(a)(1) Each governing body that either owns or leases and that operates any school bus or activity bus shall have each of those buses inspected annually in accordance with this regulation.

1. (2) Each person or entity that contracts with any governing body to provide bus transportation services to students shall have each school bus or activity bus used to transport students inspected annually in accordance with this regulation.

2. (3) Except for new buses, which shall be inspected upon delivery and before being used to transport students, the inspection process shall be conducted between June 1 and September 30. No school bus or activity bus shall be used to transport students until the inspection process has been completed and the bus is in proper working order.

   (b)(1) Each governing body and each bus transportation contractor shall have each school bus and each activity bus that is operated by the governing body or the contractor inspected by a mechanic who is knowledgeable about the mechanical systems of school buses. In addition, each governing body shall have each school passenger vehicle that is used to transport students inspected annually by a mechanic. The mechanic shall inspect each school vehicle to determine whether the mechanical system is in proper working order.

3. (2) Each mechanic shall indicate the results of the inspection on the form provided by the state department of education and shall return the form to the governing body or bus transportation contractor.

   1. (cv) (1) After the inspection prescribed in subsection (b) is completed, each school vehicle shall be inspected by the Kansas highway patrol to determine whether the school vehicle is equipped with the appropriate safety devices and those devices are in proper working order.

4. (2) The results of the inspection shall be indicated by the highway patrol officer on the form provided by the state department of education. Following completion of this form, it shall be returned to the governing body or bus transportation contractor and shall become a maintenance record.

   1. (d) Upon successful completion of the inspection process specified in subsections (b) and (c), a school vehicle inspection sticker issued by the Kansas highway patrol shall be placed on the school vehicle's windshield in a location that will not impair the driver's vision.

      (e)(1) If any school vehicle fails either the mechanical or safety inspection specified in this regulation, that school vehicle shall not be used for student transportation until all defects have been corrected and the school vehicle has been approved.

5. (2) If repairs or other corrections are required for a school vehicle to pass the inspection and these repairs or corrections are completed within 10 days after the initial inspection, then only the defective items shall be reexamined. If the repairs or corrections are not made within 10 days following the initial inspection, the school vehicle shall be completely reinspected.

   1. (f) At any time, spot inspections of any school vehicle used for student transportation may be conducted by the Kansas highway patrol.
   2. (g) Each school bus, activity bus, and school passenger vehicle that is purchased at any time following the required annual inspection school vehicles shall pass the inspections required by this regulation before being used to transport students.

(Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 8-2009; effective July 1, 2000; amended March 28, 2003; amended July 7, 2017.)