The small school bus that crashed Thursday morning, February 26 on Interstate 80 is not required to have drivers obtain a commercial drivers license (CDL), and some say the rules need to be tightened.
"It's called an activity bus. An activity bus is basically painted any other color than school bus yellow," said Evelyn Gay, Transportation Director for the East Moline School system.
"Activity buses" are allowed to transport students in groups of 15 or less. Unlike their yellow school bus counterparts, activity bus drivers are not required to have a CDL.
"It doesn't require any special license, no training is required. I don't like it at all. An activity bus is built on the same chassis as one of our school buses. It's just lesser capacity and a different color," Gay said.
Owners of two local bus service companies say the issue comes up a lot in the world of school transportation.
"It's very important to train to drive these vehicles," said Gay.
Another restriction involving the activity vehicles includes stricter rules for transporting students under high school age.
According to Illinois State Board of Education rules, the vehicles can't be used for transportation to and from specified interscholastic or school sponsored activities for pupils in grades 12 and below.
A call to the state's Safe Ride program through the Illinois Secretary of State's Office concluded that the activity bus can only be used for field trips for junior high age kids and younger.