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92_SB2164gms
State of Illinois
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Springfield, Illinois 62706
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
August 23, 2002
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate
92nd General Assembly
Today I sign Senate Bill 2164, which amends the Vehicle
Code and requires that a person driving a bus that has been
chartered for the sole purpose of transporting students in
grades 12 and below to school sponsored activities, must have
a school bus permit in addition to any other permit or
licensed required to operate that bus. Senate Bill 2164
further provides that this requirement does not apply to
drivers employed by public transportation providers that are
authorized to conduct specific school routes, but are also on
a regularly scheduled route for the transport of other
farepaying passengers.
Senate Bill 2164 is designed to ensure that chartered bus
company drivers who transport students for school related
activities have the proper credentials to safely operate
vehicle and transport students. I support the spirit of this
legislation, and I believe it is essential to send a strong
message to schools and the transportation industry that our
children's safety is of utmost importance. Illinois' school
children have been the number one priority during my
Administration and throughout my career in public service.
However, since the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 2164,
chartered motor coach industry representatives and several
members of the Illinois Senate have expressed concerns
regarding the implementation of this legislation.
Specifically, the industry reports that some of the skills
and knowledge tested for school bus permits are not
applicable to chartered motor coach drivers. Therefore, I
encourage the General Assembly to address the concerns of its
members and the charter bus industry representatives, while
continuing their efforts to ensure the safety of our school
children.
Sincerely,
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR