TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NOTE
Chief Education Financial Officer
School Support Services
School Transportation Management Section
Department of Education
Jim Horne, Commissioner
No. T-04-03
Contact:
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Mike Starzinski
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(850)
245-9795
SC 205-9795
DATE: November 18, 2003
TO: School District Transportation Directors and Service Managers
FROM: Bill Schroyer, Program Director, Fleet Management
SUBJECT: School Bus Safety Inspector Certification Testing Schedule
This letter is to inform your district of the new Statewide School Bus Inspector Testing Schedule.
This new schedule contains dates and locations where the Department will be conducting school
bus safety inspector certification testing through December 2004.
This schedule provides districts with certification test event scheduling information in advance of
test dates, allowing efficient planning and work scheduling to accommodate initial certification
testing of personnel.
Please refer to the following information regarding class seat reservations and testing procedures.
Morning testing sessions will start at 8:00 a.m. and end at 12:00 p.m. (noon), and afternoon
testing sessions will start at 1:00 p.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. Reservations for available seats will
be made on a “first come, first served” basis. When calling to make reservations please identify
candidates you are scheduling for a re-test, and if re-testing, which test(s) they will be taking.
Candidates are not eligible to be re-tested during the same week they fail any school bus safety
inspector certification test.
Please call Ms. Katrina Bond at (850) 245-9795 or SC 205-9795 to reserve seats for testing
sessions as soon as possible. Seating reservations will not be accepted within one week of the
published start date at each test location. If all days of a testing series are full, we will put your
district on a waiting list and will call you if there are cancellations.
If applicable, please inform Ms. Bond at the time you call of those candidates who need to have
the written test read to them in English or Spanish.
School Bus Safety Inspector Certification Testing Schedule
November 18, 2003
Page Two
The following are three prerequisites testing candidates must meet in order to attend these testing
sessions:
1)
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Your candidate must have a minimum of two years of automotive, truck, heavy
equipment, or bus (school or transit) mechanical (wrench turning) experience and
be employed as a journeyman level technician, in order to qualify for certification.
2)
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Your candidate must study the current edition of the School Bus Safety Inspection
Manual thoroughly and use the latest School Bus Inspection Form while
performing several practice school bus inspections.
3)
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Your candidate must attend training classes conducted by either your district's
Certified School Bus Inspection Trainer or training classes conducted by a
Certified Trainer in another school district. A Certified Trainer must also sign the
candidate's inspector certification application, indicating that the candidate meets
all qualifications and has attended the required training classes.
Through past experience we have determined that prerequisites number two and three above
should be completed just prior to attending the testing session. Your candidates cannot be
certified as School Bus Inspectors unless they have the required professional credentials and pass
both the written and hands-on tests.
Candidates must come to the test site prepared to take their certification test(s). Candidates must
have the following items with them on the day of the test(s):
1)
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First-time test candidates must present a completed “Application for State of Florida
School Bus Safety Inspector Certification” and a copy of their current job description
at the test site on the day of their test. These candidates will not be tested unless they
bring a completed application form to the test site that is signed by the applicant, a
Certified School Bus Inspector Trainer, and their Transportation Director (or
designee).
2)
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Re-test candidates must present a copy of their current job description at the test site
on the day of the test. The test administrator will bring to the test site the applications
of those individuals who were identified as re-test candidates during sign-up.
Note:
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Failure of an applicant to provide a current job description may result in a
significant delay in processing the application and/or withholding of certification.
School Bus Safety Inspector Certification Testing Schedule
November 18, 2003
Page Three
3)
Your candidates must bring a copy of the current School Bus Safety Inspection
Manual to their test session to use during the hands-on test, as they will be
allowed to use the manual during that portion of testing.
4)
Your candidates must bring a photo ID to the test site. Candidates without photo
ID's will not be tested.
5)
Your candidates must bring pens or pencils with them, as no pens or pencils will
be provided at the test site.
6)
One portion of each test session will be hands-on, so please inform your
candidates to dress accordingly.
All other tools and equipment your candidates will need to use during the hands-on test will be
provided at the test site.
A blank “Application for State of Florida School Bus Safety Inspector Certification” is enclosed.
Please copy the application as needed; however, we request that you distribute only two-sided
copies for applicants to fill out.
If you have any comments, questions, or need any further assistance, please contact Mr. Michael
Starzinski by email at: Michael.Starzinski@fldoe.org or by phone at: (850) 245-9795, or SC 205-
9795.
