Indiana State
School Bus Drivers Association
Welcome to ISSBDA
School Bus Driver Requirements
The 1977 Indiana General Assembly enacted Public Law 123 mandating the training and certification of school bus drivers. In conjunction with the Indiana State School Bus Committee, the following policy statement is used by the Division of School Safety and Emergency Planning to implement the training and certification requirements of the statute.
Driver Licensing & Certification
Level 1 – District Hiring Process
- Driving Record
- Driver Provided
- Create an account with MyBMV.org and view your driving record
- Do not order a printed copy; print what is on the following page
- Create an account with MyBMV.org and view your driving record
- District Acquired
- Driver Provided
- Background Check
- Child Protection Index (CPI) Check
- Initial Drug Test
- Clearinghouse Query
- After January 1, 2023, the previous employer form is no longer required
- Clearinghouse Query
- Request Certificate of Enrollment (blue card)
- Can be done any time before attending ELDT pre-service class!
- Physical Performance Test
- Can be done any time before driving time; earlier is better
- DOT Physical
- State physical fitness certificate should be done at same time
- CDL Permit (CLP) Knowledge tests
- General knowledge – Class B CDL
- Air brake – remove air brake restriction (recommended for all drivers)
- Passenger – P endorsement
- School Bus – S endorsement
- CLP
- Have DOT physical with you when taking knowledge tests.
- Complete ELDT In-person ELDT Pre-Service Training
- IDOE enters class completion in DOE Online (yellow card certification process)
- IDOE enters ELDT theory completion in FMCSA website (CDL licensing)
- Three entries for each driver
- Class B curriculum
- Passenger curriculum
- School Bus curriculum
- Notes
- Driver can attend ELDT pre-service class at any time during Levels 1 – 3
- If driver does not have blue card prior to attend ELDT pre-service class one will be created.
- Complete Driving and Observation Hours
- 8 hours of driving, 4 hours of observation
- District enters hours in DOE Online (yellow card certification process)
- District enters total hours Behind – the – Wheel (BTW) completion in FMCSA website (CDL licensing)
- Six entries for each driver
- Range – Class B curriculum, Range – Passenger curriculum, Range – School Bus curriculum
- Road – Class B curriculum, Road – Passenger curriculum, Road – School Bus curriculum
- Six entries for each driver
- Notes
- Driver must have CLP, blue card, and driver trainer with them when driving on the roadway.
- Students cannot be on the bus during trainee driving time!
- Schedule Skills Test
- Notes
- Theory and BTW must be entered by midnight of the second business of completion of each training.
- We find that it takes 3 – 4 days before the training completions are viewable to the testing sites.
- Notes
- Completion of Skills Test
- Testing site will load completion electronically
- Acquire CDL
- Take stamped CLP to license branch
- You must wait at least 24 hours after passing skills test
- Print yellow card, if already not done
- Google – NRCME FMCSA
- Maintaining Certification (yellow card)
- Annually
- Complete Annual Safety Meeting
- Online
- Group View
- Every Two Years
- Renew Physicals
- Done every two years maximum
- CDL Physical
- Maybe sooner, depending on medical issues
- Title 20 Physical Fitness Certificate
- Held locally
- CDL Physical
- Done every two years maximum
- Renew Physical Performance Tests
- Held locally
- Every Four Years
- Renew CDL License
- Renew Physicals
- Complete Annual Safety Meeting
- Annually
- Certificate of Enrollment
- Valid for 1 year
- Authority To Transport Passengers
- Must Be In Drivers Possession
- Driver Trainer IS A Passenger
- Standard
- Expire December 31 Each Year
- Completion of Training Requirements
- Authority To Transport Passengers
- Must Be In Drivers Possession
- IC 20-27-8-4 School Bus Driver
- Physical Examination Certificate
- Sec. 4.
- An individual who is or intends to become a school bus driver must obtain a physical examination certificate stating that the individual possesses the physical characteristics required by section 1(a)(7) of this chapter. The certificate shall be made by an individual who is registered in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners after the certified medical examiner has conducted a physical examination of the school bus driver or prospective school bus driver. The school corporation shall determine how the certified medical examiner who is to conduct the physical examination is chosen and who must pay for the physical examination.
- Sec. 4.
- Physical Examination Certificate
- Occupation (school bus driver) medical
- Indiana General Assembly created in the 1920’s
- State required medical exam due to job
- Valid for 2 years
- Exam – Certified Medical Examiner
- Minimum 80% depth perception
- Field-of-view minimum of 150 degrees
- Driver must be free of communicable disease spread by airborne or droplet means
- IC 20-27-8-1 (7) A-E
- Not required to be in possession
- Licensing (CDL) medical
- CDL came into existence in 1992
- Federally required license to drive a vehicle with a capacity > 15
- Valid for 2 years (could be less depending)
- Exam – Certified Medical Examiner
- No depth perception requirement
- Field-of-view minimum of 140 degrees
- No freedom from communicable disease requirement
- FMCSA regulation
- Not required to be in possession
- IC 20-27-3-4 Powers
- Bus Driver Performance Standards
- Certificate of Inspection
- Sec. 4.
- (a) The committee has the following powers:
- (b) The committee shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to set performance standards and measurements for determining the physical ability necessary for an individual to be a school bus driver.
- Sec. 4.
- Rule 8.
- School Bus Driver Physical Performance Standards & Measurements
- 575 IAC 1-8-1
- Exiting the bus
- Authority
- IC 20-27-3-4
- Affected
- IC 20-27-9
- Sec. 1.
- (a) Driver shall demonstrate the ability to exit the bus from a seat belted position in the driver’s seat and exiting from the rearmost emergency door.
- (b) The measurement is pass/fail.
- Sec. 1.
- IC 20-27-9
- Authority
- Exiting the bus
- 575 IAC 1-8-2
- Quick reaction time between accelerator and service brake
- Authority
- IC 20-27-3-4
- Affected
- IC 20-27-9
- Sec. 2.
- (a) Driver shall demonstrate quick reaction time between accelerator and service brake.
- (b) In a seat belted position, driver shall with the right foot, alternately depress the accelerator and service brake ten (10) times in ten (10) seconds or less.
- Sec. 2.
- IC 20-27-9
- Authority
- Quick reaction time between accelerator and service brake
- 575 IAC 1-8-3
- Climbing and descending bus service door steps
- Authority
- IC 20-27-3-4
- Affected
- IC 20-27-9
- Sec. 3.
- (a) Driver shall demonstrate the ability to climb and descend the bus service door steps in a forward facing position two (2) times without stopping.
- (b) The measurement is pass/fail.
- Sec. 3.
- IC 20-27-9
- Authority
- Climbing and descending bus service door steps
- 575 IAC 1-8-4
- Opening and closing bus service door
- Authority
- IC 20-27-3-4
- Affected
- IC 20-27-9
- Sec. 4.
- (a) Driver shall demonstrate the ability to open and close the bus service door two (2) times without stopping from a seat belted position.
- (b) The measurement is pass/fail.
- Sec. 4.
- IC 20-27-9
- Authority
- Opening and closing bus service door
- 575 IAC 1-8-5
- Operating hand controls or steering wheel
- Authority
- IC 20-27-3-4
- Affected
- IC 20-27-9
- Sec. 5.
- (a) Driver shall demonstrate the ability to operate one (1) hand control on each side of the steering wheel while the bus is in a safe forward motion.
- (b) The measurement is pass/fail.
- Sec. 5.
- IC 20-27-9
- Authority
- Operating hand controls or steering wheel
- 575 IAC 1-8-1
- School Bus Driver Physical Performance Standards & Measurements