News & Insights

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.

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.

School Bus Contractors are well aware of the issues of diesel emissions and carbon footprints left behind by diesel motors. Government regulations and transportation agreements have evolved to ensure aging, environmentally hazardous, and inefficient vehicles are replaced with fleets equipped with the latest technology to minimize diesel emissions. Fleet replacement plans are a constant balancing act of contract compliance, vehicle efficiency, and costs. The Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. §7401 et seq....

Many school bus contractors have called our offices with questions about news articles announcing that after January 30, 2015, CDL holders will no longer need to carry a federal medical examiner’s certificate. This article will provide you with the background information regarding this announcement and current status of the FMCSA rule.

Much has been written previously and elsewhere in this newsletter regarding the details of the FMCSA ruling that requires states to downgrade a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for failure to submit medical certifications and provide the DOT with information about the type of vehicle being driven (self-certification). Like most states, Pennsylvania is scrambling to implement legislation that will create the forms and processes required for this to occur. Since most states are not prepared to e...