SEPTEMBER 23, 2004

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land today encouraged swift action by the governor on legislation requiring additional testing for new and current school bus drivers to improve driver skills and give Michigan schoolchildren an extra level of protection.

Land’s comments were in response to legislation establishing a new "S" driver’s license endorsement for school bus drivers. The "S" endorsement will signify the driver has completed additional training. The legislation brings the state into compliance with the federal Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act (MCSIA).

"School bus drivers need many skills aside from driving expertise. The ‘S’ endorsement will ensure our school bus drivers have a higher degree of knowledge and consequently, that the children they transport will be safer," Land said. "Our school bus drivers have an outstanding safety record, and I’m confident they will embrace these new standards as a special endorsement of their skill."

Under the bill, all new commercial driver applicants seeking to operate a school bus must pass both a written test and road skills test to receive the "S" endorsement on their driver’s license. Current school bus drivers will have one year, until Sept. 30, 2005, to complete this requirement. After that date, all Michigan school bus drivers will be required to have an "S" endorsement.

Current drivers may also have the opportunity to waive the road skills test if they have a good driving record, meet safety and experience requirements and apply for their "S" endorsement by Sept. 30, 2005. Waivers are allowed because Michigan’s current skills test for school bus drivers already meets federal requirements. There are currently about 18,000 school bus drivers in Michigan.

The legislation calls for three requirements to qualify for a Michigan school bus driver "S" endorsement:

1. Qualify for a commercial driver license with a passenger vehicle ("P") endorsement. This includes a knowledge and road skills test. Prior to the legislation, this was the requirement for school bus drivers.
2. Pass an "S" endorsement written test covering topics such as loading and unloading, emergency procedures and knowledge of pertinent laws.
3. Pass an "S" endorsement road skills test in a school bus of the same type the applicant will drive. (Current school bus drivers may be eligible to waive the skills test if they meet safety and experience requirements.)

The "S" endorsement fee is $5. It is in addition to any applicable driver’s license correction or renewal fees and driving skills test fees.

In 1999 Congress passed the MCSIA in response to a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that documented vulnerabilities within the Commercial Driver License (CDL) program. The MCSIA included provisions for the new "S" endorsement, which was designed to ensure proper skills and training of the school bus driver.

The FMCSA can penalize states not in substantial compliance with licensing and sanctioning requirements of the CDL program by withholding Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) money. MCSAP funds provide financial assistance to states through federal grants. Michigan has until September 2005 to comply with the MCSIA requirements.