Attachments:
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School Bus Safety Insp
ector Certification Testing Schedule
Blank Application Form
WRS/ms
2004
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Florida School Bus Safety Inspector
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Certification Testing Schedule
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Host District
Test Dates
Pinellas
January 27 through 30, 2004
Orange
February 10 through 13, 2004
Escambia
March 16 through 19, 2004
Clay
May 4 through 7, 2004
Highlands
June 8 through 11, 2004
Suwannee
June 15 through 18, 2004
Hillsborough
July 20 through 23, 2004
Orange
August 31 through September 3, 2004
Broward
November 30 through December 3, 2004
Notes:
Dates and locations are subject to change.
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Districts will be promptly notified of any changes made to this schedule.
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_______________________________ ________
_______________________
______________________________________ ________________________ ______ ________
___________________________________________________
______________________________________ _________________________ ______ _________
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wr
__-____ __-____ __-____
Certification #: ________ - _____________
H/O ______ ______ ______
APPLICATION FOR:
STATE OF FLORIDA
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION
Name: ________
_________________ _______ _________________________________
____________________ ________
Home Street Address
Apt. # City
___ / ___ / _____
:
1.
2.
3.
4.
.
ing areas:
;
supervi
#1)
__________________________________________________
State
j
_____/_____/_____
#2)
State
Please Type or Print
First M.I. Last
Florida
Zip
Education Check Highest Level Achieved
Driver License Number Birth Date
High School Diploma 2 yr. College Degree
or
GED
4 yr. College Degree Post Graduate Degree
APPLICATION LEVEL - CHECK ONE:
INSPECTOR
TRAINER
SUPERVISOR I
SUPERVISOR II
Back to top
MECHANICAL WORK EXPERIENCE or SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE:
Candidate must document a minimum of 2 years mechanical experience (or a 2 yr. Vo-Tech degree) and
Journeyman level professional credentials, for Certification Level #1, #2, or #3 above, in any of the follow
a) Automotive b) Truck; c) Heavy Equipment; or d) Buses (transit or school); or a minimum of one year of
sory experience for Level #4 in school transportation management.
List employers where applicable experience and credentials were gained:
Your current or most recent employer:
Street Address
City
Zip
Your position or
ob title: ____________________________________________________________
Supervisor’s name: _______________________ Your Supervisor’s Title: _____________________
Tel. #: (___) ____ - _______ Employed From: _____/_____/_____ To:
Employer (previous to #1 above):
Street Address
City
Zip
Your Position or Job Title: ____________________________________________________________
Supervisor’s Name: _______________________ Your Supervisor’s Title: ______________________
Tel. #: (___) ____- _______ Employed From: _____/_____/_____ To: _____/_____/_____
Note:
If needed to demonstrate compliance with requirements, list additional employers, mechanical experience, or Vo-Tech degree information
on a separate piece of paper and attach to this application.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________
Supervisor’s Name: __________________________ Title: _____________________
) to be eligible for testing.
______/______/______
______/______/______
Trainer:
:
Written Test Date:
Hands On Test Date:
(
: ___________________________ Date: ______/______/_______
CERTIFICATION INFORMATION
Name of employer or district where applicant is employed
_____________________, Florida ___________
Work or Mailing Address City Zip
NOTE: This Application must be signed by the applicant’s Transportation Director, a certified School Bus
Inspector/Trainer, and the Applicant (inspector and supervisor applicants only
Candidate must bring a photo ID, a completed and signed application (original signatures only…NO
COPIES), and a copy of their current job description to the testing site.
Applicant’s Signature: __________________________ Date:
The Applicant meets all training requirements:
Trainer’s Signature: ____________________________ Date:
The Applicant meets all applicable qualifications and requirements:
Trans.
Director’s Signature: _________________________ Date: ______/______/______
This Section for DOE USE ONLY
Inspector:
Supervisor I:
Supervisor II:
Applicant is denied or no number issued due to
Insufficient Data No Training Received
Does Not Qualify
Insufficient Experience
Classified as a Mechanic’s Helper
______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed ________
* Retest Date: 1. ______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed ________
* Retest Date: 2. ______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed ________
* Retest Date: 3. ______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed ________
______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed _________
* Retest Date: 1. ______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed _________
* Retest Date: 2. ______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed _________
* Retest Date: 3. ______/_____/______ Passed _________ Failed _________
* If Applicable)
Certified By
Name of DOE Official
Revised 9/19/03
