285.8 Powers and duties of department.

The powers and duties of the department shall be to:

1. Exercise general supervision over the school transportation system in the state.

2. Review and establish the location of bus routes which are located in more than one area education agency when the area education agency boards of the affected area education agencies after formal action do not approve.

3. Establish uniform standards for locating and operating bus routes and for the protection of the health and safety of pupils transported.

4. Inspect or cause to be inspected all vehicles used as school buses to transport school children to determine if such vehicles meet all legal and established standards of construction and can be operated with safety, comfort, and economy. When it is determined that further use of such vehicles is dangerous to the pupils transported and to the safety and welfare of the traveling public, the department of education shall order such vehicle to be withdrawn from further use on a specified date. School buses which do not conform to the requirements of the department of education may be issued a temporary certificate of operation provided that such school buses can be operated with safety, and provided further that no such certificate shall be issued for a period in excess of one year. All equipment can be required to be altered, or safety equipment added in order to make vehicles reasonably safe for operation. New buses after initial inspection and approval shall be issued a seal of inspection. After each annual inspection a seal of inspection and approval shall be issued. Said seals shall be mounted on the lower right hand corner of the windshield.

5. Aid in the enforcement of the motor vehicle laws relating to the transportation of school children.

6. Prescribe uniform standards and regulations:

a. For the efficient operation and maintenance of school transportation equipment and for the protection of the health and safety of children transported.

b. For locating and establishing bus routes.

c. For procedures and requirements in making designations.

d. For standard of safety in construction of school transportation equipment.

e. For procedures for purchase of buses.

f. For qualification of school bus drivers.

g. As deemed necessary for the efficient administration of this chapter.

7. Review all transportation arrangements when deemed necessary and shall disapprove any arrangements that are not in conformity with the law and established standards and require the same to be altered or changed so that they do conform.

8. Conduct schools of instruction for transportation personnel as needed or requested.

9. Establish a fee for conducting school bus inspections in accordance with subsection 4 and issuing school bus driver authorizations in accordance with section 321.376, which shall not exceed the budgeted cost for conducting inspections and administering authorizations.

[C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §285.8]

85 Acts, ch 212, §24; 2002 Acts, ch 1140, §27