Sec. 34.003.  OPERATION OF SCHOOL BUSES.  (a)  School buses or mass transit authority motor buses shall be used for the transportation of students to and from schools on routes having 10 or more students.  On those routes having fewer than 10 students, passenger cars may be used for the transportation of students to and from school.
(b)  To transport students in connection with school activities other than on routes to and from school:
(1)  only school buses or motor buses may be used to transport 15 or more students in any one vehicle;  and
(2)  passenger cars or passenger vans may be used to transport fewer than 15 students.
(c)  In all circumstances in which passenger cars or passenger vans are used to transport students, the operator of the vehicle shall ensure that the number of passengers in the vehicle does not exceed the designed capacity of the vehicle and that each passenger is secured by a safety belt.
(d)  In this section, "passenger van" means a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle or passenger car, used to transport persons and designed to transport 15 or fewer passengers, including the driver.
(e)  "Motor bus" means a vehicle designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1029, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 1997;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1438, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.