Transportation

Board resolution required to transport students in used motor coach buses

In April 2015, the Colorado State Board of Education revised the school transportation rules to address, among other issues, the purchase or lease of used motor coach buses. As revised by the State Board, the Colorado Minimum Standards for School Transportation Vehicles now provide:

Under federal law (49 U.S.C. 30112(a)), a new over-the-road motor coach bus may not be sold for the purpose of transporting school-age students to and from school or to school related events unless it meets all FMVSS requirements for school buses. Upon passage of a board of education resolution, a school district may purchase a used over-the-road motor coach bus and/or attain a short term rental of a motor coach bus from a contract carrier for transportation of students to school related events. Such resolution shall specify that consideration was given to the standards of safety to promote the welfare of students, including recommendations of national transportation organizations. In no event shall a motor coach bus be used for the transportation of students to and from school or school to school. 1 CCR 301-25, 2251-R-4.01(a) (emphasis added).

Based upon conversations with staff at the Colorado Department of Education, a local board of education must adopt a resolution prior to the district’s transporting of students in a used motor coach bus for a school activity, even if it’s a short-term rental for an overnight trip.

The sample board resolutions linked below meet the regulatory requirement for the purchase or lease of a used motor coach bus. The sample resolution for the lease of a used motor coach bus also applies to the short-term rental of a coach bus. As always, please contact CASB’s member legal resources department for further assistance or questions.

Sample board resolution approving purchase of a used motor coach
Sample board resolution approving the use of motor coach buses