(a) All fully budgeted school bus drivers (excluding students), mechanics and maintenance workers not now covered by the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama or Employees' Retirement System of Alabama, who are employed by any county or city board of education or the governing board of any public school in Alabama regardless of the source from which and the manner in which their salaries are paid, may become members of the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama; provided, that such persons elect within six months after October 2, 1971, to accept the benefits of this chapter. Such persons may signify their desire to become members of the Teachers' Retirement System by enrolling through their employer and the Secretary-Treasurer of the Teachers' Retirement System within said six months' period. Any person hereafter employed in these positions shall be deemed to be a "teacher" within the meaning of such word in the Teachers' Retirement System law and shall be entitled to the benefits thereof; except, that those employees who become members under this section shall not be entitled to $72.00 multiplied by the number of years of creditable service for service retirement nor $54.00 multiplied by the number of years for disability retirement.

(b) Any person presently employed in the capacity as set out in subsection (a) of this section shall be entitled to receive credit for all service in such capacity rendered by him prior to October 2, 1971; provided, that such person pays to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Teachers' Retirement System within six months from October 2, 1971, a sum equal to the total contributions which he would have made as a member during the period of such employment from September 1, 1941 to October 2, 1971.

(c) The several county and city boards of education and other governing bodies of any public schools employing school bus drivers, mechanics, and maintenance workers in the public schools under their separate jurisdiction are hereby authorized and directed to provide for the deductions from the salaries of such persons or for the collection in some other manner of each of such employee contributions to the Teachers' Retirement System as prescribed by law or regulations of the Board of Control of the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama.