New Jersey has one of the most rigorous inspection processes in the country. The inspection is a 150-point process that checks over 180 items during each on-site inspection. This includes everything from the door buzzer to the catalytic converter in addition to driver employment records. View a sample inspection checklist.
This meticulous inspection ensures that New Jersey school buses remain in top condition. Upon the first inspection, an average of 40% of vehicles don’t pass the initial test and are given out-of-service stickers while 30% are issued 30-day rejection stickers. However, once the bus owners make the repairs and the School Bus Inspection Unit re-inspects the vehicles, an average of 91% are approved for use.
Any vehicle used to transport children to or from a school-related activity must meet these inspection requirements.
In addition to the semi-annual inspections, the New Jersey School Bus Task Force also performs monthly, unannounced inspections.
You can check the current status of a school bus by looking for a sticker on the lower left corner of the windshield. There are four different stickers that indicate the school bus' safety:
- Approval–valid for six months with expiration date is printed in the center
- 30 day rejection–the vehicle can still transport passengers but has 30 days to repair the parts in violation
- Out-of-service–the vehicle cannot transport passengers until service repairs have been completed. Another full inspection is required after 30 days
- Summer camp–used in addition to the approval sticker to allow a vehicle to transport children to summer camp activities from May 15 to September 15
