625 ILCS 5/ Illinois Vehicle Code.

(625 ILCS 5/12-811) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-811)

Sec. 12-811. Amber 3 bar clearance light. Each type I school bus shall be equipped with an amber 3 bar clearance light on the front of the bus. The light shall be illuminated at all times when the bus is being operated between sunset and sunrise and in conditions of reduced visibility.

(Source: P.A. 79-63.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-812) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-812)

Sec. 12-812. Rules and regulations.

(a) The Department may promulgate rules and regulations to more completely specify the equipment requirements of this Article and may establish by rule a pilot program to permit the testing of safety equipment not otherwise prohibited by State or federal law.

(b) All rules, regulations and standards promulgated from time to time by the State Board of Education and the Department for the safety and construction of school buses shall be applicable to every motor vehicle in this State defined as a school bus under Section 1-182.

(Source: P.A. 102-441, eff. 1-1-22.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-812.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-812.1)

Sec. 12-812.1. (a) The Department shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations governing the use of liquefied petroleum gases, compressed natural gases and liquefied natural gases as a propellant fuel in school buses. Such rules and regulations shall include the installation, maintenance and operation of such equipment installed on school buses and shall be based on the generally accepted standards of safety as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association.

(b) All school buses using liquefied petroleum gases, compressed natural gases or liquefied natural gases as a propellant fuel must conform to and obey any rule or regulation lawfully adopted by the Department.

(Source: P.A. 83-1027.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-813.1)

Sec. 12-813.1. School bus driver communication devices.

(a) In this Section:

"School bus driver" means a person operating a school bus who has a valid school bus driver permit as required under Sections 6-104 and 6-106.1 of this Code.

"Cellular radio telecommunication device" means a device capable of sending or receiving telephone communications without an access line for service and which requires the operator to dial numbers manually. It does not, however, include citizens band radios or citizens band radio hybrids.

"Possession of a school bus" means the period of time from which a bus driver takes possession until the school bus driver returns possession of the school bus, whether or not the school bus driver is operating the school bus.

"Using a cellular radio telecommunication device" means talking or listening to or dialing a cellular radio telecommunication device.

To "operate" means to have the vehicle in motion while it contains one or more passengers.

(b) A school bus driver may not operate a school bus while using a cellular radio telecommunication device.

(c) Subsection (b) of this Section does not apply:

(1) To the use of a cellular radio telecommunication device for the purpose of communicating with any of the following regarding an emergency situation:

(A) an emergency response operator;

(B) a hospital;

(C) a physician's office or health clinic;

(D) an ambulance service;

(E) a fire department, fire district, or fire company; or

(F) a police department.

(2) To the use of a cellular radio telecommunication device to call for assistance in the event that there is a mechanical breakdown or other mechanical problem that impairs the safe operation of the bus or to communicate with school authorities or their designees about any other issue relating to the operation of the school bus or the welfare and safety of any passenger thereon. In no case may a cellular radio telecommunication device be used for anything not provided for in this Section, including but not limited to, personal use.

(3) (Blank).

(4) When the school bus is parked.

(d) A school bus driver who violates subsection (b) of this Section is guilty of a petty offense punishable by a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $250.

(e) A school bus must contain either an operating cellular radio telecommunication device or two-way radio while the school bus driver is in possession of a school bus. The cellular radio telecommunication device or two-way radio in this subsection must be turned on and adjusted in a manner that would alert the school bus driver of an incoming communication request.

(Source: P.A. 96-818, eff. 11-17-09; 96-1066, eff. 7-16-10.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-815) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-815)

Sec. 12-815. Strobe lamp on school bus.

(a) A school bus manufactured prior to January 1, 2000 may be equipped with one strobe lamp that will emit 60 to 120 flashes per minute of white or bluish-white light visible to a motorist approaching the bus from any direction. A school bus manufactured on or after January 1, 2000 shall be equipped with one strobe lamp that will emit 60 to 120 flashes per minute of white or bluish-white light visible to a motorist approaching the bus from any direction. The lamp shall be of sufficient brightness to be visible in normal sunlight when viewed directly from a distance of at least one mile.

(b) The strobe lamp shall be mounted on the rooftop of the bus with the light generating element in the lamp located equidistant from each side and either at or behind the center of the rooftop. The maximum height of the element above the rooftop shall not exceed 1/30 of its distance from the rear of the rooftop. If the structure of the strobe lamp obscures the light generating element, the element shall be deemed to be in the center of the lamp with a maximum height 1/4 inch less than the maximum height of the strobe lamp unless otherwise indicated in rules and regulations promulgated by the Department. The Department may promulgate rules and regulations to govern measurements, glare, effectiveness and protection of strobe lamps on school buses, including higher strobe lamps than authorized in this paragraph.

(c) The strobe lamp may be lighted only when the school bus is actually being used as a school bus and:

1. is stopping or stopped for loading or discharging pupils on a highway outside an urban area; or

2. is bearing one or more pupils.

(Source: P.A. 95-319, eff. 8-21-07.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-815.1)

Sec. 12-815.1. Emergency exits identification. On and after August 1, 2000, all emergency exits of a school bus shall be outlined around the perimeter of the exit with a minimum one inch wide yellow reflective tape or decal. This yellow reflective tape or decal shall be placed on the exterior surface of the school bus.

(Source: P.A. 91-168, eff. 1-1-00; 91-785, eff. 6-9-00.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-815.2)

Sec. 12-815.2. Noise suppression switch. Any school bus manufactured on or after January 1, 2006 must be equipped with a noise suppression switch capable of turning off noise producing accessories, including: heater blowers; defroster fans; auxiliary fans; and radios. For the purposes of this Section, radios shall not include 2-way radios which transmit Global Positioning System (GPS) location and record metadata stops.

