The curriculum for the school bus driver safety training program will be developed by the department and approved by the director, or designee.
(1) The certification course shall include instruction in each of the ten units comprising the current Course Guide for School Bus Driver Training in Texas approved by the department. It is highly recommended that at least six hours of each course be devoted to relevant and appropriate laboratory activities, and that each unit be taught in accordance with the following class time allocations:
- (A) Introduction--.5 hour;
- (B) The School Bus Driver's Image--1.5 hours;
- (C) Preventive Maintenance--3.0 hours;
- (D) Traffic Regulations and Driving Procedures--1.5 hours;
- (E) Defensive Driving--3.0 hours;
- (F) Safety and Emergency Procedures--3.0 hours;
- (G) First Aid--1.5 hours;
- (H) Procedures for Loading and Unloading Students--3.0 hours;
- (I) The Special Education/Handicapped Child--1.5 hours;
- (J) Awareness of the Effects of Alcohol and Other Drugs--1.5 hours.
- (2) The recertification course shall include safety training material developed by Texas Engineering Extension Service Transportation Training Division of the Texas AM University System, (TEEX) and approved by the department or Units V, VI, VII, VIII, and X of the current Course Guide for School Bus Driver Training in Texas. If teaching Units V, VI, VII, VIII, and X, it is highly recommended that at least one hour of instruction be allocated to each of these five units, with any remaining or additional time devoted to other relevant and appropriate topics or activities.
- (3) It is recommended that a comprehensive pre-test and post-test regarding course content be administered to each trainee, with a minimum score of 70% required for satisfactory completion of both the twenty-hour basic course and the eight-hour refresher course.
Source Note:The provisions of this §14.32 adopted to be effective October 7, 1996, 21 TexReg 9243; amended to be effective July 7, 1999, 24 TexReg 5023.