School bus drivers must have a physical examination biennially (162.064, RSMO and 5 CSR 30-261.010).

Drivers who are employed with a contractor that drive more than home-school-home routes are required, by federal regulation, to have DOT physicals; however, local school district and/or contractor policy may require DOT physicals for other drivers.

The S endorsement is part of the driver’s license process, when the license is renewed the S endorsement is also renewed (after a driving history is run by the local license bureau).

A driver who is over 70 years of age must renew their driver’s license annually and are required to submit proof of a school bus skills test to retain the S endorsement on their driver license at time of renewal. On renewal, these drivers are exempt from the pre-trip inspection portion of the skills test.

A district may enter into a contract with a family member to transport their own children.  The contract must be stated in terms of reimbursement for mileage, not hourly, in an amount equal to or less than the current AAA mileage rate for a car to avoid the requirement that anyone paid to transport school children must have a Class E license with S endorsement.

Yes, districts may enter into a written contract with individuals that agree to transport children in their private vehicles.  The contract must be stated in terms of reimbursement for mileage, not hourly, in an amount equal to or less than the current AAA rating of the “average cost of operating a car” to avoid the requirement that anyone compensated to transport school children must be licensed as a school bus operator.  If the individual is paid a lump sum amount, an hourly wage or more than the current AAA rating of the “average cost of operating a car” the individual is

Yes, school districts may contract with a taxicab company to transport students; however, taxicab drivers paid to transport school children must have a Class E For-Hire driver’s license with an S endorsement.  The driver or firm should operate only under written contract with the school district and agree to meet all applicable state statutes and State Board of Education regulations for the transportation of students (5 CSR 30-261.045).

Because early childhood, non-disabled pre-school students are not required under state law to be transported these students are considered ineligible for state transportation aid.  There is no ridership collected for these students and the miles are reported as ineligible-disapproved route miles.

Missouri law mandates that children under the age of 4 be transported in a child safety restraint system (210.104, RSMo); it is recommended by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that children 4 and over but under 40 pounds also be transported in a child safety restraint system.

Eligible transportation miles are those miles traveled from where the bus is kept at night until it returns to the same location after the pupils have been returned home, as long as it is used only to transport pupils to and from school (at the beginning and ending of the regular school day). Eligible miles include students with disabilities summer school route miles, but do not include non-disabled summer school route miles.  Eligible transportation miles are eligible for state transportation aid (5 CSR 30-261.010 (4)(A)(1) and 5 CSR 30-261.040).