8 Va. Admin. Code § 20-70-130
All school buses and school activity buses used to transport public school pupils to and from school and school activity events shall be inspected and maintained by competent mechanics at least once every 45 school days, with "school days" as determined by the school division's approved yearly calendar or modifications in the calendar as approved by the division superintendent or designee, or every 5,000 miles. Any bus that is removed from service or deadlined so as to disrupt the scheduled maintenance shall be inspected prior to being returned to service. At no point shall any bus go without an inspection during the school semester and such inspections shall be no more than 90 school days apart excluding summer sessions. The inspections and maintenance shall be conducted in accordance with provisions of the Preventive Maintenance Manual for Virginia School Buses (September 2012) and recorded on the prescribed inspection forms or in a format approved by the Department of Education. Additional Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) inspection and maintenance recommendations should be maintained during the service life of each bus to ensure safety and warranty requirements are met. Maintenance consideration should be given to buses operated during the summer session. If the inspection and maintenance are not made in a shop operated by the school board or the local governing body, the school board shall designate one or more inspection centers to make the inspections and require a copy of the results of the inspections to be furnished to the division superintendent. School division compliance with the foregoing maintenance inspection requirements shall be subject to verification by the Department of Education.
Subject to funds being available, the Department of Education shall conduct operational assessments of school divisions' pupil transportation operations on an ongoing basis to ensure applicable statutes, regulations, and specifications are being met. The Department of Education shall establish procedures for conducting the operational assessments and shall conduct the assessments in school divisions on a periodic cycle as resources permit. As part of the operational assessments, the Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to school divisions in a manner that will assist them with achieving and maintaining compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and specifications.
Maintenance and service personnel shall be encouraged to attend approved workshops or training institutes and shall receive all necessary service and maintenance publications for equipment serviced.
8 Va. Admin. Code § 20-70-130
Statutory Authority
§§ 22.1-16, 22.1-176, and 22.1-177 of the Code of Virginia.