§ 3624. Drivers, monitors and attendants. The commissioner shall
determine and define the qualifications of drivers, monitors and
attendants and shall make the rules and regulations governing the
operation of all transportation facilities used by pupils which rules
and regulations shall include, but not be limited to, a maximum speed of
fifty-five miles per hour for school vehicles engaged in pupil
transportation that are operated on roads, interstates or other
highways, parkways or bridges or portions thereof that have posted speed
limits in excess of fifty-five miles per hour, prohibitions relating to
smoking, eating and drinking and any and all other acts or conduct which
would otherwise impair the safe operation of such transportation
facilities while actually being used for the transport of pupils. The
employment of each driver, monitor and attendant shall be approved by
the chief school administrator of a school district for each school bus
operated within his or her district. For the purpose of determining his
or her physical fitness, each driver, monitor and attendant may be
examined on order of the chief school administrator by a duly licensed
physician within two weeks prior to the beginning of service in each
school year as a school bus driver, monitor or attendant. The report of
the physician, in writing, shall be considered by the chief school
administrator in determining the fitness of the driver to operate or
continue to operate any transportation facilities used by pupils and in
determining the fitness of any monitor or attendant to carry out his or
her functions on such transportation facilities. Nothing in this section
shall prohibit a school district from imposing a more restrictive speed
limit policy for the operation of school vehicles engaged in pupil
transportation than the speed limit policy established by the
commissioner.