§ 115C-245. School bus drivers; monitors; safety assistants.
§ 115C‑245. Schoolbus drivers; monitors; safety assistants.
(a) Each local board, which elects to operate a school bustransportation system, shall employ the necessary drivers for such schoolbuses. The drivers shall have all qualifications prescribed by the regulationsof the State Board of Education herein provided for and must be at least 18years old and have at least six months driving experience as a licensedoperator of a motor vehicle before employment as a regular or substitutedriver, but the selection and employment of each driver shall be made by thelocal board of education, and the driver shall be the employee of such localschool administrative unit. Each local board of education shall assign the busdrivers employed by it to the respective schools within the jurisdiction ofsuch board, and the superintendent or superintendent's designee shall assignthe drivers to the school buses to be driven by them. No school bus shall atany time be driven or operated by any person other than the bus driver assignedto such bus except by the express direction of the superintendent orsuperintendent's designee or in accordance with rules and regulations of theappropriate local board of education.
(b) The driver of a school bus subject to the direction of thesuperintendent or superintendent's designee shall have complete authority overand responsibility for the operation of the bus and the maintaining of goodorder and conduct upon such bus, and shall report promptly to the principal anymisconduct upon such bus or disregard or violation of the driver's instructionsby any person riding upon such bus. The principal may take such action withreference to any such misconduct upon a school bus, or any violation of theinstructions of the driver, as he might take if such misconduct or violationhad occurred upon the grounds of the school.
(c) The driver of any school bus shall permit no person to rideupon such bus except pupils or school employees assigned thereto or personspermitted by the express direction of the superintendent or superintendent'sdesignee to ride thereon.
(d) The superintendent or superintendent's designee may, in hisdiscretion, appoint a monitor for any bus assigned to any school. It shall bethe duty of such monitor, subject to the direction of the driver of the bus, topreserve order upon the bus and do such other things as may be appropriate forthe safety of the pupils and employees assigned to such bus while boarding suchbus, alighting therefrom or being transported thereon, and to require suchpupils and employees to conform to the rules and regulations established by thelocal board of education for the safety of pupils and employees upon schoolbuses. Such monitors shall be unpaid volunteers who shall serve at the pleasureof the superintendent or superintendent's designee.
(e) A local board of education may, in its discretion withinfunds available, employ transportation safety assistants upon recommendation ofthe principal through the superintendent. The safety assistants thus employedshall assist the bus drivers with the safety, movement, management, and care ofchildren boarding the bus, leaving the bus, or being transported in it. Thesafety assistant should be either an adult or a certified student driver who isavailable as a substitute bus driver. (1955, c. 1372, art. 21, s. 6; 1979, c. 719, ss. 1‑4; 1979, 2ndSess., c. 1156; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1987, c. 276; 1989, c. 558, s. 2; 1998‑220,s. 4.)