School bus operators must apply for USDOT numbers

Any person, school district, or operator providing school transportation using a school bus must apply for a USDOT number. This covers transportation provided with a vehicle that meets Minnesota's school bus definition, including certain vehicles used to train school employees. The number is used to track inspections conducted under section 169.451.

A licensed commercial driver training school may operate its bus on a public street or highway without following the usual school-bus appearance restrictions. This applies to buses operated by licensed commercial driver training schools under sections 171.33 to 171.41. The bus's stop-signal arm and warning lights must not be used on a public street or highway.

Vehicles model year 2027 and newer must have a first-aid kit that meets current national school transportation standards. The rules apply to school buses and related vehicles covered by the first-aid-kit section; older vehicles may use either a minimum ten-unit kit or a kit meeting those national standards. The body-fluids cleanup kit remains required in an accessible, removable, moisture- and dust-proof container in the driver's compartment. After January 1, 2030, every type III vehicle must have a first-aid kit meeting the national standards. The model-year requirement applies to vehicles model year 2027 and newer. The type III requirement begins after January 1, 2030.