Permanently exempts school bus drivers from the engine compartment portion of pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing, requiring the Secretary of Transportation to collect annual reports from participating states for six years.
John Carter
Representative
TX-31
This bill permanently extends the exemption for school bus drivers from the engine compartment (under-the-hood) portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills test. The Secretary of Transportation is required to collect annual reports from participating states regarding the number of drivers licensed under this exemption for six years.
Bill Makes School Bus Engine Inspection Test Exemption Permanent, Mandates 6 Years of State Reporting
This legislation takes a temporary rule and makes it permanent: school bus driver applicants will no longer be required to perform the 'under-the-hood' engine compartment inspection as part of their Commercial Driver's License (CDL) skills test. The bill locks in this exemption indefinitely, applying the same terms and conditions previously outlined in a December 2, 2024, Federal Register notice. Its main goal is to finalize this specific modification to the school bus driver licensing process.
Pop the Hood? Not on This Test
So, what does this mean on the ground? When getting their CDL, most truck and bus drivers have to demonstrate they can do a pre-trip inspection, which includes checking things like fluid levels, belts, and hoses under the hood. This bill permanently removes that specific engine check from the test for school bus driver candidates. For aspiring drivers, it means one less component to master for the exam, potentially streamlining the path to getting licensed. For school districts or bus companies, it might slightly ease the process of bringing new drivers on board.
Safety Check or Just Red Tape?
The big question is how this impacts safety. It's crucial to understand this bill affects the licensing test, not necessarily the daily pre-trip inspections that drivers are typically required to perform before starting their routes (those are usually governed by employer policy and separate federal/state regulations). The argument for the exemption is likely that this specific test component might be redundant or an unnecessary barrier. However, removing any part of safety testing raises questions. To keep an eye on things, the bill requires the Secretary of Transportation to collect annual reports for six years from states using this exemption. These reports will detail how many drivers are licensed under this specific rule, providing data to monitor its usage, though not necessarily its direct safety outcomes.