2. The Legislature finds and declares that school bus safety is of paramount importance to the health and welfare of the school children of this State. The Legislature further finds that school buses are cited for safety violations during scheduled and random inspections at an unacceptably high level and that recent random school bus inspections conducted by the Division of State Police and the Division of Motor Vehicles found a high percentage of school buses operating with significant violations that warranted the removal of these vehicles from service.

The Legislature concurs with the findings of the Governor’s School Bus Safety Task Force that it is appropriate and necessary to revise the existing system of in-lane inspections to a system of in-terminal inspections conducted by motor vehicle inspectors at the facility of the school bus operator. Such a system would provide insight into the carrier’s overall operation and commitment to maintenance; allow interaction with the carrier’s mechanics and operational personnel to facilitate the immediate repair of vehicles; provide a mechanism for the audit of a carrier’s maintenance records, including daily defect slips, vehicle history records, and driver history and credential records; and, insure the timely inspection of all school buses.

L.1999,c.5,s.2.