There has been some confusion lately as to whether state statutes concerning appropriate license endorsements for school buses also apply to the drivers of passenger cars used to transport school students to extracurricular activities. So much confusion, that the State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently received a Petition for Declaratory Ruling seeking clarification on this subject from the DMV.
Due to the level of interest in this matter, and the number of persons and organizations that could be affected by a Declaratory Ruling, the DMV has scheduled a public hearing to take place on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at the Rowland State Government Center, 55 West Main Street, Waterbury, Connecticut.
The DMV hearing will address the issue of whether teachers, coaches and/or volunteers such as parents need special license endorsements in order to transport students to extracurricular activities that take place away from the school premises. The DMV will also clarify what it considers to be the proper classification of vehicles used to transport students under those circumstances.
A copy of the Petition for Declaratory Ruling may be obtained by contacting Sandra Tansley in the Legal Services Bureau of the Department of Motor Vehicles at (203) 805-6016 or at [email protected]. Interested parties may also file Petitions to intervene in this matter. Petitions to Intervene must be in the form specified in Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-176(d) and Section 14-137-38(p) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Petitions to Intervene should be sent to John Yacavone, Esquire, Bureau Chief of Legal Services, Department of Motor Vehicles, 55 West Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06702.