16 NCAC 06B .0111          School Bus Passengers

(a)  Local education agencies (LEAs) shall provide instruction in school bus safety to all students during the first five days of each new school year and at least once during each semester thereafter. LEAs shall document the date on which training was provided to each student. This instruction shall include:

(1)           basic skills in and knowledge of safe behaviors in and around school buses and bus stops, including how to safely walk to school bus stops, wait at bus stops, load and unload from buses, ride in buses, cross streets at a bus stop, and recognize and obey the following North Carolina crossing signals:

(A)          bus driver's extended arm with palm up to signal to students crossing a street to wait; and

(B)          bus driver's arm extended with "thumbs up" followed by pointing with the index finger in the direction students are waiting to walk to indicate it is safe to cross the street in that direction; and

(2)           instruction in the location and operation of emergency exits for the vehicle on which they are riding for any specific trip.

(b)  LEAs shall adhere to and enforce the following rules when operating school buses, activity buses, commercial buses, or other contracted vehicles.

(1)           LEAs shall not allow the number of passengers being transported to exceed the official rated capacity for the specific vehicle being used.

(2)           LEAs shall ensure that all passengers are seated within the seating compartment, when any bus or other vehicle is in motion.

(3)           LEAs shall ensure that no passenger is standing or sitting in the aisle or stepwell when any bus or other vehicle is in motion.

(c)  LEAs shall require school bus drivers to utilize the North Carolina crossing signals described in Parts (a)(1)(A) and (B) of this Rule to communicate to students when it is safe to cross the street to board the bus and when it is safe to cross the street after exiting the bus.

(d)  LEAs shall provide safety instruction to students riding in activity buses or commercial buses, including instruction and demonstration of emergency exit operation for the specific vehicle in which they are riding.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 115C-12; 115C-240;

Emergency Adoption Eff. August 20, 2019;

Eff. October 1, 2020.