(Source: P.A. 100-667, eff. 1-1-19.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-816)

Sec. 12-816. Pre and post-trip inspection policy for school buses.

(a) In order to provide for the welfare and safety of children who are transported on school buses throughout the State of Illinois, each school district shall have in place, by January 1, 2008, a policy to ensure that the school bus driver is the last person leaving the bus and that no passenger is left behind or remains on the vehicle at the end of a route, a work shift, or the work day. This policy and procedure shall, at a minimum, require the school bus driver (i) to test the cellular radio telecommunication device or two-way radio and ensure that it is functioning properly before the bus is operated and (ii) before leaving the bus at the end of each route, work shift, or work day, to walk to the rear of the bus and check the bus for children or other passengers in the bus.

(b) If a school district has a contract with a private sector school bus company for the transportation of the district's students, the school district shall require in the contract with the private sector company that the company have a post-trip inspection policy in place. This policy and procedure shall, at a minimum, require the school bus driver (i) to test the cellular radio telecommunication device or two-way radio and ensure that it is functioning properly before the bus is operated and (ii) before leaving the bus at the end of each route, work shift, or work day, to walk to the rear of the bus and check the bus for children or other passengers in the bus.

(c) Before this inspection, the school bus driver shall activate the interior lights of the bus to assist the driver in seeing in and under the seats during a visual sweep of the bus.

(d) This policy may include, at the discretion of the school district, the installation of a mechanical or electronic post-trip inspection reminder system which requires the school bus driver to walk to the rear of the bus to deactivate the system before the driver leaves the bus. The system shall require that when the driver turns off the vehicle's ignition system, the vehicle's interior lights must illuminate to assist the driver in seeing in and under the seats during a visual sweep of the bus.

(Source: P.A. 95-260, eff. 8-17-07; 96-818, eff. 11-17-09; 96-1066, eff. 7-16-10.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-820) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-820)

Sec. 12-820. Nursery school buses. The Department of Transportation, after conducting a Public Hearing, may, by regulation, modify and supplement the requirements pertaining to seat dimensions, spacing and height from the floor and to other safety features in the interior of a school bus used to transport preschool children, when such modification or supplementing will enhance the safety of the bus when transporting such children.

(Source: P.A. 85-828.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-821)

Sec. 12-821. Display of telephone number; complaint calls.

(a) Each school bus and multifunction school-activity bus shall display at the rear of the bus a sign, with letters and numerals readily visible and readable, indicating the area code and telephone number of the owner of the bus, regardless of whether the owner is a school district or another person or entity. The sign shall be in the following form:

"TO COMMENT ON MY DRIVING, CALL (area code and telephone number of bus owner)".

A school bus owner who placed a sign conforming to the requirements of Public Act 95-176 on a school bus before January 1, 2010 (the effective date of Public Act 96-655) may continue to use that sign on that school bus rather than a sign that conforms to the requirements of Public Act 96-655; however, if the school bus owner replaces that sign, the replacement sign shall conform to the requirements of Public Act 96-655.

(b) The owner of each school bus or multifunction school-activity bus shall establish procedures for accepting the calls provided for under subsection (a) and for taking complaints.

(c) The procedures established under subsection (b) shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) an internal investigation of the events that led to each complaint; and

(2) a report to the complaining party on the results of the investigation and the action taken, if any.

(Source: P.A. 95-176, eff. 1-1-08; 96-410, eff. 7-1-10; 96-655, eff. 1-1-10; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-825)

Sec. 12-825. Extracurricular activities; passengers.

(a) Each school bus operated by a public or private primary or secondary school transporting students enrolled in grade 12 or below for a school related athletic event or other school approved extracurricular activity shall be registered under subsection (a) of Section 3-808 of this Code, comply with school bus driver permit requirements under Section 6-104 of this Code, comply with the minimum liability insurance requirements under Section 12-707.01 of this Code, and comply with special requirements pertaining to school buses under this Chapter.

(b) Each school bus that operates under subsection (a) of this Section may be used for the transportation of passengers other than students enrolled in grade 12 or below for activities that do not involve either a public or private educational institution if the school bus driver or school bus owner complies with Section 12-806 of this Code and the "SCHOOL BUS" sign under Section 12-802 of this Code is either removed or obscured so that it is not visible to other motorists.

(Source: P.A. 100-241, eff. 1-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)

(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 12 Art. IX heading) ARTICLE IX. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION BUSES

(625 ILCS 5/12-900) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-900)

Sec. 12-900. Color and markings. Each religious organization bus may be of any color and have any markings designating its purpose other than those required for school buses under Article VIII of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 79-798.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-901) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-901)

Sec. 12-901. Special lighting equipment. Any religious organization bus may be equipped with a 4-lamp flashing signal system having unison flashing amber lamps, 2 at the front and 2 at the rear of the bus, mounted as high and as widely spaced laterally on the same level as is practicable. If such equipment is installed, (a) each lamp must be a sealed beam at least 5 1/2 inches in diameter and have sufficient intensity to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight, (b) the system shall be actuated only by means of a manual switch, and (c) there shall be a device for indicating to the driver that the system is operating properly or is inoperative.

(Source: P.A. 79-798.)

(625 ILCS 5/12-902) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-902)

Sec. 12-902. Rules and regulations. The Department of Transportation may promulgate rules and regulations to more completely specify the equipment requirements for every motor vehicle defined as a religious organization bus under Section 1-111.1a.

(Source: P.A. 90-89, eff. 1-1-98.)