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Vans for Transportation

Each year, we receive inquiries regarding the transportation of students in passenger vans. Specifically, these are vans that have an occupancy capacity in excess of 10 passengers, including the driver.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statute defines a "school bus" as any vehicle that is designed for carrying a driver and more than 10 passengers and which is likely to be "used significantly" to transport "pre-primary, primary, and secondary" students to or from school or related events, which include school-sponsored field trips and athletic events (49 U.S.C. §30125). As such, vehicles that can hold more than 10 passengers, including the driver, are classified as buses and must meet the stringent regulations related to buses.

Please consider the following questions:

  1. Do vehicles holding more than 10 passengers meet school bus specifications per WAC 392 143-070 requirements and OSPI School bus specifications manual?
  2. Do vehicles with a seating capacity (including the driver) of 10 people or fewer have:
    a. School bus first aid kits
    b. Fire extinguisher
    c. Highway warning kit
    d. State Patrol Inspection

    e. Annual Inspection
  3. Does the District have a process for replenishing used or expired materials from first aid and warning kits?
  4. Are the van's fire extinguishers regularly checked and added to service schedules?
  5. Do drivers complete documented pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections?
  6. Does the District have a process to maintain copies of maintenance and inspection forms?
  7. Does the District have a driver approval process for vetting district employees who drive vans, including:
    a. Background checks
    b. Documented Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) reviews for all states lived in, in the past 5 years, meeting bus driver MVR criteria
    c. Driver training
  8. Does the District have a plan in place to accommodate students with transportation needs, such as wheelchairs, when using vans as transportation?
  9. When planning non-bus transportation for students, does the District consider if the child passenger restraint laws laid out in RCW 46.61.687 will apply?
  10. If the District uses rental vans or personal vans for student transportation, do they also meet the above requirements?
If you answered "no" to any of the above questions or want to learn more, please see the sources and the additional resources below:


Administered by ESD 112