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IMPORTANT UPDATE RELATED TO COVID-19
Due to Governor Abbott's Executive Order issued Tuesday, March 31, 2020, Region 4 has canceled all currently scheduled in-person bus driver certification and recertification classes. We are in the process of working with our instructors to reschedule all classes starting after May 4, 2020. Please note that this date is subject to extension based on the status of COVID-19 in Texas and the recommendations of the CDC.
March 24, 2020 Update from the Texas Department of Public Safety
As a result of COVID-19, it is necessary to implement the following temporary extension dates related to school bus driver enrollment, certification and medical card expiration dates. Be advised, full implementation as stated in 37 TAC, Part 1, Chapter 14, Subchapters B & C will resume back to regular business upon the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic. A follow-up email will be sent out and posted when this occurs.
Enrollment Cards:
An enrollment card displaying an expired date will be considered valid if both of these conditions are met:
1. The expiration date on the enrollment card is on or after March 13, 2020; AND
2. The expired date is within 60 days of the end of the State of Disaster, which will be the date the department provides public notice that normal issuance procedures have resumed.
Any driver with an enrollment card that does not fall within these conditions can be issued a 2nd enrollment card but only if approved by the service center.
Please remember that enrollment cards are to only be issued to drivers enrolled in the next available certification course, not the recertification course.
Certification and/or Recertification Cards:
A certification and/or recertification card displaying an expired date will be considered valid if both of these conditions are met:
1. The expiration date on the cert/recert card is on or after March 13, 2020; AND
2. The expired date is within 60 days of the end of the State of Disaster, which will be the date the department provides public notice that normal issuance procedures have resumed.
For drivers that are taking the online course, the course must be completed within the 14 days but only the proctored test is temporarily being waived to be administered outside of the 14 days. Therefore, the proctored test must be administered within 60 days of the end of the State of Disaster. If a driver starts the online course, they must complete it online or restart the whole thing over in a classroom course. No online course will be transferred to a classroom course.
Medical Cards:
For drivers that are certified to the Non-Excepted category (which requires them to submit their medical card to DPS), the department has suspended the automatic downgrade of a CDL if the driver has not provided a current medical certificate. If drivers choose to proceed with their physical and obtain a current medical certificate, they can still submit the certificate to the department by email CDLMedCert@dps.texas.gov or by fax 512-424-2002. For drivers certified to both the excepted and non-excepted categories, a medical card displaying an expired date will be considered valid if both of these conditions are met:
1. The expiration date on the medical card is on or after March 13, 2020; AND
2. The expired date is within 60 days of the end of the State of Disaster, which will be the date the department provides public notice that normal issuance procedures have resumed.
If you should have any questions please contact Jerry L. Lashley, Jr., Director of Business & Operations at jerrry.lashley@esc4.net or at 713.744.6854.
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