MENU
SEARCHThe state director survey’s findings include which states allow non-school bus vehicles, such as vans, transit buses and passenger cars, to be used for home-school-home transportation.
A new survey’s findings include which states allow non-school bus vehicles, such as transit buses (pictured), to be used for home-school-home transportation.
A new survey of state pupil transportation directors gives insight on the range of vehicles that states allow for transporting students.
Forty state directors responded to the survey, which was conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS).
The survey asked state directors which of a variety of vehicles are allowed in their states for different types of student transportation: home-school-home, curriculum-related trips (between two schools, for example) and non-curricular field or activity trips.
The vehicle types listed were school buses; activity buses; multi-function school activity buses (MFSABs); full-size vans; airport-type shuttle buses; motorcoaches; public transit buses; and passengers cars, multi-purpose passenger vehicles (MPVs) or light trucks.
Here are a few of the findings from the 40 states that participated in the survey:
• Thirteen states allow only school buses to be used for home-school-home transportation on regularly scheduled routes.
• Three states allow MFSABs for home-school-home transportation, 19 allow them for curriculum-related trips, and 22 allow them for non-curricular field or activity trips.
• Seventeen states allow transit buses for home-school-home transportation.
• Twenty-three states allow passengers cars, MPVs or light trucks for home-school-home transportation.
The survey was spurred by Illinois state director Mike Slife, who said that the results would help guide decision-making for student transportation.
“We want to ensure that the yellow bus is the primary vehicle used in our state for pupil transportation,” Slife said. “This type of information will be helpful in finding out what other states do and will allow us to use the data to help show others when groups are looking into using other types of transportation.”
The survey results are available on the NASDPTS website.
More on non-school bus vehicles used in student transportation:
Child Safety Network appointed psychology researcher Michael C. Hout, Ph.D., to lead a study examining why drivers illegally pass stopped school buses.
Read More →
Investigators reported a remote assistance error allowed a Waymo driverless vehicle to illegally pass a stopped school bus in Austin.
Read More →
See how a new 50-state roadmap outlines 69 strategies for districts, law enforcement, and policymakers to reduce the 39 million illegal school bus passings reported each year.
Read More →
Recently, an Iowa student died after falling under a school bus, while 14 Oklahoma students were injured days later when a semi-truck rear-ended their bus.
Read More →
Download this white paper for clear guidance on evaluating your organization’s needs and selecting a partner who delivers long-term value.
Read More →
When school bus communication systems fail, the consequences extend far beyond equipment repairs. Downtime can increase safety risks, strain dispatch operations, and erode driver confidence. Explore how proactive radio lifecycle management and managed services are reducing disruptions, supporting driver retention, and delivering predictable budgeting for school transportation fleets.
Read More →
EverDriven has launched a new safety council aimed at standardizing and strengthening student transportation practices across all states it operates in.
Read More →
The OEM's three-week campaign during National School Bus Safety Week has awarded nearly $6,000 to Bryan County Schools to support increasing student safety around the bus.
Read More →
Driverless cars may feel the future, but student transportation requires more than navigation. Here’s why it demands human judgment, empathy, and oversight.
Read More →
An 11-year-old in Brooklyn was killed crossing the street. Meanwhile, the school bus driver faces misdemeanor charges after he left the scene.
Read More →
