Occasional Drivers Or Volunteer Drivers
(8 NYCRR 156.3 b5iv)
Occasional drivers for other than regular routes shall not be required to receive the training specified in this paragraph. For the purposes of this paragraph occasional driver shall mean a certified teacher employed by a school district or a board of educational services, who is not primarily employed on either a full-time or part-time basis as a school bus driver or substitute school bus driver.”
- Exempt from school bus driver training requirements
- Exempt from the physical performance test
- Required to have the annual physical exam
- Required to have 3 character references
- Required to be approved by the superintendent of schools to transport pupils
- Knowledge of school transportation laws
(15 NYCRR 6.2 t)
“Volunteer school bus driver shall mean every person who occasionally transports passengers to and from extra curricular activities sponsored by a school or religious organization fewer than 30 days per calendar year and where such driving is unpaid and incidental to any terms or contract of hire. It shall not include an individual who transports passengers in a bus…over a scheduled route which involves the receiving and discharging of passengers on any road, highway, public or private street, or driveway. A volunteer may be a teacher, coach, minister, or parent, etc., but may not be anyone who is employed on a full time, substitute, replacement, or fill-in basis as a self employed driver or as a driver for a contract carrier.”
- Do not need to be on a 19A roster or meet requirements of 19A
- If driving a “school bus” are required to have a CDL with S endorsement, class D not sufficient
- Transport pupils for no more than 29 days in a calendar year
- Districts should maintain a log tracking volunteer driver days
- Must have the appropriate license for the size vehicle they are driving
- Must meet NYS DOT Hours of Service requirements
(49 CFR 382.103)
“This law applies to every person who operates a commercial motor vehicle in interstate or intrastate commerce, and is subject to the commercial driver’s license requirements…” The law
defines “commercial motor vehicle” for drug and alcohol testing purposes as “16 passengers or more.”
“Occasional drivers” or “volunteer drivers” of vehicles with 16 passengers or more are required to undergo random drug and alcohol testing.