Illinois Statutes Chapter 625. Vehicles § 5/12-816. Pre and post-trip inspection policy for school buses

(a) In order to provide for the welfare and safety of children who are transported on school buses throughout the State of Illinois, each school district shall have in place, by January 1, 2008, a policy to ensure that the school bus driver is the last person leaving the bus and that no passenger is left behind or remains on the vehicle at the end of a route, a work shift, or the work day. This policy and procedure shall, at a minimum, require the school bus driver (i) to test the cellular radio telecommunication device or two-way radio and ensure that it is functioning properly before the bus is operated and (ii) before leaving the bus at the end of each route, work shift, or work day, to walk to the rear of the bus and check the bus for children or other passengers in the bus.

(b) If a school district has a contract with a private sector school bus company for the transportation of the district's students, the school district shall require in the contract with the private sector company that the company have a post-trip inspection policy in place. This policy and procedure shall, at a minimum, require the school bus driver (i) to test the cellular radio telecommunication device or two-way radio and ensure that it is functioning properly before the bus is operated and (ii) before leaving the bus at the end of each route, work shift, or work day, to walk to the rear of the bus and check the bus for children or other passengers in the bus.

(c) Before this inspection, the school bus driver shall activate the interior lights of the bus to assist the driver in seeing in and under the seats during a visual sweep of the bus.

(d) This policy may include, at the discretion of the school district, the installation of a mechanical or electronic post-trip inspection reminder system which requires the school bus driver to walk to the rear of the bus to deactivate the system before the driver leaves the bus. The system shall require that when the driver turns off the vehicle's ignition system, the vehicle's interior lights must illuminate to assist the driver in seeing in and under the seats during a visual sweep of the bus.