3635-C - Standing passengers prohibited.

§  3635-c.  Standing  passengers prohibited. Standing passengers shall  not be carried on school buses  owned  by  or  contracted  to  a  school  district   while   such   vehicles  are  employed  exclusively  for  the  transportation of pupils under the age of twenty-one  and  teachers  and  other  persons  acting  in  a  supervisory capacity to or from school or  school activities, except as provided in subdivision one or two of  this  section:    1.  Standing passengers may be permitted on such a school bus provided  that the number  of  standing  passengers  does  not  exceed  the  limit  established in the following schedule for the applicable time period:        Period:                             Not more than:  Through June 30, 2001                 20% of approved seating capacity  Between July 1, 2001 and              15% of approved seating capacity   June 30, 2002  Between July 1, 2002 and              10% of approved seating capacity   June 30, 2003  Between July 1, 2003 and              5% of approved seating capacity   June 30, 2004    2.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  this  section  to  the  contrary, standing passengers may be permitted without limitation as  to  number  during the first ten days of session in each school year, and in  circumstances  where  a  breakdown,  accident,   or   other   unforeseen  occurrence necessitates the transportation of standing passengers.    3.  Nothing  contained  in this section shall be construed to restrict  the power of a city with a population of one million or  more  to  adopt  and  enforce local laws that comply with at least the minimum applicable  standards set forth in this section.