(a) The department shall develop or approve courses for training school pupil activity bus (SPAB), transit bus, schoolbus, and farm labor vehicle drivers that will provide them with the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare them for certification pursuant to Sections 12517, 12519, and 12804.6 of the Vehicle Code. The department shall seek the advice and assistance of the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of the California Highway Patrol in developing or approving those courses.

(b) The department shall train or approve the necessary instructional personnel to conduct the driver training courses. For all schoolbus and school pupil activity bus (SPAB) driver instructor training, the department shall provide for and approve the course outline and lesson plans used in the course. For transit bus and farm labor vehicle driver training, the department shall approve the course outline and lesson plans used in the course.

(c) All courses of study and training activities required by this article shall be approved by the department and given by, or in the presence of, an instructor in possession of a valid school pupil activity bus (SPAB), transit bus, schoolbus, or farm labor vehicle driver instructor certificate of the appropriate class.

(d) As an alternative to subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), instructors who have received a certificate from the Transportation Safety Institute of the United States Department of Transportation indicating that they have completed the Mass Transit Instructor Orientation and Training (Train-the-Trainer) course may approve courses of instruction and train transit bus drivers in order to meet the requirements for certification pursuant to Section 12804.6 of the Vehicle Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 347, Sec. 16. (SB 942) Effective January 1, 2012.)