Photo Courtesy of Rep. Meng’s Office
“No parent should have to worry whether the bus driver who transports his or her child to school has a history of DUIs, or if the child is safe on the bus,” Rep. Meng said.
By Forum Staff
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng recently reintroduced legislation to safeguard students against bus drivers who have a record of drunk driving.
The No School Bus Drivers with DUIs Act would prohibit elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools that receive federal education funds from employing school bus drivers who have been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, drunk driving or a driving-related felony.
According to Meng, few school bus drivers drive across state lines, so they are not subject to many federal safety regulations. Currently, each state has its own hiring practices for school bus drivers, and some states do not have any requirements related to drunk-driving convictions.
“No parent should have to worry whether the bus driver who transports his or her child to school has a history of DUIs, or if the child is safe on the bus,” said Meng, the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Kids’ Safety Caucus. “Unfortunately, there is no universal requirement that school bus drivers have a record free of DUI convictions. Just this past May, a school bus driver from Wyoming was arrested for driving a bus with kids on board while under the influence, and after her arrest it was discovered that she had a prior DUI conviction. Congress must act to ensure the safety of our children, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support my common sense legislation.”
Meng also cited a June CBS News report which noted that of 21 states that told CBS News they had no school bus drivers who had been charged with DUIs in the past three years, each state had at least one with such an arrest. Meng said her legislation would prevent this type of hiring oversight by prohibiting any K-12 public school from employing a school bus driver who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a DUI.
