Legal Focus

The FMCSA is considering changes to its Hours of Service rules, some of which will have an effect on the school bus industry. Shortly after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”) instituted Electronic Logging Devices (“ELDs”) to record hours of service, it received notice of additional changes which are desired by those who were affected. On August 22, 2019, the FMCSA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with changes that FMCSA is now proposing to the hours of service re...

Typically, school transportation is provided to school districts, charter schools, and other non-public schools either by the school district’s own transportation department or by a private contractor. However, public transit that is operated by a state or local government authority (an “Operator”), can also, in some instances, provide school transportation services. For an Operator to be able to provide “school bus operations” and also continue receiving federal funds to operate public tra...

The end of the school year for students means the beginning of the summer charters season for school bus contractors. Summer camps, church groups, scout groups, and others frequently charter school buses for group trips in the summer. This note will talk about summer charter issues you should consider. But, be aware that all of the issues related to carrying non-student passengers for a fee are far more complex than can be addressed completely in this brief article.

In September 2018, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it was revising 49 CFR § 391.41 to permit drivers with a stable insulin regimen and properly controlled insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to be permitted to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without an exemption from FMCSA.

The landscape of decisions that effect employers and labor unions has changed in 2018 demonstrated by two cases as outlined below. This article will prove details of the two decisions and discuss how this could effect your business.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) maintains strigent requirements for drug and alcohol testing in addition employers should have effective written policies about testing and dealing with positive tests when they occur. Test accuracy, prescription medications, and other factors often arise as issues that must be considered and reconciled. This article will review a school bus contracto's responsibilities related to FMCSA Random Drug & Alcohol tests, as well as review h...

2018 will see the effects of many laws and regulations that that were passed in the last year. Following is a brief “year in review” highlighting the federal and state regulations that matter to Pennsylvania’s school bus contractors.