TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph Lagana that would require the suspension of school bus endorsements on driver’s licenses after a certain number of moving violations within a specified time frame advanced from the Senate Transportation Committee today.
The bill, S-2914, would require the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to suspend the school bus endorsement on a person’s driver’s license for ninety-days if the person is convicted of three or more motor vehicle moving violations in a three-year period, or accumulates six or more motor vehicle penalty points while operating a commercial or non-commercial motor vehicle.
“The necessary steps are being taken to ensure we provide our children with the safest school bus travel possible,” said Senator Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). “We need to have stricter standards in regards to who is eligible to transport our students. This bill would boost confidence and bring comfort in knowing there are adequate drivers’ behind the wheels of our children’s school buses.”
School bus drivers with suspended endorsements would still be permitted to drive a motor vehicle in the state, just not be able to operate a school bus for ninety-days. For a driver to have their endorsement reinstated, they would be required to complete a defensive driving course.
The bill would take effect immediately.
The bill was released from committee by a vote of 5-0, and next heads to the full Senate for further consideration.