School Buses Regulation

School Buses Regulation, M.R. 465/88 R The Public Schools Act , C.C.S.M. c. P250 Regulation 465/88 R Registered November 7, 1988 bilingual version (HTML) Table of Contents Section 1 "School bus" defined 2 Repealed 3 Alteration or modification prohibited 4 Standards and specifications 4.1 Exclusion for 2020-2021 school year 5 Inspection of operation 6 Inspection certificate 7-8 Repealed 9 Examination of operator 10 Use of school bus for other purposes 11 Authorized uses 12 Requirements for other authorized uses 13 Passenger behaviour 14 Loading and unloading 15 Requirements of driver 16 Prohibitions 17 Pupil instruction 18 Driver instruction 19 Log book "School bus" defined 1 In this regulation, "school bus" means a vehicle that is designed and classified by the manufacturer as a school bus and used to transport pupils and other authorized persons to or from school or to or from approved school related activities. M.R. 139/95 2 [Repealed] M.R. 139/95 Alteration or modification prohibited 3 Unless authorized under The Highway Traffic Act or a regulation made thereunder, no person shall alter or modify or cause to be altered or modified any school bus vehicle or equipment thereof unless that specific alteration or modification has been approved by the minister or by an official designated by the minister. Standards and specifications 4 Each school bus registered under The Highway Traffic Act in the name of a school board, and each school bus that is under contract with a school board, shall conform to standards and specifications as follows: (a) Canadian Standards Association--Standards for School Buses, as amended from time to time, are hereby adopted and constituted as part of this regulation; (b) each school bus shall comply with the Canadian Standards Association School Bus Standards in effect for the model year of the school bus and, in addition, shall be equipped with (i) a stop arm installed on the left side of the bus, and the stop arm and installation shall meet or exceed the requirements of SAE Standard J1133a Stop Arm, (ii) two alternately flashing red lamps and two alternately flashing yellow lamps on the front and on the rear, and the lamps shall be controlled by a manually activated switch and shall meet or exceed the specific and general requirements of SAE Standard J887 May 82 School Bus Warning Lamps, (iii) a pedestrian-student safety crossing arm, located at the right front corner of the chassis, that conforms with the CSA standards for such crossing arms, and (iv) a sign indicating "This School Bus (Vehicle) Stops At All Railway Crossings" that is installed at an approved location on the rear of the school bus; (c) [repealed] M.R. 139/95; (d) [repealed] M.R. 101/99; (e) no school bus shall have exposed sharp edges that may cause injury to passengers; (f) no school bus built in model year 2001 or afterwards shall contain, or have affixed to any part of it, glass that does not meet existing Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for laminated vehicle glass; (f.1) no school bus shall be equipped with overhead luggage racks; (g) no school bus shall be equipped with retread tires on the front axle; (h) no school bus shall be equipped with jump seats or portable seats; (i) each school bus, and all school bus equipment, shall be maintained in accordance with original equipment manufacturer's recommended procedures as set out in published repair and maintenance manuals and shall be kept clean and sanitary at all times, and is at all times subject to inspection as hereinafter provided; (j) each school bus used to transport pupils in wheelchairs shall be equipped with a securely fastened wheelchair retaining device for each wheelchair, and (i) in the case of a school bus manufactured before 1985, the retaining device shall be equivalent to the Collins pin lock system, and (ii) in the case of a school bus manufactured in 1985 or any subsequent year, the retaining device shall be equivalent to the requirements of CSA Standard D409-M84 (forward facing wheelchairs, 4 point tie-down system); (k) no school bus, while transporting pupils, shall be used to carry any animal, firearm, explosive, flammable liquid, or anything of a dangerous or objectionable nature, or any article likely to endanger the safety of the passengers. M.R. 256/90; 88/92; 21/94; 139/95; 101/99; 109/2000 ; 175/2006 Exclusion for 2020-2021 school year 4.1 Clause 4(f) does not apply during the 2020-2021 school year. M.R. 83/2020 Inspection of operation 5 A person designated by a school board may, at any time, inspect any school bus being operated under the authority of that school board, and any person designated by the minister, or any police officer, may inspect any school bus at any time, and if upon inspection that person considers (a) that the school bus is not in accordance with The Highway Traffic Act and this regulation; (b) that the school bus is being operated in a manner which is not in accordance with The Highway Traffic Act and this regulation, or which is careless or negligent; or (c) that the driver is unfit or incapable of operating the school bus; that inspector may