This bill amends current law to enhance safety measures for school buses, particularly those transporting students with disabilities. It mandates that all school buses display specific identifying information, including a school bus identification number, a telephone number, and an Internet website address, prominently on the rear of the bus. The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is tasked with designing a sticker that includes this information in a contrasting color to the bus itself. This information will allow the public to report any observed misconduct by drivers to the Division of State Police, the relevant board of education, or nonpublic schools.

Additionally, the bill establishes penalties for failure to display the required information, with fines escalating from $250 for the first violation to $1,000 and disqualification from providing transportation services for the third violation. Reports of driver misconduct must be logged and submitted to the appropriate board of education within 10 business days, and if substantiated, the Division of State Police will issue necessary summonses or fines. The Department of Education will ultimately decide whether the driver can continue to provide transportation services for the remainder of the school year. The bill also clarifies the definition of a school bus in accordance with existing law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39:3B-2