For Immediate Release
Date: October 11, 2005
Contact: Maura Browning
Phone: (573) 751-8222

Federal Government Extends Grandfathering Period for School Bus Endorsement

        JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Department of Revenue announced last month that school bus drivers had until September 30, 2005, to submit grandfathering applications to waive driver skills testing prior to receiving a new license with the “S” (school bus) endorsement. The federal government has now revised its regulations to allow school bus drivers to submit grandfathering applications until September 30, 2006. Missouri school bus drivers who have not yet submitted grandfathering applications have another year to do so, thanks to the federal change.

        The federal regulation change allows the waiver of skills testing, but does not waive the requirement for passing the written test.  A school bus driver may not receive the “S” endorsement or drive a school bus in Missouri until the driver passes the written test and is approved to grandfather. All new school bus drivers are still required to take the written test and skills test and obtain the “S” endorsement on their Commercial Driver License or Class E driver license.

        Any school bus driver or commercial vehicle driver who has questions about the requirements should call (573) 751-2730. More information is available on the department’s website at www.dor.mo.gov.