FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MVA REMINDS BUS DRIVERS DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR CERTIFICATION

GLEN BURNIE, MD (September 1, 2006) - Attention Maryland school bus drivers!  The time is running out to update your commercial driver's license.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 requires that all school bus drivers have a school bus, "S" endorsement on their licenses by September 30, 2006.  School bus drivers are required to pass a written knowledge test in order to comply with the law and receive the "S" endorsement.  School bus drivers can go to their nearest full service MVA office to take the knowledge test Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.

School bus drivers who have not taken and passed the knowledge test prior to the September 30, 2006 deadline will not be allowed to operate a school bus.  The only way to be reinstated as a qualified school bus driver after September 30, 2006 will involve the complete re-testing and re-application for a commercial driver's license learner's permit, pass the full skills test in a school bus, and pass the knowledge test to receive the "S" endorsement.

There are approximately 15,400 school bus drivers in Maryland.  The MVA has worked with the local school systems to administer the new school bus safety knowledge test so that the school bus drivers could retain the "S" endorsement.  If a driver does not wish to operate a school bus any longer, he or she may come to any full service MVA office to obtain a corrected license and remove the school bus endorsement.  An appropriate fee will be charged for the correction.

The original deadline for adding the "S" endorsement was September 30, 2005.  However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration extended the deadline for one year because several states, including Maryland, were unable to administer the certification test to an adequate number of school bus drivers by the original deadline.

For additional information, please visit the MVA website at www.marylandmva.com

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