SF3985

Purpose

• Update and strengthen safety and operating rules for school transportation in Minnesota. The bill adds requirements for tracking (USDOT numbers), refines stopping rules when approaching school buses, expands first aid kit requirements, clarifies which vehicles are considered school buses, and allows school buses to be used on public roads for training.

Key provisions

• Definitions and vehicle classifications

  • Clarifies what counts as a school bus and how types A, B, C, D, and Type III vehicles are defined.
  • Distinguishes multifunction school activity buses (MFSAB) from Type III vehicles.
  • Includes rules about which vehicles can be considered school buses, including exemptions for certain non-school-transport services.

• Stopping requirements for vehicles approaching a school bus

  • When a school bus is stopped and displaying an extended stopsign arm and red lights, approaching vehicles must stop at least 20 feet away.
  • Vehicles may not move until the stopsign arm is retracted and the red lights stop flashing.
  • When a bus is displaying prewarning amber lights, other drivers are warned that red lights will follow, and they must not encroach within 20 feet of the bus.

• Appearance and equipment restrictions

  • Non-school buses must not be painted in a color significantly different from national school bus yellow.
  • Non-school buses may not wear or display school bus-related equipment.
  • Violations can be treated as a misdemeanor.
  • Exceptions exist for certain charter/leased arrangements with school districts, licensed child care providers under specific conditions, and certain deactivation rules for lighting under child care scenarios.

• USDOT numbers for school transportation

  • Any person, district, or operator providing school transportation using a school bus must apply for a USDOT number to track inspections.

• First aid and body fluids cleanup kits

  • Requires a minimum ten-unit first aid kit and a body fluids cleanup kit, kept in a removable, moisture- and dustproof container in an accessible spot in the driver’s compartment and clearly marked how to identify and locate them.

• NSTSP-based first aid kit requirements (phase-in)

  • A first aid kit meeting the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures (NSTSP) must be provided in vehicles model year 2027 and newer.
  • Other vehicles may have a minimum ten-unit first aid kit as currently allowed or must meet NSTSP.
  • After January 1, 2030, all Type III vehicles must be equipped with a first aid kit meeting NSTSP.

• Training use of school buses on public roads

  • The bill authorizes the use of school buses on public roads for training purposes, expanding when and how buses can be used outside typical student transport.

Significant changes to existing law

• Introduces a formal requirement for USDOT numbers to track school-bus inspections.
• Establishes a clear 20-foot stopping distance for drivers approaching a bus with extended stopsign and red lights, and clarifies amber light signaling around the stop.
• Tightens appearance and equipment rules to keep non-school buses from mimicking school buses, with defined penalties for violations.
• Adopts NSTSP-based first aid kit standards for newer buses starting model year 2027 and sets a 2030 timeline for Type III vehicles to comply.
• Expands training opportunities by allowing school buses to operate on public roads for training activities.

Timeline / phased-in requirements

• 2027: NSTSP-based first aid kit required for new bus models.
• 2030: All Type III vehicles must have an NSTSP-compliant first aid kit.
• Ongoing: USDOT numbers required for tracking inspections; updated stopping and amber light signaling rules apply to applicable school transportation scenarios.

Relevant terms - USDOT number - school bus - stopsign arm - extended stopsign arm - red lights - prewarning amber lights - 20 feet - Type A / Type B / Type C / Type D school buses - Multifunction School Activity Bus (MFSAB) - Type III vehicle - NSTSP (National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures) - first aid kit - body fluids cleanup kit - model year 2027 - January 1, 2030 - training on public roads - appearance restrictions - child care bus - inspection tracking - GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) (contextual term used in definitions)