Photo by Cory Voglesonger
Schools are constantly on the lookout for new buses, as regulations frequently require school buses to be retired once they have reached a certain age or mileage limit. The regulations vary from state to state, and frequently reliable buses have to be sold off or retired simply because of statutes and limitations.
Tennessee lawmakers recently approved an update to their bus age and mileage limit legislation, which will allow school buses to be used for more than 17 years, so long as the buses can pass biannual safety inspections.
The current regulations require buses to be retired from service after 17 years of service or 200,000 miles. The new bill would permit the use of conventional and Type D school buses through their 18th year of service if they have less than 400,000 recorded miles.
Buses can also have their life extended even further if the Commissioner of Safety approves the vehicle during the inspection process and has less than 200,000 recorded miles. If signed by Gov. Bill Haslam, the regulations will come into effect July 1.
