New Orleans City Council to Vote on Regulations for School Bus Operators

NEW ORLEANS — City council members are expected to vote this week on legislation that would require new regulations for school bus companies that serve the city’s public schools, KTBS reports.

The proposed ordinance, which was approved in a 4-0 vote by the council’s transportation and airport committee last week, would require bus companies to register with the city, and would allow the city to fine those firms if their buses are poorly maintained, according to the news source.

In addition, the ordinance would require school bus companies to complete bus inspections, to inform city officials of where their buses will be stored, and to have at least $1 million in liability insurance for their buses. The ordinance would also require drivers to wear identification tags and undergo background checks. The full council is expected to vote on the regulations at their meeting on Thursday, according to NOLA.com.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell, whose administration initiated the regulations, told KTBS that the ordinance is intended to crack down on buses that have been parked illegally in private lots or have been operating under unsafe conditions.

If the legislation is passed by the full council, officials would issue permits to each bus in the company’s fleet, and to each driver of a bus or van that transports students, KTBS reports. Companies would receive the initial bus permit at no charge but would pay $150 annually to renew the permit and $50 each for the two annual inspections associated with the permit, according to the news source.