§ 31-10-5. Special restrictions for drivers for compensation.

(a) No person who is under the age of twenty-one (21) years shall drive any school bus transporting school children or any motor vehicle when in use for the transportation of persons or property for compensation nor in either event until the person has been licensed as a chauffeur for either purpose and the license so indicates. Colleges and universities shall be exempt from the requirement for a public plate for vehicles used to shuttle only students or employees to various points within the college or university campus or if a college or university owned or leased vehicle is used for the occasional transportation of college or university employees or students either on or off campus provided that the vehicle is operated by a college or university employee possessing a valid Rhode Island chauffeur€™s license or a commercial drivers license with a passenger endorsement. Provided, however, that the college or university shall operate the shuttle service and there shall be no specific charge for the transportation of students or employees. The division of motor vehicles shall not issue a chauffeur€™s license for either purpose unless the applicant has had at least one year of driving experience prior to the application, and has filed with the division of motor vehicles one or more certificates signed by a total of at least three (3) responsible people to whom the applicant is well known certifying to the applicant€™s good character and habits and the administrator of the division of motor vehicles is fully satisfied as to the applicant€™s competency and fitness to be so employed.

(b) In addition to the requirements provided in subsection (a) of this section, any person (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an €œapplicant€) attempting to obtain a chauffeur€™s license to drive a school bus transporting school children shall, prior to being certified:

(1) Successfully complete a ten-hour (10) school bus driver training course conducted by the department of revenue or the department of revenue€™s designee and file a certificate of successful completion with the division of motor vehicles. The curriculum of that course and the accreditation of courses offered shall be pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the division of motor vehicles. Provided, for an applicant who holds a valid commercial driver€™s license, the course shall be abbreviated and reduced in time and shall focus on the specific Rhode Island requirements for school bus drivers;

(2) Pass a written examination prepared and given by the department of revenue or the department of revenue€™s designee; and

(3) Pass a driving test in a school bus of a like type which that person will be employed to drive. The test will be prepared and given by the department of revenue.

(c) Prior to issuing a certificate to any person who intends to drive a school bus, the division of motor vehicles shall conduct a search of that person€™s motor vehicle record. Any violation of any safety regulation or conviction of any motor vehicle law in this or any other state shall be grounds for refusing to issue a certificate.