Title 46.2. Motor Vehicles
Chapter 8. Regulation of Traffic
Article 14. School Buses.
§ 46.2-917. Operation of yellow motor vehicles of certain seating capacity on state highways prohibited; exceptions; penalty.It shall be unlawful for any motor vehicle licensed in Virginia having a seating capacity of more than 15 persons to be operated on the highways of the Commonwealth if it is yellow, unless it is used in transporting students who attend public, private, or religious schools or used in transporting elderly individuals or individuals with mental or physical disabilities.
Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.
1966, c. 586, § 46.1-169.1; 1968, c. 756; 1970, c. 521; 1989, c. 727; 2005, c. 928; 2023, cc. 148, 149.
§ 46.2-917.1. School buses hired to transport children.Notwithstanding § 46.2-917, any person may contract to hire school buses for the purpose of transporting students to or from school, camp, or any other place during any part of the year. All provisions of this title applicable to school buses shall also apply to any school bus hired under the provisions of this section.
1989, c. 727.
§ 46.2-917.2. School buses operating under State Corporation Commission or Department certificate.Notwithstanding § 46.2-917, any person holding a special or charter party certificate issued by the State Corporation Commission or the Department pursuant to Chapter 23 (§ 46.2-2300 et seq.) of this title may transport special or charter parties in school buses provided all lettering required by § 46.2-1089 and warning devices required by § 46.2-1090 are covered with some opaque detachable material.
1989, c. 727; 1997, c. 283.
§ 46.2-918. School buses to be routed so as to avoid necessity of pupils' crossing divided highways.All school buses transporting pupils to and from all public, private, or religious schools or in connection with such schools, operating on any highway in the Commonwealth which has two or more roadways separated by a physical barrier or barriers or an unpaved area, or which have five or more lanes the center lane of which is a flush median marked for use by turning traffic only, shall be routed so that no pupil shall be picked up or discharged at any point which will require any pupil to cross such highway as described in this section, in order for such pupil to reach such bus or to return to his residence. Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Code 1950, § 46-216; 1950, p. 84; 1958, c. 541, §§ 46.1-169.2, 46.1-199; 1964, c. 15; 1966, c. 699; 1972, c. 86; 1974, c. 365; 1976, c. 24; 1981, c. 395; 1984, c. 539; 1985, cc. 209, 250, 462; 1989, cc. 712, 727; 2005, c. 928.
§ 46.2-919. Age limit for drivers of school buses.It shall be unlawful for any person, whether licensed or not, who is under the age of eighteen years to drive a motor vehicle while in use as a school bus for the transportation of pupils.
Code 1950, § 46-182; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-169; 1989, c. 727.
§ 46.2-919.1. Use of wireless telecommunications devices by persons driving school buses.No person shall use any wireless telecommunications device, whether handheld or otherwise, while driving a school bus, except in case of an emergency, or when the vehicle is lawfully parked and for the purposes of dispatching. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the use of (i) two-way radio devices or (ii) wireless telecommunications devices that are used hands free to allow live communication between the driver and school or public safety officials.