Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly joined John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) to introduce a new bill they say will address the nationwide shortage of school bus drivers. Many Arizona school districts have struggled to maintain a full staff of drivers.
Kelly’s office says a significant barrier for new bus drivers is the “Under-the-Hood” testing requirement. It says holders of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) must be able to lift the hood of a school bus and identify engine parts and functions.
Kelly says the rule is mainly for the long-haul trucking industry and adds an additional three to four days of training time on average. The Driving Forward Act would exempt new school bus drivers from that requirement.
Kelly says because school bus drivers must remain on the bus with students at all times, the change won’t have any effect on the safety level of school bus operations.
“Kids in Arizona deserve to get to school safe and on time,” Kelly said. “This bipartisan bill cuts red tape to help more people become school bus drivers, directly addressing driver shortages and making the drive to school a better one.”
If a school bus breaks down, trained mechanics would complete roadside diagnostics and repairs.
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