TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NOTE

No. T-03-17

Contact:

Mike Starzinski

Chief Financial Officer

School Support Services

School Transportation Management Section

Department of Education

(850)

245-9795

Jim Horne, Commissioner

SC 205-9795

DATE:

TO:

FROM:

SUBJECT: Rule

Revisions Relating to School Bus Inspection

Rule 6A-3.0171, Florida Administrative Code, was revised, effective April 21, 2003, to incorporate

changes recommended by the Florida Association for Pupil Transportation and its School Bus

Inspection Committee. The revisions relate to the allowable schedule for inspection of school buses

by districts, charter schools, or contracted garages.

They also incorporate changes in the adopted

Florida School Bus Safety Inspection Manual, 2003 Edition (attached).

Inspection of buses shall now be scheduled and performed at an interval of no more than 30 school

days, superseding the former maximum 20-school day requirement.

Districts may now choose to

continue performing required safety inspections every 20 school days, or may extend inspection

intervals up to a maximum of each 30 school days to accommodate local requirements.

There are a number of changes in the attached Florida

School Bus Safety Inspection Manual, 2003

Edition, to reflect changes in bus specifications, inspection, and certification procedures.

Please

review the manual carefully to determine these changes. Your inspection-trainers have had a draft

copy (now official) of these changes on the CD that was mailed to them earlier under TAN #T-03-

13, January 30, 2003.

This CD included the Department’s PowerPoint-based inspector training

program.

If you have any questions, please call Mike Starzinski or me at (850) 245-9795, or e-mail Mike at

Michael.Starzinski@fldoe.org.

WRS/ms

Attachment:

State of Florida School Bus Safety Inspection Manual, 2003 Edition

cc:

?

District

Superintendents

Bus Manufacturers’ and Dealers’ Representatives

J.C.

Bowman

Jennifer

Rippner

Cathy

Wooley-Brown