School Bus Safety Act of 2025

The School Bus Safety Act of 2025 requires all school buses with a gross vehicle weight over 10,000 pounds to be equipped with 3-point seat belts at every seating position, fire suppression systems for engine fires, and reinforced firewalls to prevent flames from reaching passengers. It also mandates automatic emergency braking systems, event data recorders, electronic stability control, and 8 hours of behind-the-wheel driver training for school bus operators. The bill establishes a grant program to help schools purchase or retrofit buses with these safety features and requires studies on pedestrian detection systems and seat belt alert systems. These requirements will apply to new school buses manufactured or imported after the Transportation Secretary finalizes the rules.