P.L. 2022, c.041 (A3990 1R ACS)

An Act concerning the service life of vehicles used for the provision of pupil transportation services.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. For ¹[the 2022-2023 school year, the retirement date of school buses provided by] a school bus used for pupil transportation purposes in the 2021-2022 school year that would otherwise be required to be retired in 2022 pursuant to¹ section 1 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.1) and section 2 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.2)¹, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission¹ shall ¹[be extended] extend the retirement date of such school bus¹ by one year ¹upon request by the owner of the school bus¹.

b. ¹[For the 2023-2024 school year and the 2024-2025 school year, the] The¹ Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, may¹, upon request by the owner of the school bus,¹ allow an additional year of service for any school bus used for pupil transportation purposes in the prior school year that would otherwise be required to be retired ¹in 2023 or 2024¹ pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.1) and section 2 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.2), provided any inspections of the school bus determine that the school bus may safely be used for pupil transportation. ¹The chief administrator shall not grant a school bus more than one extension pursuant to this act.¹

c. In any year that school buses are allowed to be operated beyond the statutory service life provided in section 1 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.1) and section 2 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.2), the chief administrator shall provide a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature that contains the following information:

(1) the number of school buses in each school district in the State authorized to operate beyond the statutory service life provided by section 1 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.1) and section 2 of P.L.1983, c.206 (C.39:3B-5.2);

(2) the rationale for allowing school buses to be operated for an additional year of service pursuant to subsection b. of this section, if applicable;

(3) any data or information that the chief administrator used to determine whether to allow school buses to be operated for an additional year of service pursuant to subsection b. of this section, if applicable; and

(4) any other information the chief administrator determines is necessary or appropriate to relay to the Governor and the Legislature concerning pupil transportation and school bus safety in the State.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Provides temporary one-year extension of service life of school buses for 2022-2023 school year; authorizes chief administrator to allow one-year extension in subsequent two school years.