What must a school bus have when transporting persons other than pupils?

When a school bus is transporting persons other than pupils, it must meet specific requirements to ensure safety and compliance with traffic laws. Covering the school bus signs, flashing red lights, and amber warning lights is necessary to indicate that the vehicle is not in school mode.

Covering school bus signs prevents misunderstanding about the bus’s function, as it may be assumed that the bus is transporting children if the signs are visible. Flashing red lights and amber warning lights are critical for alerting other drivers to the presence of children boarding or alighting from the bus. When not transporting students, covering these lights clarifies that the bus is not actively picking up or dropping off pupils, which reduces the risk of accidents.

Therefore, ensuring that all these identifiers are covered when transporting persons who are not students is vital for maintaining safety protocols and clear communication with other drivers on the road. This is why the comprehensive approach of covering all of these features is essential when the bus is being utilized for purposes other than carrying pupils.