require the driver to stop and discontinue the operation of the school bus for such period, and subject to such conditions as to further operation, as that inspector may impose. Inspection certificate 6(1) A person who is under contract with a school board and who is registered as owner of a school bus under The Highway Traffic Act shall, (a) immediately on receipt, file with the school board a copy of the subsisting inspection certificate for the school bus that is required by the Periodic Mandatory Vehicle Inspection Regulation , Manitoba Regulation 76/94; and (b) keep a copy of the inspection certificate in the driver's compartment of the school bus. 6(2) An inspection certificate referred to in subsection (1) must be signed by a qualified repair mechanic who holds a certificate under The Apprenticeship and Certification Act or by a qualified repair mechanic approved by the school board. 6(3) No mechanic shall issue an inspection certificate referred to in subsection (1) for a school bus unless (a) the mechanic has inspected the bus; and (b) the brakes, steering mechanism, wheel alignment, lights and other mechanisms and equipment of the bus are in a safe and proper condition and comply with The Highway Traffic Act . M.R. 139/95; 115/2025 7 and 8 [Repealed] M.R. 139/95 Examination of operator 9 A school board, or the minister, or a person designated by the minister, may require any person who operates a school bus to pass an examination as provided under subsection 31(6) of The Highway Traffic Act , and may require that the person pass other examinations within such period as the minister may prescribe. Use of school bus for other purposes 10 A vehicle that is registered as a school bus and for other purposes under The Highway Traffic Act , shall not be used for those other purposes during any period in which the vehicle is used as a school bus, and unless all marks showing or indicating that it is a school bus are concealed, no person shall operate a school bus for purposes other than those set out in section 11. Authorized uses 11 Notwithstanding section 10, a school board may authorize the use of a school bus (a) to transport pupils for the purpose of participating in or attending extracurricular activities; (b) to transport trustees, administrative officers and teachers employed by the school division or district while carrying out their regular duties or attending professional development sessions; and (c) as may be required for the purpose of repairing or servicing it. M.R. 175/2006 Requirements for other authorized uses 12 A school bus shall not be used for any of the purposes stated in clauses 11(a) and (b) unless (a) the use has been approved by the school board or a person designated by the school board; (b) there is at all times, in full force and effect, insurance coverage in an amount satisfactory to the minister providing for the payment of damages for the injury to, or the death of, one or more persons, including any passengers, and those persons referred to in section 11, and for the payment of damages arising from loss or damage to property; (c) it is driven by a qualified driver in accordance with The Highway Traffic Act and this regulation; and (d) where pupils are to be transported, they are accompanied in the school bus by a person designated by the school board. M.R. 115/2025 Passenger behaviour 13(1) The principal of a school whose pupils are being transported in the school bus has the same disciplinary authority over the conduct of the pupils during the period in which they are in, entering upon, or alighting from the school bus, as is provided by the regulations under The Education Administration Act . 13(2) Where a pupil in a school bus persists in conduct likely to be detrimental or hazardous to the welfare of the passengers, the principal has the same authority as is provided by the regulations under The Education Administration Act . 13(3) The driver of a school bus shall report to the principal any misconduct of pupils while entering, leaving, or being conveyed in a school bus under that driver's charge. 13(4) Except with the permission, and under the supervision, of the principal of the school or another person assigned by the principal for the purpose, no driver of a school bus shall back the school bus on school grounds. Loading and unloading 14(1) Subject to the approval of the school board, the principal of the school shall (a) prepare a plan for loading and unloading the school bus; (b) designate a loading and unloading zone on or adjacent to the school grounds; and (c) supervise or assign a responsible person to supervise the loading and unloading of the school bus. 14(2) When pupils are entering or leaving a school bus, the driver of the school bus shall park the school bus in such a position that the side of the bus on which the exit doors are located is closest to the school. 