Each local board of education is hereby authorized to acquire, own, lease, contract and operate school buses for the transportation of pupils enrolled in the public schools of such local school administrative unit, and of persons employed in the operation of such schools in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Education under the authority of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-12(17) and within the limitations set forth in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-239 to 115C-246, 115C-248 to 115C-254 and 115C-256 to 115C-259. Boards of education which own and operate school buses for the transportation of pupils shall have authority to establish separate systems of transportation for pupils attending elementary schools and for pupils attending middle schools, junior high schools, or senior high schools. Each such board may operate such buses to and from such of the schools within the local school administrative unit, and in such number, as the board shall from time to time find practicable and appropriate for the safe, orderly and efficient transportation of such pupils and employees to such schools. (1955, c. 1372, art. 21, s. 1; 1973, c. 586, s. 1; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1983, c. 630, s. 2; 2001-97, s. 3.)