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Committee asks staff to study coach-driven 15-passenger van use and driver certification requirements
Summary
Committee members asked staff to research whether coaches can drive 15-passenger vans for small-team travel, and requested a report next month about training, certification and legal requirements. District staff said a student-transportation certificate is required for potential drivers, even if a commercial license is not.
Committee member Turner asked the athletics committee to investigate cost-savings by using 15-passenger vans driven by coaches for small teams (for example, a coach driving three athletes to a ski event) rather than full-size school buses.
A staff member from transportation explained that the district can allow non-CDL drivers to transport students in smaller vehicles but that drivers must obtain a state "student transportation certificate" and complete district-required training. "Every potential driver has to have a student transportation certificate," the staff member said, adding that the certificate is separate from the commercial driver's license requirement and involves a nontrivial amount of training.
Staff said logistical constraints also affect vehicle choice: many athletic trips are linked to home-to-school bus runs, which can limit vehicle availability. Committee member Turner asked the staff to investigate how neighboring districts organize coach-driven vans; she asked staff to bring a report to the next committee meeting.
The committee did not take formal action but directed staff to research legal and training requirements and to report back with recommendations and examples from nearby districts.
