6 CAR § 334-104 – School bus drivers

(a)
1. (1) Each school district shall establish a training program for school bus drivers.
2. (2) The training program must be developed and administered to ensure that each driver attains a high degree of competence in and knowledge of his or her duties and responsibilities as a school bus driver.
(b) Every newly hired school bus driver shall receive a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours of preservice training for the type or types of school buses that he or she will be driving prior to driving any school bus.
(c) Annually, every school bus driver shall receive an additional three (3) hours of in-service training provided by the Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation.
(d) The division shall certify an applicant as a school bus driver for a one-year period, which certification may be renewed annually, upon successful completion and documentation of:
1. (1) All training required in this part;
2. (2) A physical examination as required in 6 CAR § 334-105;
3. (3) Having met any additional qualifications required by a school district board of directors; and
4. (4) A commercial driver’s license.
(e) A school district board of directors may provide a substitute driver who has not been certified by the division to operate a school bus on a temporary basis until the next regularly scheduled school bus drivers examination is held in the locality if:
1. (1) A qualified bus driver is not available to operate a school bus due to death, resignation, disability, illness, or other cause;
2. (2) (2) The school district board of directors is not able to obtain a qualified bus driver with a certificate certified by the division; and
3. (3) The file of the substitute driver will be annotated to reflect the cause and facts of his or her temporary designation as a driver.
(f) Extra-curricular trips shall be made by certified drivers only.
(g) School bus driver files shall contain at a minimum:
1. (1) A copy of the driver’s current commercial driver’s license;
2. (2) Documentation of the driver’s current physical examination as required by this part;
3. (3) Proof of the driver’s current state and federal background check clearance;
4. (4) The driver’s semiannual driver record check;
5. (5) Documentation of the driver’s pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing;
6. (6) Documentation of the driver’s current clear Child Maltreatment Central Registry check; and
7. (7) Documentation of the driver’s current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse query.
(h) If the division gives a school district written notice of any deficiency in the files required by subsection (g) of this section and the school district fails to remedy the deficiency within thirty (30) days of receiving notice, any culpable officer or employee of the district may be subject to the sanction of Arkansas Code § 6-19-111(d).