PRINTER'S NO. 1077
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
172
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, YUDICHAK, REGAN, ARGALL, PHILLIPS-
HILL, STEFANO, SCAVELLO, DiSANTO, PITTMAN AND BROOKS,
SEPTEMBER 17, 2021
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Congress of the United States and the United States
Department of Transportation to take action on the nationwide
school bus driver shortage.
WHEREAS, Every day, school bus drivers have the
responsibility of safely transporting this Commonwealth's most
precious cargo, more than 1.5 million children, to and from
school; and
WHEREAS, The ratio of school bus drivers to students
transported has decreased since 2013, when the number of
licensed school bus drivers in this Commonwealth was at the
highest level in the last 10 years; and
WHEREAS, Federal and State laws and regulations require
school bus operators to pass knowledge and driving tests and
demonstrate their capability of safely operating a loaded school
bus; and
WHEREAS, These requirements lead to a process that takes a
substantial amount of time, approximately 12 weeks, before a
school bus driver is qualified to drive students; and
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WHEREAS, While Federal and State laws and regulations serve
as safeguards to assure the safe transport of school children,
the "under-the-hood" training requirement for commercial
driver's licenses has proven to be a significant barrier to
entry into the school bus industry; and
WHEREAS, The "under-the-hood" training, which is tailored for
large commercial vehicles, requires a school bus driver to
identify certain parts of the school bus engine and remedy them
in the event of an issue; and
WHEREAS, The "under-the-hood" inspection is not applicable
for school bus drivers, since their pretrip inspection does not
require inspecting items in the engine bay, and in the event of
a breakdown, a school bus driver remains on the bus while
another individual addresses the mechanical issues; and
WHEREAS, Across this Commonwealth, school districts and
school bus companies have been struggling to hire and retain an
adequate number of qualified school bus drivers; and
WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the shortage,
at times resulting in school districts attempting to borrow
school bus drivers from neighboring school districts, to
significantly modify or delay bus schedules or ultimately having
no choice but to cancel an entire school day; and
WHEREAS, The number of licensed school bus drivers in this
Commonwealth is declining, while the number of students needing
daily school bus transportation continues to increase; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate urge the Congress of the United
States and the United States Department of Transportation to
take action on the nationwide school bus driver shortage; and be
it further
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RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States and the
United States Department of Transportation consider legislation
or regulations that would ease the barriers to recruitment and
retention of school bus drivers, while preserving the safety of
the children on the bus, the general motoring public and
pedestrians; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States and the
United States Department of Transportation consider
investigating the feasibility of developing a commercial
driver's license that is specific to school bus drivers in order
to reduce irrelevant training requirements; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, the Majority and Minority
Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the
Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives,
the chair and ranking member of the Commerce Committee of the
United States Senate, the chair and ranking member of the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the United States
House of Representatives, the Secretary of the United States
Department of Transportation, the Administrator of the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pennsylvania
Congressional Delegation.
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