Deadlines and timelines:
1. All school bus and van driver physicals must be renewed and submitted to the DEW before August 31. DEW will send out “inactive” notices for any driver without a new physical on Sept. 1. Inactive drivers will not be able to legally operate a school bus or van.
2. T-2 reports are due on or before August 31. These are fiscal summaries of the transportation you provided during the previous school year and are an important part of your school transportation funding.
3. ORC and OAC require that school boards approve bus stops and a routing time schedule within 10 days of the start of school. Boards may take this action up to 30 days in advance of the school year.
4. School bus rider safety training for all students in grades K-3 that ride must be provided within the first 14 days of your school year.
5. If you receive late enrollment information (anything after July 1) for students attending nonpublic or community schools, ORC requires the district to provide a transportation plan (if eligible) within 14 days of receiving notification.
FMCSA announces compliance audits for 2024: DEW sent out a notice this spring that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is initiating a school bus transportation safety initiative during 2024. Field agents for FMSCA (or PUCO) will focus on auditing compliance with federally-applicable school bus driver regulations. The audits will include checking for compliance with:
• Pre-employment testing requirements including Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse queries
• Annual query requirements for Clearinghouse information
• Random drug and alcohol testing administration
• Evaluation of return to duty processes when applicable
• Post accident testing procedures and administration when applicable
• Reasonable suspicion training and testing administration
• Driver qualifications associated with CDL compliance standards
If you are contacted by someone claiming to represent FMCSA, you may verify the validity of any contact by contacting the Ohio Division by email at MCOHOFF@dot.gov or at (614) 280-5657.
If you have questions about any of these areas or are not certain if you are following the requirements, now is the time to resolve those issues. Contact Transportation Consultant Pete Japikse at schoolbus@ebconsultinggroup.com.