1. Every school bus as defined under R.S.39:1-1, which was originally designed to carry 10 or more passengers and which is in operation on August 6, 1996, transporting public and nonpublic school pupils and every new or used such school bus purchased on or after that date to transport public and nonpublic school pupils shall be equipped with a crossing control arm at the right front corner of the bus. In each year subsequent to August 6, 1996, 50 percent of all school bus fleets in operation on that date owned by any agency, a board of education, a nonpublic school or a school bus contractor not already equipped with a crossing control arm shall be so equipped, provided that each vehicle used to transport elementary school students shall be given priority to be equipped with a crossing control arm in the first year following August 6, 1996. The arm shall open and extend out from the front of the bus at least 5 1/2 feet each time the bus door is opened.

L.1996,c.96,s.1; amended 1998, c.80, s.1.