After years of operating under a uniform training model, Iowa school bus driver requirements are getting a reset that shifts more decision-making to local districts. 

The bill (House File 395) passed the Senate by a vote of 50-0 and the House by a vote of 64-20. Governor Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law on June 6, 2025. 

According to the Iowa Association of School Boards, “This bill intends to make school bus driver training more flexible and provide more local control to school districts.”  

In short, the new law gives local districts more control over whether to require specific training for school bus drivers while maintaining existing licensing standards. 

The bill requires the Iowa Department of Education to work with the Department of Transportation to establish requirements for providers of entry-level driver training, including content standards, contact hours, and proficiency standards. The Department of Education will also establish a standard course duration. 

If a district does require training, it can come from multiple sources: 

• A course approved by the Iowa Department of Education. 

• Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) that meets federal CDL training standards. 

• Other training programs a district adopts by resolution. 

Drivers required to complete an approved course must do so before or within the first six months of employment and repeat the training at least every 24 months. 

“Some updates were necessary and were already underway before the bill passed, specifically, updating the online portion of new driver training,” said David Johnson, executive director of the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association (IPTA). “Much of this content was already being covered through Entry-Level Driver Training, and it was time for an update.” 

Johnson views annual refreshers as an important aspect of continuous school bus driver training. “Making it optional could make it easier for a school district to provide significantly less training for its drivers,” he said. “It is my hope that all districts will continue to recognize the value of this professional development and will continue to require their drivers to participate.” 

IPTA will continue to support the Department of Education's training and encourage districts to participate, Johnson said.