Z-1333               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6220

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Gaspard, Bailey, Rinehart, Bender, Metcalf, Madsen, Murray, Talmadge, Lee, Craswell, Warnke and Conner;by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Prefiled with Secretary of the Senate 1/5/90.  Read first time 1/8/90 and referred to Committee on   Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to buses; amending RCW 46.61.370 and 46.61.375; adding a new section to chapter 46.37 RCW; and adding a new section to Title 28A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 52, chapter 155, Laws of 1965 ex. sess. and RCW 46.61.370 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The driver of a vehicle upon overtaking or meeting from either direction any school bus which has stopped on the ((highway)) roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children shall stop the vehicle before reaching such school bus when there is in operation on said school bus a visual signal as specified in RCW 46.37.190 and said driver shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion ((or is signaled by the school bus driver to proceed)) or the visual signals are no longer activated.

(2) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway divided into separate roadways as provided in RCW 46.61.150 need not stop upon meeting a school bus which is proceeding in the opposite direction and is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children.

(3) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with three or more marked traffic lanes need not stop upon meeting a school bus which is proceeding in the opposite direction and is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children.

          (((2) Every school bus shall bear upon the front and rear thereof plainly visible signs containing the words "SCHOOL BUS" in letters not less than eight inches in height, and in addition shall be equipped with visual signals meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.190 which shall be actuated by)) (4) The driver of ((said)) a school bus ((whenever but only whenever such vehicle)) shall actuate the visual signals required by RCW 46.37.190 only when such bus is stopped on the ((highway)) roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children ((, except:

          (a) When school children do not have to cross a highway and the bus is stopped completely off the main traveled portion of the roadway; or

          (b) When the bus is stopped at an intersection or place where traffic is controlled by a traffic officer or official traffic control signal; or

          (c) When the bus is stopped at school for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children and school children are not required to cross the roadway)).

          (((3))) (5) The driver of a ((vehicle upon a highway divided into separate roadways as provided in RCW 46.61.150, need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a separate roadway or when upon a limited access highway and the school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway)) school bus may stop completely off the roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children only when the school children do not have to cross the roadway.  The school bus driver shall actuate the hazard warning lamps as defined in RCW 46.37.215 before loading or unloading school children at such stops.

        Sec. 2.  Section 8, chapter 100, Laws of 1970 ex. sess. and RCW 46.61.375 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The driver of a vehicle upon overtaking or meeting from either direction any private carrier bus which has stopped on the ((highway)) roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any passenger shall stop the vehicle before reaching such private carrier bus when there is in operation on said bus a visual signal as specified in RCW 46.37.190 and said driver shall not proceed until such bus resumes motion ((or is signaled by the bus driver to proceed)) or the visual signals are no longer activated.

(2) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway divided into separate roadways as provided in RCW 46.61.150 need not stop upon meeting a private carrier bus which is proceeding in the opposite direction and is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers.

(3) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with three or more lanes need not stop upon meeting a private carrier bus which is proceeding in the opposite direction and is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers.

          (((2) Every private carrier bus shall bear upon the front and rear thereof plainly visible signs containing the words "PRIVATE CARRIER BUS" in letters not less than eight inches in height, and in addition shall be equipped with visual signals meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.190 which shall be actuated by)) (4) The driver of ((said)) a private carrier bus ((whenever but only whenever such vehicle)) shall actuate the visual signals required by RCW 46.37.190 only when such bus is stopped on the ((highway)) roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers((, except:

          (a) When the passengers boarding or alighting do not have to cross a highway and the bus is stopped completely off the main traveled portion of the roadway; or

          (b) When the bus is stopped at an intersection or place where traffic is controlled by a traffic officer or official traffic control signal)).

          (((3))) (5) The driver of a ((vehicle upon a highway divided into separate roadways as provided in RCW 46.61.150, need not stop upon meeting or passing a private carrier bus which is on a separate roadway or when upon a limited access highway and the private carrier bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway)) private carrier bus may stop a private carrier bus completely off the roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers only when the passengers do not have to cross the roadway.  The private carrier bus driver shall actuate the hazard warning lamps as defined in RCW 46.37.215 before loading or unloading passengers at such stops.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 46.37 RCW to read as follows:

          Every school bus and private carrier bus, in addition to any other equipment or distinctive markings required by this chapter, shall bear upon the front and rear thereof, above the windows thereof, plainly visible signs containing only the words "school bus" on a school bus and only the words "private carrier bus" on a private carrier bus in letters not less than eight inches in height, and in addition shall be equipped with visual signals meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.190.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to Title 28A RCW to read as follows:

          On highways divided into separate roadways as provided in RCW 46.61.150 and highways with three or more marked traffic lanes, public school district bus routes and private school bus routes shall serve each side of the highway so that students do not have to cross the highway, unless there is a traffic control signal as defined in RCW 46.04.600 or an adult crossing guard within five hundred feet of the bus stop to assist students while crossing such multiple-lane highways.