School boards may hire a transportation network company for student transport only if the company and drivers meet specific safety and vehicle requirements.
§166.1. School transportation of students; alternative means of transportation A. Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, a city, parish, or other local public school board may contract with a transportation network company to transport students under the age of eighteen to or from a school or school-related or sanctioned activity when the transportation network company is in compliance with this Section and meets the following requirements: (1) The driver is at least twenty-one years of age and possesses a valid Louisiana driver's license for a minimum of three years. (2) The driver has undergone a background check process which includes: (a) A national and state fingerprint-based criminal background check through the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information in the office of state police pursuant to R.S. 15:587.1 and R.S. 17:15(A)(1)(c). (b) A clear Louisiana child abuse and neglect screen. (3) The company shall provide child safety education to the driver, to include: (a) Safe driving practices. (b) First aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). (c) Special considerations for transporting youth with disabilities. (d) Safe pick-up and drop-off procedures. (e) Laws on proper child restraint systems. (4) The company shall implement a technology-enabled solution that: (a) Provides end-to-end viability of the ride and Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking of the ride in real-time for the company, the passenger's legal guardian, and, if different from the legal guardian, the person or entity who scheduled the ride. (b) Monitors the ride in real-time for safety-related anomalies. (c) Provides the passenger's legal guardian with the ability to contact the driver and the company directly. (5) The company shall implement ride-tracking technology that allows for the detection of the following driving behaviors: (a) Device use. (b) Speeding. (c) Hard turning. (d) Hard braking. (e) Hard acceleration. (f) Collision detection. (6) The company shall ensure that vehicles used to provide these services are: (a) Vehicles originally designed for not more than eight passengers, including the driver. (b) No more than thirteen years old. (c) Inspected annually by a mechanic. (7) A driver shall complete and document a daily pre-trip inspection before providing a ride pursuant to a contract under this Section. The driver, on the pre-trip inspection, shall: (a) List any defects or deficiencies which would affect the safety of operation of the vehicle. (b) If no defects or deficiencies are discovered by or reported to the driver, the documented inspection shall so indicate. (8) Prior to performing services provided under this Section, any noted defects or deficiencies listed in the annual or documented pre-trip vehicle inspection shall be repaired or corrected. (9) The company shall maintain commercial automotive insurance that does not contain an exclusion for the transportation of an unaccompanied minor. (10) The company shall publish an annual safety report on its website. B. Any rules promulgated by the department consistent with this Section, and the contract between the transportation network company and a city, parish, or other local public school board, shall exclusively govern the services arranged by the company under this Section. Acts 2025, No. 42, §1, eff. June 4, 2025.