(a) An original applicant for a certificate to drive a schoolbus, as defined by Section 545 of the Vehicle Code, shall have successfully completed a minimum 40-hour course of instruction. The course shall include at least 20 hours of classroom instruction in, but not limited to, all units of the Instructor’s Manual for California’s Bus Driver’s Training Course. All classroom instruction shall be given by, or in the presence of, a state-certified instructor of the appropriate class. The course shall also include at least 20 hours of applicant behind-the-wheel training in all sections of the Instructor’s Behind-the-Wheel Guide for California’s Bus Driver’s Training Course. Applicant behind-the-wheel training shall include driving vehicles comparable to those vehicles that will be driven by the applicant to transport pupils. All behind-the-wheel training shall be given by a state-certified instructor of the appropriate class or the delegated behind-the-wheel trainer as designated pursuant to Section 40084.5.

(b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), a driver who is holding a driver certificate or endorsement described in Section 40083, and is seeking a schoolbus certificate of the appropriate class, shall have successfully completed a minimum of five hours of classroom instruction, including, but not limited to, schoolbus laws and regulations, defensive driving, pupil loading and unloading, and the exceptional child. All classroom instruction shall be given by, or in the presence of, a state-certified instructor of the appropriate class. The driver shall also complete at least three hours of behind-the-wheel training in defensive driving practices, lane control, railroad grade crossing procedures, and pupil loading and unloading.

(c) A driver may not be certified to drive a schoolbus in the manner set forth in subdivision (b) if that driver was instructed by a person who received his or her certificate in the manner described in subdivision (d) of Section 40081.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 646, Sec. 14. Effective January 1, 2000.)