Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 28 - EDUCATION › Part CXIII - Bulletin 119-Louisiana School Transportation Specifications and Procedures › Chapter 7 - Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance › Section CXIII-701 - Inspection and Maintenance

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				Proper maintenance of student transportation vehicles is vital for a safe,
				efficient, and economical transportation program. Student transportation
				vehicles include district owned school buses, independently owned school buses,
				or other approved vehicles used for transporting students to and from school
				and school-related activities. Each LEA shall adhere to the following
				procedures.
1. All student transportation
				vehicles must be maintained in safe operating condition through a systematic
				preventive maintenance program.
2.
				All student transportation vehicles must be inspected during the months of
				June, July, or August and certified as safe by the appropriate authority prior
				to the beginning of each school session. Re-inspection or more frequent
				inspections of vehicles may be made at the discretion of the LEA.
3. All student transportation vehicles must
				be inspected by an approved Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspection Station during
				December, January, or February of each school year. Re-inspection or more
				frequent inspections of vehicles may be made at the discretion of the
				LEA.
4. Accurate maintenance
				records must be kept for each school vehicle.
5. Student transportation vehicle drivers
				must conduct pre-trip inspections before beginning each trip, whether morning,
				mid-day or afternoon. Inspections must include all items required by the
				current CDL statutes.
6. Any
				defects or deficiencies in the areas listed above that may affect the safety of
				the vehicle's operation or result in its mechanical breakdowns must be reported
				verbally and in writing to the local transportation office and approval must be
				granted to continue operation of the vehicle.
7. A pre-trip inspection checklist designed
				by the LEA must be completed by drivers of all student transportation vehicles
				and maintained in the vehicle until it is filed with the local transportation
				office. Included in the pre-trip check should be an inventory of required
				documents: commercial driver's license, Department of Transportation physical
				verification, proof of vehicle insurance, copy of vehicle registration, student
				roster, seating chart, route description and stop locations (for daily routes),
				emergency telephone numbers, accident report forms, etc.
8. A written report shall be made at the
				completion of each trip or tour of duty regarding any defect, deficiency,
				malfunction or questionable performance of a student transportation
				vehicle.
9. A trip inspection must
				be conducted after each trip or individual run to check for passengers,
				equipment, medication, etc., that may have been left on the bus.
10. LEAs shall develop and provide pre-trip
				and post-trip inspection report forms to all school bus drivers and develop a
				system for collection and evaluation of the data.