School Bus Inspection Program
Indiana code 20-27-7-1 requires the Indiana State Police to inspect all special purpose buses, and school buses, including Licensed Day Care Centers, used to transport pupils in the state of Indiana.Each bus is inspected to determine compliance with the safety requirements prescribed for school bus construction, and equipment, in the official rules and regulations of the Indiana State School Bus Committee.Transporting children on a bus that has not been presented for inspection is a class “C” misdemeanor.
The division is responsible for overseeing all school bus inspections in Indiana.We field a team of Indiana State Troopers, and Motor Carrier Inspectors, within each state police district who are responsible for conducting these inspections.
There are several types of inspections performed by division personnel:
Fall Inspection (Annual):Each year, prior to the start of the fall school semester, CVED inspects each school bus in Indiana. These inspections take place during late June through late August. Each year over 14,000 school bus inspections are conducted. Winter Inspection (Semi-Annual):
During late January through February, all school buses 12 model years old and older, are required to undergo a second inspection in accordance with Indiana Statutes. Spot Checks:
Throughout the school year, CVED performs random spot checks on school buses as they operate throughout the state. Each year approximately 2600 spot checks are performed. Post-Crash Inspections:
The CVED conducts inspections, and crash investigations, whenever a school bus is involved in a crash and:
Approved |
Rejected |
Out of Service |
Approved indicates the bus passed inspection without any defects, and is ready to transport children.
Rejected indicates the bus had minor defects, and has 30 days to correct these defects.During this period, the bus is allowed to transport children.
Out-of-Service indicates that the bus has serious mechanical defects, and is not allowed to transport children until these defects are corrected, and the bus has been re-inspected by the Indiana State Police.
Annual School Bus Meetings:
In cooperation with the Indiana Department of Education’s Division of School Traffic Safety and Emergency Planning, annual school bus driver safety meetings are held throughout the state.Training is provided to school bus drivers on topics related to school bus safety, regulations, and state laws pertaining to the school bus inspection, operation, and crashes.
Statistics:
Statistics for school bus crash investigations are invaluable when evaluating the effectiveness of divisions inspection procedures.They identify mechanical defects resulting from poor maintenance, and/or design flaws.The U.S. Department of Transportation also uses the crash data when setting design standards.
Inspection Statistics:
| Year | Buses Inspected | Approved | Ordered Repaired | Out-of-Service | Repaired |
|
2006 |
14,970 |
11,042 |
3,928 |
1,198 |
3,928 |
|
2005 |
14,791 |
10,565 |
4,210 |
1,221 |
4,210 |
|
2004 |
14,725 |
10,396 |
4,329 |
1,343 |
4,329 |
|
2003 |
14,456 |
10,164 |
4,292 |
1,326 |
4,292 |
Contacts:
Forms:
Click here for the King pin and brake inspection form
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