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Day Care Center Transportation Information

Day care bus

Effective July 1, 2001, Indiana Code 12-17.2-2-1(d) required that day care centers must transport children in a “special purpose bus”, or a school bus. However, they may also transport children using a public transportation system if the bus is designed to carry at least 30 passengers.

“Special Purpose Bus”(defined):
Indiana Code 20-27-3-5 defines a “special purpose bus” as any motor vehicle designed and constructed:

  1. For the accommodation of more than ten passengers;
  2. That meets the federal school bus safety requirements under 49 U.S.C.30125 except:
    a. The stop signal arm is prohibited
    b. Flashing red and amber lamps are prohibited.
NOTE – IC 9-21-12-13 provides that a bus not being used to transport school children shall:

Remove the flashing lights
Remove the stop arm
Paint the bus any color but national standard school bus chrome yellow.

Day Care Centers (responsibilities):
If a day care center owns, or uses, a vehicle that meets the definition of a “Special Purpose Bus”, or a school bus, it is their responsibility to have that vehicle inspected prior to transporting children. In addition, anytime a day care center purchases a new “Special Purpose Bus” for the purpose of transporting children, they must notify the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division and present the bus for inspection prior to using it.

Day Care centers must now use a “Special Purpose Bus”, or a school bus, as of June 30, 2006 for the transportation of children.

Inspection Criteria:
There are six main items of inspection for a “Special Purpose Bus”:
Brake Components
Steering Components
Suspension Components
Exhaust Systems
Tires
Lights (headlights, taillights, turn signals, brake lamps, and marker lights)

The general condition of the bus is also checked. Upon satisfactorily meeting all inspection criteria, a certificate is issued to the bus.