§ 6-19-119 - School bus passengers required to be seated.

6-19-119. School bus passengers required to be seated.

(a) As used in this section, "school bus" means:

(1) A motor vehicle designed to carry more than ten (10) passengers:

(A) Owned by a public or a governmental agency or a private school and operated for the transportation of students to or from school or school-sponsored activities; or

(B) Privately owned and operated for compensation for the transportation of students to or from school or school-sponsored activities; and

(2) A motor vehicle designed to carry more than twenty-five (25) passengers is exempt from this section if the motor vehicle is:

(A) Owned by a public or a governmental agency or a private school and operated for the transportation of students to or from school-sponsored activities but not used to transport students on any scheduled school bus route; or

(B) Privately owned and operated for compensation under contract to a school district and used for the transportation of students to or from school-sponsored activities.

(b) A school bus driver shall not operate the school bus until every passenger is seated.

(c) (1) The superintendent of each public school in this state is responsible for ensuring that no school bus is scheduled to transport more students than can be reasonably seated in the school bus.

(2) Any superintendent who knowingly violates subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall be guilty of a violation and upon conviction shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100).