Minnesota Session Laws - 1992, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1992 

                        CHAPTER 516-H.F.No. 2113 
           An act relating to traffic regulations; authorizing 
          the operation of flashing lights and stop arms on 
          school buses transporting persons age 18 and under to 
          and from certain activities; requiring school bus sign 
          on school bus providing such transportation; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, sections 169.441, 
          subdivision 3; and 169.443, subdivision 3, and by 
          adding a subdivision; Laws 1988, chapter 573, section 
          1. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, section 
169.441, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 3.  [SIGN ON BUS; APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW.] Sections 
169.442, subdivisions 2 and 3; 169.443, subdivision 2; and 
169.444, subdivisions 1, 4, and 5, apply only if the school bus 
bears on its front and rear a plainly visible sign containing 
the words "school bus" in letters at least eight inches in 
height. 
    Except as provided in section 169.443, subdivision 8, the 
sign must be removed or covered when the vehicle is being used 
as other than a school bus. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, section 
169.443, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 3.  [WHEN SIGNALS NOT USED.] School bus drivers shall 
not activate the prewarning flashing amber signals or flashing 
red signals: 
    (1) in special school bus loading areas where the bus is 
entirely off the traveled portion of the roadway and where no 
other motor vehicle traffic is moving or is likely to be moving 
within 20 feet of the bus; 
    (2) in residential or business districts of home rule or 
statutory cities when directed not to do so by the local school 
administrator; 
    (3) when a school bus is being used on a street or highway 
for purposes other than the actual transportation of school 
children to or from school or a school-approved activity, except 
as provided in subdivision 8; 
    (4) at railroad grade crossings; and 
    (5) when loading and unloading people while the bus is 
completely off the traveled portion of a separated, one-way 
roadway that has adequate shoulders.  The driver shall drive the 
bus completely off the traveled portion of this roadway before 
loading or unloading people. 
     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1991 Supplement, section 
169.443, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 8.  [SCHOOL BUSES USED FOR RECREATIONAL AND 
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY.] A school bus that transports over regular 
routes and on regular schedules persons age 18 or under to and 
from a regularly scheduled recreational or educational activity 
must comply with subdivisions 1 and 7.  Notwithstanding section 
169.441, subdivision 3, a school bus may provide such 
transportation only if (1) the "school bus" sign required by 
section 169.443, subdivision 3, is plainly visible; (2) the 
school bus has a valid certificate of inspection under section 
169.451; (3) the driver of the school bus possesses a driver's 
license with a valid school bus endorsement under section 
171.10; and (4) the entity that organizes the recreational or 
educational activity, or the contractor who provides the school 
buses to the entity, consults with the superintendent of the 
school district in which the activity is located or the 
superintendent's designee on the safety of the regular routes 
used. 
    Sec. 4.  Laws 1988, chapter 573, section 1, is amended to 
read: 
    Section 1.  [DULUTH TRANSIT BUSES ARE NOT SCHOOL BUSES.] 
    Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 169.01, 
subdivision 6, and 171.01, subdivision 21, the Duluth transit 
authority may transport secondary students to or from a school, 
or to or from school-related activities within the city of 
Duluth, on fixed routes and schedules or under an agreement with 
independent school district No. 709, in a publicly owned transit 
bus.  For the purposes of this section, secondary students 
include students in grade six who attend a school serving grades 
six through eight. 
    Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    Section 4 is effective the day after the school board in 
section 4 complies with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, 
subdivision 3. 
    Presented to the governor April 17, 1992 
    Signed by the governor April 29, 1992, 7:53 a.m.