To permanently extend the exemption from the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement for school bus drivers, and for other purposes.

This bill makes permanent a federal rule that lets school bus driver applicants skip the “under-the-hood” part of the pre-trip inspection skills test. It tells the U.S. Department of Transportation to lock in the existing exemption and its terms from a December 2024 notice, keeping that flexibility in place for the long term.

States that choose to use this exemption must send the federal government a short report each year for six years, saying how many drivers got a commercial driver’s license under the exemption.

Key points:

• Who is affected: People training to be school bus drivers, state licensing agencies.
• What changes: The waiver of the “under-the-hood” inspection test becomes permanent; states using it must report yearly numbers for six years.
• When: The change takes effect upon enactment; the reporting lasts six years after that.