Extend school bus inspection exemption permanently

Summary#

This bill would make permanent an exemption that lets certain school bus drivers skip the engine-compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills test. The exemption referenced was published in the Federal Register on December 2, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 95348) and the bill keeps the terms and conditions described in paragraphs 2–6 of section VII.B of that notice (89 Fed. Reg. 95351).

The bill also requires the Secretary of Transportation to require any State that participates in the exemption to submit an annual report for six years after the bill becomes law. Each annual report must describe the number of drivers who obtain a commercial driver license under the exemption.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a school bus driver in a participating State, the engine-compartment part of the pre-trip skills test would remain optional under the permanent exemption.
  • If you work for a State motor vehicle or licensing agency, your State must send yearly reports to the Department of Transportation for six years with counts of drivers who used the exemption.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on costs or budgetary effects is included in the bill text. The bill requires annual reporting by participating States for six years but does not specify who pays for those reports.

Proponents' View#

The bill was introduced to make permanent the December 2, 2024 Federal Register exemption and to require follow-up reporting. Sponsors include Representative John Carter and a group of cosponsors: Tom Cole, Jason Smith, Virginia Foxx, David Valadao, Troy Nehls, Keith Self, Darren Soto, Eric Burlison, Glenn Grothman, Timothy Kennedy, Tracey Mann, Thomas Suozzi, Derek Schmidt, Derrick Van Orden, Scott Fitzgerald, and Robert Bresnahan. No additional statements or arguments from the sponsors appear in the bill text.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opposition or critiques is included in the bill text or provided metadata.