Legal Focus

Planning routes and choosing stops for school buses and school vehicles is not an easy task. Stops can vary greatly depending on geographic area – some students may live on or near roads that require pickup or discharge on the road, yet others may require a pickup or discharge off the road. While school transportation contractors typically develop routes and stops in conjunction with their partnering school district, there are statutory and regulatory limitations, and safety considerations, tha...

On December 14, 2023 Act 56 of 2023 (formerly HB 1507) was signed by Gov. Shapiro changing the annual instructional time requirement from “180 days and 990 secondary and 900 elementary hours” to either 180 days or 900/990 hours. Contractor awareness and planning will be critical as schools contemplate school calendar changes that could be at odds with existing multi-year transportation contracts, impacting driver recruiting, retention, operations, and costs in significant ways.

School bus contractors frequently have questions about the use of tax free “red dyed” diesel fuel for student transportation. Contractors want to be sure they are compliant with all laws, and often have to answer questions from schools, and sometimes from fuel suppliers who are not familiar with school bus operations. Continue reading to learn more about applicable laws on tax free red dyed diesel fuel.

A pending appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will challenge existing case law holding that there are no statutory requirements for Department of Education pre-approval of Pupil Transportation Contracts. The case of Bell v. Wilkinsburg School District will be heard in March of this year to decide this important issue. Continue reading for more details.

Despite the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act (the “PMMA”), being passed over five (5) years ago, many Pennsylvania employers face uncertainty when addressing employees or applicants who are medical marijuana cardholders. The laws around marijuana are quickly evolving with recent court decisions, and recreational marijuana laws are becoming more common in neighboring states. This article will discuss risk management and the employers’ and the drug testing companies’ role in Pennsylvania wit...

Many Pennsylvania contractors are paid based on “the formula”. But Contractors are often unsure exactly what that means or how the payment according to the formula is calculated. This article is intended to explain the basic elements of “the formula” as a starting point for contractors who want to better understand this critical part of their transportation contract.Click Here to Read More

Despite the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) continued position that “the school bus is the safest vehicle on the road”, in 2019 the school bus industry has been the focus of increased attention from lawmakers and regulators. Following is a brief discussion of the evolving state and federal laws from the past year that matter most to Pennsylvania’s school bus contractors.