4553 - General requirements for other vehicles transporting school children.

     § 4553.  General requirements for other vehicles transporting                school children.        (a)  Buses operated by urban mass transportation systems.--            (1)  Buses, other than school buses, operated by urban        mass transportation systems for the exclusive transportation        of school children shall comply with Federal safety standards        and such other safety regulations as the Pennsylvania Public        Utility Commission and the department shall provide for such        buses.            (2)  Buses, other than school buses, operated by urban        mass transportation systems for the exclusive or nonexclusive        transportation of school children may, at the option of the        urban mass transportation system, be equipped with flashing        red and amber lights and may be identified by appropriate        labeling as carrying school children. This equipment and        identifying labels shall conform to those regulations which        may be issued by the department under this paragraph.        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, buses which are        operated by urban mass transportation systems and which are        equipped and identified in accordance with this paragraph,        shall be considered school buses for purposes of section        3345(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (j) (relating to        meeting or overtaking school bus). The department may issue        those regulations it deems appropriate to implement this        paragraph.        (b)  School-chartered bus.--In addition to school buses,     school-chartered buses, which are designed to transport 16 or     more passengers, including the driver, and which are operated by     a person holding a certificate of the Pennsylvania Public     Utility Commission or the Interstate Commerce Commission, may be     used under a short-term contract with a school which has     acquired the exclusive use of the vehicle at a fixed charge to     provide transportation of school children to a special school-     related event. A school-chartered vehicle may be used without     restriction for the transportation of school children with     special needs as may be necessary to make reasonable     accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act     of 1990 (Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327).        (c)  Other vehicles.--A motor vehicle used to transport     children to or from school or in connection with school     activities, which is not a school bus because of its limited     seating capacity, shall comply with regulations established by     the department for such vehicles. Unless required by Federal law     or regulation, the regulations established by the department     shall not require vehicles which pick up and discharge school     children only at locations off the highway to be of any     particular color or to display flashing red and amber lights.     (July 10, 1984, P.L.679, No.146, eff. 60 days; May 20, 1993,     P.L.30, No.10, eff. imd.)        1993 Amendment.   Act 10 relettered former subsec. (b) to     subsec. (c) and added a new subsec. (b).        1984 Amendment.  Act 146 amended subsec. (a).