(a) Notwithstanding Section 545, a bus of the type commonly known as a coach bus is not a schoolbus when it is operated by the Trona Unified School District to transport pupils to route-deviated school activities.

(b) A coach bus operated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be inspected annually by the Department of the California Highway Patrol, shall meet the equipment safety standards established by the federal government for schoolbuses, and shall be used to transport pupils only if the driver has obtained a certificate to operate a schoolbus pursuant to Section 12517.

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 545.5

  • bus: is a ny vehicle, including a trailer bus, designed, used, or maintained for carrying more than 15 persons including the driver. See California Vehicle Code 233
  • Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles except, when used in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 2 and in Divisions 11 (commencing with Section 21000), 12 (commencing with Section 24000), 13 (commencing with Section 29000), 14 (commencing with Section 31600), 14. See California Vehicle Code 290
  • driver: is a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See California Vehicle Code 305
  • Highway: is a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See California Vehicle Code 360
  • schoolbus: is a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained for the transportation of any school pupil at or below the 12th grade level to or from a public or private school or to or from public or private school activities, except the following:

    California Vehicle Code 545

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 400, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1996.)