-130 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “shall” with “may” re removing or covering portable signs, effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 17-79 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing provisions re school bus, student transportation vehicle transporting children to camps or activities, student transportation vehicle transporting children to school or school activities and portable signs as Subdivs. (1) to (4), respectively, and amending Subdiv. (3) by adding provision re exception to signage display for student transportation vehicle transporting students aged 18 to 21 in an individualized education program, effective July 1, 2017.
See Sec. 14-107 re liability of owner, operator or lessee of vehicle.