14(3) Except as provided in subsection (4), no driver of a school bus shall stop the school bus, for the purpose of picking up or discharging pupils, in such a position as to require pupils to cross a highway in order to enter, or to reach a place of safety after leaving, a school bus. 14(4) Notwithstanding subsection (3), where it is not practicable for pupils to enter a school bus, or to reach the school grounds or a place of safety after leaving a school bus, without crossing a highway, the driver shall (a) stop the bus and keep it stopped; and (b) continually display flashing signal lights as provided in The Highway Traffic Act ; until the pupils have entered the school bus or have reached the school grounds or a place of safety after leaving the school bus; and (c) supervise the crossing of the highway by the pupils. 14(5) Except in the case of emergency, the driver shall use only the front door of the school bus for the purpose of picking up and discharging pupils. 14(6) Where a school bus is stopped and pupils are getting on to the bus, or are about to get on to the bus, or are getting off the bus, or are about to get off the bus, the driver (a) shall put into operation all of the lamps with which the school bus is equipped in accordance with The Highway Traffic Act ; and (b) shall cause to be put into operation such other warning devices authorized in The Highway Traffic Act . M.R. 109/2000 Requirements of driver 15 The driver of a school bus shall (a) have a valid driver's licence to operate a school bus vehicle; (b) be competent to operate the vehicle under his or her charge; (c) determine the safe condition of the school bus by daily inspection and immediately report any defect to the school board; (d) comply with all the requirements in The Highway Traffic Act and these regulations; (e) make such reports, and complete such records and forms as are required by the school board; (f) operate the school bus over such routes, and on the days and times as required by the school board; (g) immediately report any accident arising out of the operation of the school bus, as required by The Highway Traffic Act , and to the school board; (h) not operate the school bus after an accident arising out of the operation of the school bus, until he or she has instructions from the school board to do so, and the school bus is in a safe mechanical condition; (i) obtain a school bus operator's certificate from the office of the department before operating a school bus carrying passengers; and (j) whether carrying passengers or not, before crossing any track or tracks of a railway, bring the school bus to a full stop not less than 5 metres or more than 15 metres from the rail nearest the front of the school bus, and fully open the service door, listen and look in both directions along the track or tracks for approaching trains not proceed unless the action can be completed in safety, and close the service door when motion is resumed. M.R. 139/95; 101/99; 115/2025 Prohibitions 16 No driver of a school bus shall (a) operate a school bus contrary to The Highway Traffic Act and this regulation; (b) leave a school bus unattended while pupils are in the bus, except when required to assist other pupils to cross the highway; (c) tow another vehicle, or permit the school bus to be towed, while pupils are on board; (d) smoke, or allow any person to smoke, on the school bus while pupils are on board; (e) refuel the school bus while pupils are on board; (f) leave the school bus without setting the emergency brake; (g) stop the school bus to receive or discharge pupils on a roadway where vehicle speed limits are 60 kilometres per hour or greater, when the school bus is not, under normal atmospheric conditions, clearly visible in its stopped position from the front or rear for a distance of at least 150 metres; (h) allow pupils to stand while the vehicle is in motion; (i) operate a school bus containing more pupils than the manufacturer's specified seating capacity; (j) operate a school bus in which the aisle, entrance door or emergency door is obstructed in any manner; or (k) operate a school bus in which wheelchairs are not secured with a device equivalent to the description in clause 4(j). M.R. 139/95 Pupil instruction 17 The school board shall ensure that at least twice in each school year each pupil is instructed in safe school bus riding practices and participates in emergency school bus evacuation drills which shall be conducted at least once during the fall term and at least once during the spring term of each school year. Driver instruction 18(1) The school board shall ensure that (a) each new school bus driver receives a minimum of 24 hours of instruction in school bus driver training prior to operating a school bus carrying passengers; and (b) each school bus driver receives a minimum of eight hours inservice training during each school year. 18(2) The instruction referred to in clause (1)⁠(a) must: (a) include instruction about the role and responsibility of the school bus driver, passenger control, accidents and emergencies, bus maintenance and inspection, and driving fundamentals; and (b) be provided by a person who is certified as a School Bus Driver Instructor by the department. M.R. 109/2000 ; 115/2025 Log book 19 The school board shall ensure that each school bus is equipped with a vehicle log book, maintained in the form and manner prescribed by the minister.